The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-03-16
VOx POPULI.
GREATER DEMANDS FOR
SCHOOLS IN ESCAMBIA

Editor Pensacola Journal:
Noticing editoriaIly the question of
compulsory education in The Journal
and six months term opportunities to
each child in the year, all which we
most heartily agree to and endorse.
The four months term and the crowd
ed grades upon one teacher amounts
to but very little to the average boy
and girl from an educational stand
point. 1t is true now and again a
bright mind is kindled into a flame and
they shine out from the darkened mass
of humanity like meteors, but these
are exceptions to- the rule. They are
fine examples and incentives to hold
up, but the masses should be educated
to the extent of useful and intelligent
citizenship.
Our present system and financial
squeeze for educational purposes, are
like some of our fine lectures on agri-
culture. A professor will have a large
crowd of poor farmers (finaneialIy 500.
and he will tell them about up to- date
plows and riding cultivation, and labor
saving machinery, all of which require
heavy teams or power to work and
plenty of cash, for if we were to get
these on credit, and raise cotton to
settle the bills with, most of the chill
dren would not get six weeks schooling,
let alone six months, for the farmer
has to carry such load of useless
non productive human freight on his
back, in the way of cotton factors
and middle men, insurance and stock
gamblers. it takes every thing in the
field almost from the cradle to the
grave to exc out mere living for the
family.
We need. first, schools that are grad
ed through the county. and where
these are in communities sparsely set
tied, we need transportation, collect
ing the children where there will be
a good and sufficient corps of teachers
to carry them through the elementary
and secondary grades.
Then we need in each county, a
conveniently located agricultural, in
dustrial, mechanical high school
Then we would be in line for COM
pulsory education and equipped to ed
ucate our boys and girls to that higher
plane of citizenship that would pay
large dividends for these expenditures
in the future.
We have been advocating and writ
ing on such schools for several years,
and being familiar with several in
situations of this kind know that until
each county has its own higher branch
of learning, we will still go on In the
ruts we are in. The state universities
are dong good, but only to compare
tive few. We are told to send our
children there. but where is the money
coming from to keep the masses there.
There Is nothing attractive about them
that the whole state can realize for all
the children.
While I do not condemn the univer-
sity plan of state conrtol, yet let us
note the attendance from the counties
that the university is situated in and
compare this with the other counties
of the state. The truth should hurt
no one.
There is no county in Florida that
would not vote a half million for a Jail
and courthouse but would perhaps,
white-wash the ballot box for a hun
dred and fifty thousand dollar ex-
penditure for a central agricultural
school.
Again as we spoke Of a board of tax
equalization helping the school fund.
If the fair tax valuation was put in
the county assets it would help out
the immense appropriation of our
county fund. Cimited) of seven mills,
to build school houses, hire teachers,
and lay the foundation for our future
citizens. If we had spent more on ed