Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1921-10-24

1886; that with this as a basis,
the state legislature established
the commons school system IN
1887; that the legislature Tor
years Plundered this sacred fund
under one pretext or another IN
I'll the great fight IN 1850 led BY
that brilliant and courageous ed
vocational leader, Robert J. Brock
inridge, placed the school fund
beyond Legislation and beyond
party" Listen to a few quota
tions from this history
Kentucky accepted her dis
tributable share on the conditions
proposed but Ter first act q leg
islation was partial violation OF
the plighted faith" pz.
Embarked upon an extensive
and costly system Of internal I'M
provcmentS the state speedily
exhausted lis treasury: and i'll or
der 10 preserve her credit. drew
again upon the resources ct the
Common schools. " p 8.
The friends of the common
schools appealed to the General
Assembly not to sacrifice a. fund
So saCredly consccrated t. cduCa-
ton. but the. appealed in vain. "
p &
'Dcspairine pf success through
the efforts of legislation. which
had founded a system but tu de
strov it. the friends OF education
made a final move IN the right di-
rection. by appealing the whole
subject from administrations and
legislatures. II the power whose
interests had hitherto been but
little consulted in reference L. y
and that power. the people at
Kentucky" < and -
On page II we are toll that
the sum received from the IA
tional government was reduced
by legislation in 1888 70 SS50OCO.
thus plundering the school fund
out OF S3Sz.75z at the very begin
ming OF its existence
On pages Hip. we have this.
eloquent tribute to the great
work OF Supt. Brcckinridgc in Sc
curing the placing of the school
funds in the constitution OF 1880:
TO DR.. Breckenridge. above I'll
others. the people OF Kentucky
owe the establishment OF our
System OF Common Schools. He
found that system ruin lie left
it majestic fabric; he found il
a prey to legislation and the plum
ders of party; he left IT beyond
legislation and beyond party, fi2l-
ed immovable among the powers
OF government IN the organic law
OF great commonwealth
The school system is made q
part oil the Constitution No long
CT could schools be made subject
to the whims OF the legislature. 4"
Page 81.
And now. my friends. We are
asked TO vote part OF that system
out Of the constitution, out OF the
organic laws OF the state. and
place il back where legislatures
may again handle 1t. We are
asked to release now sum run
ming little above $4,000 each
year so that legislatures each ses-
sion will have more than SS0O,C0G
10 dispose OF every time they
rect And each state supcrin-
tcndcnt who serves full four years
will have released from the cor
stitution and subject to distrihu-
ton according to whatever legis-
latureS may decide Il sum running
beyond 81 100000. Are YOU sure
il Is safe to do it:
Some More School History
1t is not generally known that
for the first fifteen wears Of our
school history. Kentucky state
superintendent Of public instruc-
ton were appointed by the gov
crnor DR.. Breckenridge was APP
pointed to serve his first term.
but the constitution OF 1880 made
/ the office elective and he was
elected for his second term by the
people in 1851
We are told that the first
amendment should carry because
under the constitution the state
superintendent cannot proCeec
with great program since he
cannot succeed himself in office.
and must surrender his tasks TO
another who will not agree with
his plans. | want to remind you
that the constitution can be so
amended as to permit this official
/, 10 be reelected without taking
his election out of the hands of
the people. Why did not those
who argue this defect not propose
to correct it without making the
1