The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-05-27

! eight years school houses ranging in
price from SIS, 900 to $4,000 have been
| erected. The entire article is mislead-
! ing with reference to the public school
i system of the state of Florida.
81 do not want to be understood as
being opposed to the public schools
| because during this session of the leg
! iSlature when any measure was pre-
scented effecting the educational inter-
ests Of the state, / have been among
those who worked to improve the con-
ditions existing in our schools, and to
give the school teachers of the state
every opportunity possible. 1 do not
think the state is expanding one-halr
enough for the rural schools; and
have been trying to work up a bill that
normal schools. The best that we can
give the child in educational advan-
tages is not good enough.
Now, one other point which Mr..
Light has overlooked. He states that
during the past eight years the board
of control has expended for buildings
for the institutions of higher learning
the sum of 1896, 1884, and from his
article it could be inferred that this ex-
pense has been useless and the state
has not received anything in return.
The board owns some of the most val
liable property that can be found In
the state. The states property today
is worth vastly more than it cost, and
is an asset to the state.
Again Mr.. Light fails to take into
consideration that only a very small
number take a collegiate course. I am
sorry to say it, but it is true never
theless that very few of our teach
ers in the public schools are experts;
and consequently they are unable to
give the same degree of instruction
that a student can obtain at the Uni
versity or Florida state college.
J,n n sorry
school law for the state; with the bill
permitting the boards of county COM
missioners of the various counties to
establish scholarships to the agricul-
tural department of the University;
and the bill permitting the school
boards of the various counties to grant
scholarships to the Normal department
of the University or state college; to-
gether with the bill making the sum-
mer schools a permanent institution of
learning and providing that a teach
er can take the work at these summer
schools and receive credit for the work
done in securing a diploma from either
of the state institutions; together with
the bill creating two rural school in
spectors for the state, I predict that it
will only be a few years when a thou
sand students or more will be enrolled
at each of the state institutions. i am
glad to say that all of the above bills
have passed the house and 1T has been
my extreme privilege and pleasure to
support and work for each of them.
when you consider the educational
interests of the state, we can not do
tenough. Today our public school sys-
tenn is considered as second to none in
the south; and our University and
State College for Women is receiving
recognition throughout the entire
country. For the sake of a few dol
lars it is not wise to embarrass the
work of these institutions; and for the
sake of a few dollars it is not wise to
embarrass the work of the public
school system of the state. Let us
have an educational system in the
state from the primary grades to the
collegiate courses, to which each citi-
zen can point with pride