Crossville chronicle. [volume] (Crossville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1921-07-06
THOUGHTS ON THE
SCHOOL SITUATION
Trustee 7. F. Brown Discusses
Some Phases of the New
School Law.

At the July term of the County
court there is to be elected a county
board of education of seven member:
to replace the present High Schoo
board and County Board of Educa.
ton. The men chosen to fill these po-
sitions should be selected to represent
all section and interests of the county
They should be selected of the best
men we have, and of those that are
not SO wrapped in their private affairs
that they cannot devote the time nee
cessary to the educational affairs of
the county.
Superintendent Salary.
This court also has the fixing of the
salary of the County Superintendent
in accordance with a recent amenda-
tory act of the Legislature increasing
the maximum of the state supplement
from three hundred fifty dollars to one
thousand dollars. Our county now
gives the maximum $3.50 in order to
receive like amount from the state.
Its policy in this matter has been to
take all that is coming to it. Of course
this policy, should be continued under
the new law.
Responsible Position.
The Superintendency is by far the
most responsible educational position
in the county and ought to command
a salary commensurate with the digni-
ty and responsibility of the position.
City and high school superintendenes
have but one or two school units un-
der their charge, while the county SUI
perintendent has all the school units
of the county under his immediate
charge, besides the other manifold du-
ties that devolve upon him. Our neigh
boring counties of White, Putnam,
Fentress, Morgan, Roane and Rhea
pay their county superintendents $1,000
$I2oo and $500 on the part of the coun
ty, in addition to the state supplement,
Cumberland county alone being neg
lgent in this matter.
State Has Acted.
The state, realizing the responsible
ity of the position and the inadequate
pay, has set aside from the General
Education Fund $o5,ooo, or $1,000 to
each county, there being o5 counties in
the state, and asks and expects each
county to pay its Superintendent
like amount in consideration of receiv-
ng duplicate of the amount from the
state. 1t is theirs to take and apply
on the superintendent salary and
give him an amount that will enable
1im to live and devote his entire time
70 the work But if they refuse to ,
AXE it and so apply it, under section 3
t goes back into the General Educa- |
ion Fund and is distributed to the o5 $
,outies of the state, giving to oui /
county only ten dollars and fifty-three +
ents instead of the $1,000 that the I
tate wants them to have for their
hildren in the greater efficiency OF
he superintendent and his work.
Must Pay Not Less Than $500.
The law says the county must pay f
IS superintendent at least $500 to get P
nything from the state and up ST 900, a
ut it expects the county to pay the a
litter sum and take all that is coming e
, it, else why do they make the
$4,000 appropriation, which is pro- II
iding $1,000 for each county. For the e
ounty to refuse it is to make pres u
ut of all but ten dollars and fifty f.
lree cents to the other "a counties of bi
e state. et
Whence comes this money? Large tr
from the county. To accept the a,
ate's maximum proposition the coun-
must collect $4,000 in school taxes,
rn ST. 900 over to the state, and pay m
c other $1,000 to their superintend-
t. Then the state gives back to the TO
unity the $1,000 providing they apply
to the superintendent's salary, to pr
re him a wage which they consider ist
nsistent with the duties of his po- INF