The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1913-01-03

their lands in the Everglades for S..
00O, 900, and If this sale be consuIa-
mated it will at once place $2,000,000
in the permanent school fund.
In 1901 the principal of the state
school fund was invested only IN
state and federal bonds, but for about
three years this fund has been inves--
ed also in county and municipal
bonds, thus keeping the money at
home and enabling the state board of
education to secure a better rate OF
interest.
Enrolment and Attendance
In 1901 there were enrolled in all
of the public schools of the state ILL.,
COZ pupils, with an average daily at
tendance of 1926 pupils. In 1911
there were enrolled in all of the pub
lie schools of the state 1861 pupils,
with an average daily attendance Of
103, 1856 pupils. This shows that dur
ing the decade the enrolment of pu-
pills increased 81 per cent, and the
average daily attendance increased
SO per cent. During the same time
the federal census shows that the to-
tai population of the state increased
42.1 per cent. These facts seem to
argue strongly for a law providing
for compulsory attendance upon the
public schools.
State Institutions of Higher Learning
In 1901 the state was supporting
the Florida Agricultural College ar
Lake City, the Florida State College
at Tallahassee, the East Florida Semi
nary at Gainesville, the State Nor
NAL School at DeFuniak Springs, the
South Florida Military and Educa-
tional Institution at Barlow, the ST.
Petersburg Normal and Industrial
School at st. Petersburg, The Florida
Normal and Industrial School at Tai
Iahassee. These institutions in
buildings and equipment represented
a total money value of not more than
100000, and the curricula of the ma
jority of them were not higher and
broader than the courses of study
now offered in our best high schools
But in 1905. under the provisions OF
the Buchanan bill, they were abolish
ed, and in their stead were establish
ed the University of Florida at
Gainesville, the Florida State College
for Women at Tallahassee. the Flor
ida School for the Deaf and the Blind
at st. Augustine, and the Florida Ag
ricultural and Mechanical College for
Negroes at Tallahassee. These insti-
tutfons in buildings and equipment
now represent money value of fully
81 900, 900, and their curricula are i'll
keeping with those of the standard
colleges of this country.
I predict that the next decade will
witness greater progress than thel
preceding one, as the people are be-
coming more and more concerned
about the education of their children
Among the things that the next de-
cade will no doubt have to it's credit
will be compulsory attendance law,
free books furnished by the state, a
law providing for educational and
professional disqualification for all
school officers, a state course of
study, in which the life, environment
and vocation of the child will be con-
sidered, medical inspection of the pu-
pills, Observation-Disclosures teachers
for all of the schools, or at least for
the great majority of them, and an
to the constitution, allow
ing the legislature to make appropria-
lions for the support of the public
schools, and thereby manifest an in
terest in the education of all of the
children as well as in the education
of the few who are fortunate enough
to attend the institutions of higher
learning, and last, but not least, bet
ter salaries for all the teachers.
In conclusion, permit me to thank
all the presidents of the institutions
of higher learning, both public and
private, for their uniform kindness
and cordial sympathy; the county SUI
perintendents of public instruction
for their hearty and willing co-opera-
ton at all times; the teachers for
their earnest work and self-sacrificing
spirit which they have ever manifest
ed, and all the people of the state
who conferred upon me the very
great honor of allowing me to be their
servant for the past eight years.
I congratulate the gentleman who
on the 7th of January will become my
successor. There will be conferred
upon him an honor second to none in
this country, and reposed in him al
trust which is more sacred than that