The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-07-12
TO LIFT RESTRICTIONS.


urging a call for special session of
the legislature, for the particular pur-
pose of changing the constitutional re-
striction on the school tax millage.
f, The claim is made by those who have
advanced this idea that the legislature,
convened in extra session, could take
the necessary steps to have consti-
tutional amendment voted upon at the
November election
Judge E. d. Beggs, Chairman of the
Board of Instruction of Escambia
county, in reference to an editorial APP
pearlng In the Florida Times Union,
wrote the following communication to
the editor of that newspaper:
1 read with special interest the ed
itorial in your issue Of the End inst,
discussing the proposed call for a spec
lal session of the Legislature to pass
an amendment to the state constitu-
ton increasing the county school mill
lage and having the amendment sub
united to the voters at the coming
November election.
While the expense Of an extra ses-
sion of the legislature is an important
Item to consider and the action of
that body, if called in session. is ur-
certain, The need for increase o: funds
for public schools either by increase
in the county millage, or state millage
or both. is very great aud pressing If
action is not taken this year relief
cannot be secured until the legislature
acts next April and the people ratify
such action at the general election in
1922. and delay for two years might
work injury to the school interests in
some counties which would require
years to remove
While some counties may be able to
pay adequate salaries to teachers other
counties are not so fortunate and there
are no sources from which they ran
secure additional funds. In such coun-
ties it is today a very serious prob
lem to secure sufficient teachers for
the coming terpos at the salaries Of
fered.
But it is not the matter of teacher S
salaries alone, as important as that
is. which causes the school officials in
those counties great concern. The con-
etruction Of needed new buildings, seat
ing and other required equipment in
Guiding proper sanitation, all demand
increasing amounts each year
1T is true much relief is afforded
in many places by the establishment
of school tax districts, but full relief
is not afforded in all such instances.
Further, in many rural sections and
communities it is impra cticable to es-
tablish such districts, or if esta blished
the additional funds raised would be
almost negligible.
There has recently been published
a statement to the effect that accord
ing to the investigation by the Russell
Sage foundation, Florida's schools rank
as low as fortieth in number yhs COM
pared with those in other states. and
only 37.S per cent efficient. Porto |
Rico's schools rank only two lower |
than Florida. and her efficiency was
given as 35.S per cent. To bring our
state out of this very low rating and !
give our children the school facilities !
to which they are entitled will re-
quire very much more money than is |
now provided, and the sooner the |!
needed provision is made the better" |
The Times Union, however is ap-
parently not in favor of such a move !
ment and has the following editorial |
expression on the subject:
'Particular stress has been laid in !
the demand for legislative action, upon |
the fact that teachers have been poorly I
at least, it appears likely that the |
Florida educational system will suffer
because competent teachers will not be
content to stay here. 1t would be |
great pity TO lose many or any of our
excellent teachers; it is regretable
that the positions open to teachers are
not more generally attractive-and yet
in some of the counties provision has I
a RI IA ri
to reasonable figure and no serious
shortage is anticipated.
In other counties it would appear
that the boards have not been able to
plan so well, and for them we would
suggest some temporary arrangement
by which the very necessary increases
could be offered. There are no poor
counties in this state and there are
several ways in which school boards
could draw somewhat on the future.
ut is not, fair, however, to expect
the entire state to pay for an extra
session of the legislature when num-
Der of counties have arranged affairs
so as to be able to offer their teachers
living wages and to erect suitable !
buildings. In Duval county, for IN
stance, the way has been found by
school board and county superinten-
dent to reach a highly satisfactory
condition. 1t should be possible else
where. =. 49,.
Another thing that has bee1 sue-
gested by a state newspaper and we
regret not being able to recall the par
tlcular one, it is argued tina discretion
should govern the employment of in !.
structors coming to Florida from other
states, rather than the iron-clad reg
ulations which were planned with good
intentions but possibly poor judgment.
AS the Florida newspaper says. in
structors bearing absolutely first-classN
from other. educational
systems of the country should be well
coined to this state and not Illuminated
by being required to take state exam
nations for work that is no more diff
ficult than that which they perhaps
have been doing for years. There
should ba no educational quarantine