Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1915-03-02
URGE
SCHOOL LAWS

To do with the Improvement of the schools
of Texas:
To the members of the Thirty fourth iceiS-
laturc of Texas:
We beg to cali your attention 10 what, IN
the Judgment 81 the teachers Of Texas, are
the immediate and pressing problems of
education IN the state. These are:
IA sane and workable compulsory At
tendance law.
2-Rural school laws providing proper
administration, supervision and support of
our rural schools, thus giving 10 country
boys and girl, educational opportunities
equal to those which our city boys aud
girl> already have.
"a law making il permissible for any
county 10 vote a county school tax, the
fund, of which tax shall 20 into the county
school fund and be- used to c%qualize educa-
I%tional opportunities for The children Of the
county.
1.-The removal of The - cant tax limit,
thus making il possible tor any community
10 vote upon itself 4 tax which will bc ,uf-
IRcicnt to provide for the best possible
schools.
"a special constitutional measure
making possible the lcyying Of n tax for
the support of our higher institutions of
learning.
6-LaSt, IN some respects most lmpor-
ltaut of all. Il law providing for the election
of the county superintendent by the county
board Of education, thus putting The super
vision Of our country school work on the
same plane that the supervision Of our city
-choul Work has been on from the begin
ming. III these laws are put on the statute
book ~ the state. Texas will not remain
lthirty-cighth IL The rank III the states IN
educational matters much longer.
The executive committee Of the State
Teachers association. which has Just held
i meeting IN the city If Austin, commcnd~
the present legislature and the governor of
The state upon their manifest interest in
matters educational, especially their rccog-
milton oi the progressive efforts of the
state department of education Ia put Texas
IN the front rank OF the sta-rs IN cduca-
tional opportunities for the children Of the
state.
Speaking for the teachers of the state.
he committee recommends III tne strongest
terms the passage ~ house bill No. 2l1.
known a. the rural school blli. Whatever
makes Tor the bcttcrmcnt NJ our rural
schools makes for the bcttcrmcnt of our
whole educational system. IN this con
%nertion. We commend 10 the favorable con-
-iderJtion Of the legislature the suggestion
ot Governor Ferguson. that Il special APP
preparation be- made BY the state To aid IN
the uphuilding of rural high schoole.
A. Ia Il compulsory attendance law, We
recommend the lliIl-IIaney bill A. contain
ing the provisions which will make an cf-
fcctivc attendance law. Nothing less than
the main provisions ~ this la~ would meet
the approval Of the teachers of the state.
This matter H. "a such grave Importance
that Ut ought 10 br dealt with III the most
frank and unPrciudiced way.
III many states The great wisdom If the
county school tax has long since been
%provcn. The idea Of such 4 law J. L. en-
able any county 10 take upon itself the
building up of a complete system of cdu-
cation by providing funds 10 supplement
the state funds in the doing OF the same.
We 10 not recommend a compulsory coun-
lty school tax law, but one that gives the
privilege 10 any county to vote such a tax
and express the hope that this legislature
viii adopt house JOINT resolution No. 80.
proposing an amendment "a section 3. M
lFr.i. ~ Fb.. ..n -ftfut1. ~ tia tint. .l
Texas providing the levy and collection WI
tn ad valurrm county tax not 10 exceed
~ cents un the ~luu valuation Of property
for the maintenance of the pnnlic schools
~ the county.
A. 4 further Legislative provision max
ing possible the better support and up
building of our schools, both in city ana
country. We recommend the adoption cf
the amendment To the constitution. known
a the Valentine resolution, raising the
limit for state school tax from % To 25
%rcni~. and district school tax from 30 cents
to II.
We recommend further. the adoption Of
senate b,lI No. los. known ~ the Bee bill.
relating ~ county superintendent. No
matter which ha~ ~ 10 with the upbuild-
ing III the country school, d. more vital
than the making possible of competent
professional supervision ~ these schools.
The Bee bill provides for this. and. in our
Judgment, should be passed IN both houses
without a dissenting voice. The most Inn
portant factor in the building up of the
country school l. the county superintendent
and the time has long since been here when
this man should have been given the legal