The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1920-01-05
4 PARTING WORD
FROcI GIR. BRINSON
Ocala, F-a-, January 3,

10 the Public OF --4E-Cn County:
Ny dear Friends: It is common
knowledge that / have resigned as
superintedent of public instruction
and that M ". D. C,4a has been ap-
pointed TO succeed ne.
1t is fitting that IN taking this &C.
ton / should leave some word with
the people who have entrusted the
great responsibility CT uperintending
the education of Their children to me-
AS was pretty generally known /
did not contemplate entering the race
in the prina- les for Z fourth nomina-
ton and at this juEctUre without the
least suggestion upon nay part the
state superintendent sees fit to recon-
mend me for appointment as super
visor of negro education for the state
to the general education board and
they see fit TO accept the recommends
ton.
! / attended conference of their
state agents and the officers of the
general education board and other
boards at Richmond, Va. on Dec. 16
and II and after careful consideration
Of their proposition | agreed to go
with them.
It is a new position and a new field
! in Florida, though there have been
men furnished for the other southern
states for some years by the same
people and I found them to be south
ern school men of the very best type
and the other southern states have
accomplished much good work in the
roo1&&n|. 0f %ha cnh0Al11Onr Nf %hn
and the training of teachers for this
work.
feel a sentimental reluctance to
surrender the work of the Office be-
fore the expiration of my third term,
but this is compensated for by the
feeling that I am to be followed by
one who served faithfully and salts
factorily in the office for three full
terms in years gone by and who will
put into the Office his accumulated ex-
rerience in school and varied public
matters.
The people of Marion county have
been good to me and have devoted
eleven years of the best service of my
life to the effort to maintain and ad-
vance their school interests and I wish
to at this time express my very sin
ccrest. appreciation of the confidence
shown in calling me to the superin-
tendency of their school affairs for
three terms.
May not at this time pause to
make a hasty survey Of the present
school condition.
To be frank, my friends, it is far
. from satisfactory and the very best
: thought and labor Of the school teach
ers, officers and public at large are
necessary. to the leading of our school
system out Of an unsettled and very
much confused condition.
Even before the war there was q
growing shortage CT teachers and this
has been accumulated o. the war con-
ditions to the point that the national
department cf education estimates a
shortage in the nation of close to
forty thousand teachers and the state
is estimated to be SEQ or more short
and We need ats;this time in Marion
county more than dozen teachers
for white schooissr< There are a num-
Der Of contributing causes to this de-
plorable state Of affa;rs-shortness of
terms, uncertainty Of position, diff
cult examinations, unsatisfactory
boarding accommodations. disagree
able and annoying relations with pat
rons, but most largely the ridiculous
ly insufficient salaries offered. -
While we hope for an early and a
favorable readjustznent so that the
school machinery VIII again function
smoothly yet regret TO confess that
the silver lining is seen but very dim
ly.
| We may accept it as fundamental
I that teachers must be paid salaries
commensurate with the time and Ia
Dor and expense and talent required
to prepare fer teaching in a manner
acceptable to the public. We cannot
get away from this. This means
that your school beard will have to
get more money and I know of no
place for them to get it except thru
public taxation.
| We cannot expect matters to sud
denly adjust themselves but let us all
work in unison in as constructive
manner as possible to restore our
school system to as nearly a normal
basis as possible.
With the very kindest regards to
the trustees of our districts and the
supervisors who have without pay and
at personal expense and sacrifice de-
voted their time to theiT school inter-
ests; to the large number of teachers
who have faithfully and Loyalty labor
! ed with US for the education of the
youth of the land; to the public at
large who have supported US with
their financial and moral strength and
| lastly to the papers of the county who
have been liberal with their space and
helpful in suggestions. wish to leave
this last word Of appreciation.
I Very sincerely yours,
J. II. Brinson,
/ Retiring Superintendent.