The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-07-26
THE SQUIRTING SQUADRON

The following from the Palatka
News is an humorous as well as an
accurate description of the route by
which the "fiying squadron" squirms
its way oRer the state:
A few days ago very innocent
looking story came out of Tallahassee
announcing the itinerary of the So
called "fying squadron" or teachers
examining board This board travels
about the state examining teachers
and issuing certificates as TO their
qualifications. The News has no crit
icisn for the ability of the members
of this board, but in view of past per-
formances we believe. with several
other state papers, that it is a waste
full arrangement, no matter what ben
efits are derived. how many teachers
are examined and what safeguards
are thrown around the teaching pro-
fession.
The wastefulness comes from the
arranging of the itinerary. At the
last session of the legislature ap-
proximately $1,000 was refunded to
the three members of this board for
money expended for transportation in
excess of the appropriation. If the
itinerary arranged for the period the
appropriation covered there is little
wonder that the appropriation was
exceeded, for truly it is a flying
squadron" hopping from one extreme
end of the state to the other, time and
again, going through the towns sew
eral times before finally alighting to
hold the much heralded examination.
Here is part of the itinerary as sent
out from Tallahassee:
Starting at Gainesville on August
Is, the first jump is to Tallahassee
for couple of days, when they hop
down to Fort Lauderdale. From Fort
Lauderdale to Orlando is pleasant
jump, and then over to Brooksville
from which place they go to Mayo
Mayo is left for Crestview, almost at
Pensacola, then they double back to
Blountstown, just below Mariana
after which they go back through
Crestview to Pensacola. Leaving Pen
sacola the board goes to Jacksonville
which they have already passed thru
several times, and near which they
were when in st. Augustine. Finish.
ing at Jacksonville they have prob
ably become enervated with the warm
climate so they hop over to Lake City
and from there they make their thirC
trip westward and land at Mariana
around which they have already play,
ed some four times. But they DOM
like it in Mariana, so they leave il
for Titusville, way down on the east
coast, having to come through Jack.
sonville again, and from Titusvillt
they go to Fort Myers, which was not
far from them when they were al
Tampa. Again it is presumably too
warm for them, so they hop off from
Fort Myers and land in Carabelle, &
short distance from Pensacola on the
northern rim of the Gulf of Mexico
After recuperating few days a.
Carabelle, they come on back through
Jacksonville to Starke, and then bacl
through Jacksonville for third triI
down the east coast. this time tt
Palm Beach. While at Palm Beacl
they suddenly recall that they have
not been down on the west coast bu
twice, so they jump from Palm Beacl
to Lakeland, after which they wind VI
the year at Orlando, where the Stat
Teachers Association is to meet.
Ye gods. it is any wonder we call i
the "fying squadron!" What tina
bunch needs is for someone to draw
them such an itinerary as the travel
ing representative of any great hous
or firm would be required to furnish
and follow if he expected the hous
to pay his bills.
! The squadron does not get to Pa
latka until February 81, although i
will pass near and through here
number of times in going from ives
Florida down the east coast and bacl
| again They come here from Willis
ton and then take a jaunt down t
Clearwater, jumping from there owe
to Chipley and from Chipley over 20
miles hack to Callahan through Jack
sonville, and so on.
No matter what explanation tn
officials who planned the itinerar
make there is nothing that can just
lfy such foolish disregard of none
in the days of high transportatio
charges.
There was only one life-term pris
oner, Marion R. Dennison, from Mar