The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-04-29
NEWS OF THE LEGISLATURE

Gon OF the department.
The question naturally suggests
itself, Is any department OF state
more important than the department nt
education; would it not be worse than
suicidal TO limit the efficiency of that
department on account of a few pa!try
dollars? The statistics OF 1912 show
| that the total expenditure for the free
public schools reached the magnificent
sum of $2,327.394.73. 1t is generally
admitted by the best expert authority
in the state that fully twenty-five per
cent of that large sum, or 1851, S4S,
made no adequate returns to the state,
was practically wasted, because Of in
adequate supervision of the schools of
the state.
Is there a corporation or COM
pany of business men in the world
that would undertake to secure the
greatest output from an annual ex-
penditure of two million three humid
red twenty-seven thousand three
hundred Ninety-four dollars at gen.
erai supervisory cost OF less than ST.
900? Sound business principles in any
other enterprise would be sound bust
ness principles In educational ad-
mfnistration.
The present State Superintendent Of
Public Instruction, when a candidate
for office last year, made the cleo
for one, have faith In the integrity
and in the ability of the man. believ-
ing that he will redeem every prom
Use II the Legislature will put him in
position to do so.
A few thousand dollars appropriated
by that body would prove, in my
judgment, under his management, a
conservative fund for the over
half a million dollars admitted by the
hes INF cd o6r ~ 6a
tically wasted, through incompetent
teachers and inadequate supervision.
He promised in his platform that
the rural schools-which many claim
are on the decline-should be improv-
ed. more closely and intelligently SUI
pervised, and supplied with stronger
teachers; that the high schools should
be unified standardized. equipped with
Industrial and vocational departments
and improved in many ways; that the
system Of teachers examinations
should be radically changed; and that
there should be a genreal uplift in
educational affairs. I believe he
meant every word he said and is capa-
bic of verifying every promise If he
is furnished the means of putting his
platform in operation.
Therefore, his many supporters sin
cerely request the legislature to unite
his hands and to give him the super
visory assistance that he asks and
needs-enable him to stop education
al waste.
The other Southern states within
the past few years have walked up
amazingly and now bid fair to move
off and leave Florida, which has led
all Southern states educationally for
a quarter of a. century. But under the
influence Of their Normal schools,
their many rural and high school in
spectors, and other supervisory agen- |
cies put in operation, the other South |
ern states are today thoroughly arous- |
ed and are fast forging to the front, |
while Florida seems to have been rest
ing upon her laurels.
Georgia has three rural school in
spectors, and two high school inspec- |
tors In the field; Virginia has a large |
number of both, and so on with many !
other Southern states. The Southern |
Educat ional Board on account of dim +!
mutton Of their funds has withdrawn
the donation for the support of a |
rural school inspector for Florida the |
same is likely to be followed with |
reference to the High school inspec- |
tor. The state of Florida is by no
means on the pauper list, but is pros
porous, Independent and is daily grow |
ing rich enough to spurn the attitude
Of mendicancy to the benevolent mill |
lions Of any man or body of men, and
Il will heighten her SET respect to |
take care of her wants. The state
can little afford to let her educa- |
tional interest lag on account of the |
want Of so small a sum of money as
is asked to keep her in the van of /
progress.
The same State Superintendent who |
put Florida IN the front rank educa- |
ftOnlllV w
keep her there. if our Legislature will /
not deal with him in n parsimoniouS 1
spirit He says, the greatest educa- |
tional need of Florida right now is /
re-awakening and insistent and per- |
sistent expert supervision Of the |
schools. I believe he knows what he /
is talking ahout-his judgment has /
never proven bad in the past
He is asking the Legislature to give /
him annually the following amounts: |
For a State Institute Conduc-
tor 1000 I
For his travelling expenses E. $50 /
For two Rural School Inspec-
tors OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 1000 |
For their travelling expenses. $500 |
For a High School Inspector. " 1000 |
For his travelling expenses $50 /
For one of more Teachers
Summer Schools .......... 5000
Total $4,000 .
What is this small amount in COM +
parison with the one-half million dol I
lars now worse than wasted2 Put this I
amoun~ at his disposal, provide the |
number Of expert school assistants
that he asks, and he does not ask .
for greater number Of inspectors
and workers than is asked for in the
chemical department OF the state.
Qsn't the educational department f.
equally as Importantly and I under
write that the State superintendent
viii verify every promise he has made
the people and will conserve to the
state a large part of the enormous ex-
penditure now ma de for PUBLIC educa-