USA > Texas > Bastrop County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 18
USA > Texas > Travis County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 18
USA > Texas > Burleson County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 18
USA > Texas > Lee County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 18
USA > Texas > Williamson County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 18
USA > Texas > Milam County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 18
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the New West; " and the three following years he was alderman, mayor or local judge in Dallas.
During all this time he has been industri- onsly writing as an anthor or compiler. He now has prepared two large works for publi- cation: History of Texas from 1685 to 1892, in two large volumes, and "The Indian Wars and Pioneers of Texas." In the latter at least 3,000 names of early pioneers, who largely clothed, fed and in war mounted themselves for their unpaid services, will ap- pear to prove that no country was ever set- tled, reclaimed, populated and defended by a braver, more unselfish and patriotic people.
EDUCATIONAL.
Previous to independence Texas had scarcely any schools worth mentioning. The innnici- pality of Bejar had supported a school for a short time, and there had been a private school near Brazoria, with thirty or forty pupils, supported by subscription, and pri- mary schools at Nacogdoches, San Augustine and Jonesburg. Those colonists who could afford the expense sent their children abroad for education, while the rest, the masses, did not care for education.
As soon as Texas declared her independ- ence of Mexico, she declared in her constitu- tion the necessity of a school system. In 1839 the congress of the new republic as- signed three leagues of land to each organ- ized county. and in the following year an additional leagne, for the purpose of estab- lishing primary schools. At the same time fifty leagues were devoted to the establish- ment of two colleges or universities, to be thereafter created. In February, 1840, a law was passed making the chief justice of eich county, with the two associate justices,
130
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
a board of school commissioners, as an ex- centive body, and under their supervision many schools were organized and condneted. In 1850 there were 349 publie schools, with 360 teachers and 7,746 pupils. By 1860 there were 1,218 schools, with a correspond- ing increase of teachers and pupils. But even yet the schools were not entirely sup- ported by publie tax. Considering the many politieal revulsions, Indian depredations, etc., to which the State of Texas has been subject, it is remarkable to observe the advance she has made in education and the refinements of modern eivilized life. The last civil war was, of course, the greatest interruption to her progress in all directions. Under the constitution of 1866, all funds, lands and other property previously set apart for the support of the free-school system were re- dedicated as a perpetual fund. It further- more devoted to that fund all the alternate seetions of land reserved out of grants to railroad companies and other corporations, together with one-half of the proceeds of all future sales of public lands. The legislature was deprived of the power to loan any por- tion of the school fund, and required to in- vest the specie principal in United States bonds, or such bonds as the State might guarantee; and it was anthorized to levy a tax for edneational purposes, special provision being made that all sums arising from taxes collected from Africans, or persons of Afri- ean deseent, should be'exclusively appropri- ated to the maintenance of a system of publie schools for the black race. Provision for the university was renewed; a superintendent of public instruction was directed to be ap- pointed by the governor, who, with himself and comptroller, should constitute a board of education and have the general management of the perpetual fund and common schools.
The constitution of 1868 did not materially alter these provisions, except in one marked particular, namely, the significant omission of the provision appropriating the taxes paid by colored persons for the support of schools for their children. The schools were made free to all. The article in the constitution reads: " It shall be the duty of the legisla- ture of this State to make suitable provisions for the support and maintenance of a system of public free schools, for the gratuitous in- strnetion of all the inhabitants of this State between the ages of six and eighteen."
Since the adoption of the constitution of 1868, improvements have been constantly made, either by constitutional provision or legislation, until now, when the State has as good a school system as any in the Union.
Under the topic of publie education are included:
1. The Common-School System.
2. The Normal Schools.
3. The University of Texas.
The Common-School System embraces:
1. Rural Schools.
2. Independent Sehoo! Distriets (eities and towns).
The Rural Schools are organized in two ways:
(A) Districts.
(B) Communities.
The distriets are formed by the eommis- sioners' eourts, have geographical boundaries, and may vote a levy of local school tax not exceeding two mills. One hundred and thirty counties are thius distrieted, and abont three per cent. of the distriets levy local taxes. The average school terin for the year 1890-'91 was 5.25 months in the districts; the average salary paid teachers was 8228.05, and 90 per cent. of the children within scholastie age were enrolled in school some time during the year.
131
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
In seventy-five counties the schools are operated on a peculiar plan called the com- munity system. The community has no geographical boundaries, and enrollment on the community list is a matter of local enter. prise. Local taxes ean be levied in commu- nity counties, but the plan is emmbrous and rather inefficient. The average school term in these counties for 1890-'91 was 4.71 months; the average salary of teachers was $202.76, and the percentage of enrollment on the scholastic population 88.
The cities and towns of the State may be constituted independent districts on a ma- jority vote of the people of the municipality. Independent districts may vote a levy of local school tax not exceeding five mills. There are 127 of these districts in the State, includ: ing all of the larger and many of the smaller towns. The average school term in these districts in 1890-'91 was 7.48 months, the average annual salary of teachers $447.97, and the per centage of enrollment 81.3. These districts are independent of the county school officers, and receive the State appor- tionment direct from the State Treasurer.
The State endowment of the common schools is large. About $7,427,808.75 in interest-bearing bonds, more than $14,380,- 906.37 in interest-bearing land notes, and abont 20,000,000 acres of nnsold lands con- stitute the State endowment. Of the nnsold school lands a large amount is leased at 4 cents per acre, and the funds tlms derived added to the annual available school fund.
Besides the State endowment fund, each county has been granted by the State four leagues of land, which constitute county eu- dowment. As these lands are sold the funds received are invested under the authority of the county commissioners' court, and the in- terest on the investment is annually applied
to the support of the schools. A consider- able portion of these lands is leased for vary- ing terms of years, and the rental applied as the rental of the State school lands. These . lands are under the exclusive control of the connty anthorities; 3,896,640 acres have been thus granted to counties, and a reserva- tion has been made from the public domain for the unorganized counties.
In addition to the interest on bonds and land notes and rental from leases, the State levies an annual ad-valorem school tax of one and one-quarter mills, devotes one-fourth of the occupation taxes, and an annual poll tax of $1 to the available school fund. The en- tire amount of available apportioned school fund for the year 1890-'91 was $2,545,524, and the total receipts by local treasurers, in- chiding balances from the previous year, were $3,958,316.07. The disbursements for the same year amonnted to $3,551,442.53.
AVAILABLE SCHOOL FUND ACCOUNT. RECEIPTS.
Amount brought forward from previous
year $ 357,691 76
Amount from State apportionment. 2,538,707 05
Amount from county school (available) fund. 375,806 15
Amount from local school taxes. 469,392 23
Amount from all other sources .. 215 257 64
Amount paid in excess of receipts 49,367 09
Total receipts $4,006,221 92
DISBURSEMENTS.
Cash paid to teachers $2,878,027 79
Cash paid for supervision of schools .. . . 100,609 88
Cash paid for building schoolhouses. . . 152,417 89
Cash paid for rent of schoolhouses 33,726 65
('ash paid for repair on schoolhouses 63,456 0 ;
Cash paid for furniture for use of school- houses. 61,637 59
Cash paid for all other purposes. 277,807 18
132
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
Cash paid treasurer for commissions 28,376 09
Total amount of expenditures $3,596,059 15
Balance on hand. 410,162 77
Total $1,006,221 92
AVERAGE SALARY PAID TEACHERS.
General
White. Colored. Average.
Average salary per month for male teachers in community counties .$50 34 $40 17 $49 35
Average salary per month of
female teachers in commun- ily counties 40 00 34 55 39 65
General average salary per month of all teachers in dis- trict counties. .... 45 52
Average salary per month of
teachers in community coun- ties -- males 47 61 48 57 46 75
Average salary per month of teachers in community conn- ties-females 36 35 34 13 37 16
General average salary per month of teachers in com- munity connties .... 43 05
Average salary per month of
teachers in cities and towns -- males 81 27 53 93 71 08 Average salary per month of teachers in cities and towns -females .... 48 30 38 33 45 51 General monthly average salary of all teachers in cities and independent districts. . $ 59 02 General annual average salary of teachers in cities and independent districts 447 86
SCHOLASTIC POPULATION AND STATE APPORTIONMENT.
Total. Appropriations.
White males . 225,017 1
White females .... 211,334 5
Colored males .. . 74,262 )
147,494
663,723 00
Grand total. 583,835 $2,627,257 50 Total population of connties out- side of cities 472,773 2,127,478 50
Total population of cities and in-
dependent districts. 111,062 499,779 00
Grand total. 583,835
149 district counties without cities 282,049 $1,209,220 50
$2,627,257 50
74 community counties without cities 190,724 858,258 00
140 cities and independent dis-
tricts
111,062
499,779 00
Grand total .583,835 *2,627,257 50
SAM HOUSTON STATE NORMAL. SCHOOL.
In 1879 the Normal School was estab- lished by the State of Texas for the purpose of training competent teachers for the public schools. Regarding the Normal School as the heart of the public-school system, it was decided to name the proposed institution the " Sam Houston Normal Institute," in honor of the hero of Texas independence. Honston had spent the evening of his eventful life in Huntsville. Here was his neglected grave. As an everlasting monument to the honored dead the Normal School was located at Huntsville. On the 1st of October, 1879, the institute opened, with Bernard Mallon as principal. Coming here, he had said that he would make this his last and best work. Bnt the life of this great man, so much loved and so much honored, was near its close. On the 21st of the same month in which the school opened he entered upon his rest. II. H. Smith succeeded Professor Mallon, and continued in charge of the school to the close of the second session. The third annual ses- sion opened on the 26th of September, 1881, with J. Baldwin as principal. The school has generally prospered, and is in the high- est sense a State school for educating teach- ers. The school is greatly indebted for its establishment and success to the liberality of the trustees of the Peabody education fund. The general agents, Dr. B. Sears and Dr. J. L. M. Curry, have done everything possible to foster and build up a normal school worthy of the great State of Texas.
436,341 $1,963,534 50
Colored females .. . 73,342 5
133
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
The school is strictly professional, and its aim is to qualify teachers in the best possible manner for the work of the school-room.
FIRST DECADE.
Enrolled. Graduated.
1879-'80
110
.. 37
1880-'81
144
...
55
1881-'82
165
...
73
1882-83
190
. ..
77
1883-84
200
...
101
1884-'85
206
...
118
1885-'86
215
...
138
1886-'87
212
. ..
136
1887-'88
284
...
147
1888-89
267
...
168
1890-'91
320
...
78
No effort has been made to seenre large mimbers, but rather the best material for making efficient teachers. None are admitted under seventeen years of age, or who do not possess a good knowledge of the common branches. All students sign a pledge to teach in the public schools of the State.
The standard for admission has been steadily raised as the educational agencies of the State have become more efficient. The aim is to make this strictly a professional school for preparing trained teachers for the public schools of Texas. Academic instruc- tion is given only so far as they find it abso- Intely necessary; and this necessity. we are pleased to say, steadily diminishes from year to year. as the public schools, high schools and colleges of the State become more thor- ongh in their instruction.
With the session beginning September 17, 1889, the school entered upon its second dec- ade, with an enrollment of over 300 sti- dents. The school having ontgrown its ac- commodations, the twenty-first legislature,
with wise liberality, appropriated $40,000 to ereet an additional building. The new build -. ing has been erected and is now occupied. It is a model school building, with all the mod- ern appliances, and furnishes ample accom- modations for 500 students.
This institution is under control of the State Board of Education, composed of the Governor, Comptroller of Public Accounts and Secretary of State, who will appoint a local board for its immediate supervision. Valne of buildings and grounds. . . $105,000 Value of library and apparatus ... 15,000
Total $120,000
Total appropriations for support from organization to date .... .$236,000 Donations from Peabody fund .... 50,000
PRAIRIE VIEW STATE NORMAL SCHOOL.
This institution is located six miles east of Hempstead, in Waller county. It is a branch of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, and under the government of the Board of Directors of that school. Orig- inally it was designed for an industrial school, but the lack of education among the colored people of the State, and the pressing need of trained teachers for the colored schools, led to a change of objects, and it was therefore converted into a normal school for training colored teachers. The constant and steadily increasing patronage it has since received is the best evidence of the wisdom of the change-the session of 1888-'89 having the largest attendance and being the most pros- perons in the history of the institution. Since its establishunent 757 teachers have received more or less professional training, and a large number of them are ocenpying influential and profitable positions in the
134
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
public free schools of the State. The teach- ers are all colored people, who have thus far governed the school with credit to themselves and the entire satisfaction of the Board of Director's. The institution is supported by direct appropriations from the general res- emies of the State, and one State student from each senatorial distriet and fifteen from the State at large are admittel and taught free of charge. A limited number of pay students are adinitted, and receive books and tuition free. Pay students are charged $10 per month for board. All students are re- required to pay a matriculation fee of $5, and a fee of $2 for medical attention.
The regular course of study covers a period of three years, and leads to a diploma which, in addition to evidencing the holder's literary attainments, has the value of a teach- er's certificate of the first grade. Certificates of competency are issued to sneh students as do satisfactory work in the middle classes, entitling them to the compensation of sec- ond.grade teachers in the public schools.
The continued growth of this school, and demand of the colored people of the State for opportunity to secure agricultural and mechanical education. induced the twentieth legislature to make an appropriation of $10,- 000 to enable the Board of Directors to in- augnrate the industrial features of the school. Accommodations have recently been pro- vided for thirty-eight students to receive instruction in carpentry under a practical teacher. Theoretical and practical agricul- ture form an important branch of study, and the farm and garden worked by the students. in this department contribute largely to the needs of the mess hall. A sewing-room, provided with the latest improved sewing machines and other equipments, has been placed in charge of a competent instructress
in the art of cutting, sewing and fitting, and such of the young ladies as desire a practical knowledge of this art have an opportunity to acquire it during their course of study.
The institution is open to both sexes.
Applicants must be sixteen years old and residents of the State, and are required to sign a pledge to teach as many sessions in the free schools as they may attend the Nor- mal School.
State students must sustain a satisfactory examination in arithmetic as far as decimal fractions, orthography, English grammar, En- glish composition and history of the United States.
Students furnish their own bedding, except mattresses and pillows.
Valne of buildings and grounds. . . $100.000 Valne of library and apparatus .... 7,000
AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL COLLEGE OF TEXAS.
This institution owes its foundation and endowment to the act of the United States Congress, approved July 2, 1862, amended July 23, 1865, and to a joint resolution of the legislature of Texas, approved November 1, 1866, and an act of the same body ap- proved April 17, 1871. Under these acts and the special laws of the legislature grow- ing ont of them, the first board of directors met at Austin, July 16, 1875, and proceeded to organize the college. Finally the consti- tution of 1876, article VII, provided that the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, established by the act of the legisla- ture passed April 17, 1871, located in the county of Brazos, is " hereby made and con- stituted a branch of the University of Texas, for the instruction in agriculture, the me- chanic arts, and the natural sciences con- nected therewith."
,
135
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
The college was formally opened for the reception of students October 4, 1876.
The constitution of Texas provides that taxes may be raised for the maintenance and support of the college.
The college is situated at College Station, in the county of Brazos, five miles south of Bryan and ninety-five miles northwest of Houston. The Houston & Texas Central railroad runs through the grounds, daily trains stopping at the station about 800 yards from the main building.
The government of the college is vested in a board of directors, consisting of five mem- bers, appointed by the governor of the State. They are " selected from different sections of the State, and hold office for six years, or dur- ing good behavior, and until their successors are qualified."
In November, 1866, the legislature for- mally accepted from Congress the gift of 180,- 000 acres of public land for the endowment of an agrienltnral and mechanical college. This land was sold for $174,000, which sum was invested in 7 per cent. State bonds. As under the act of congress neither principal nor interest of this money could be nsed for other purposes than the payment of officers' salaries, at the time of the opening of the college there was an addition to the fund, from accumulated interest, of $35,000. This was invested in 6 percent. bonds of the State, thus furnishing an animal income of $14,280.
The county of Brazos donated to the col- lege 2,416 acres of land lying on each side of the Houston & Texas Central railroad.
The act of Congress which established the State agricultural and mechanical colleges defines their objects. But under that act there have been founded as many different 'schools as there are States. These institutions have presented a variety of educational
schemes which have embraced nearly all gra- dations from the classical and mathematical college to the manual labor industrial school. In view of this fact it is proper to state, as definitely as possible, the interpretation given to the act of Congress by the authorities of this college, and the manner in which they are endeavoring to carry out its provisions.
The general object of this college is to ex- cite and foster in the minds of our people an enthusiastic appreciation of the attractiveness and value of those pursuits by which the ma- terial development of the country is advanced.
It is the business of this college to turn the attention of our young inen from the overcrowded " learned professions " to those occupations which have bronght abundant wealth and power to other States, and which are beginning now to attract and well repay the services of trained young men in Texas.
These objects are songlit to be attained by a thorough course of instruction in math- ematics and natural science, with continual application of principles to work in the shops, fields, gardens, vineyards, orchards, pastures, dairies, and other laboratories; by relying upon text-books as little as possible, and leading the students to seek information di- rectly from observation and experiment; by inenleating the dignity of intelligent labor- banishing the idea that the farmer or mechanic who is worthy of the name need be any less learned than the professional man; and by inducing in the mind of the student an en- thusiastic love of nature and the study of natural laws, whereby agricultural and me- chanical processes become invested with ab- sorbing interest, and are pursued in a spirit which leads to progress and success.
To enter the college an applicant must be in his sixteenth year, or at least must have attained a degree of physical and mental ad.
136
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
vancement corresponding to that age. He must be free from contagious or infections diseases or any deformity that would unfit him for the performance of his duties as a student of this college. Ile may be required to furnish evidence that he has not been dis- missed from another institution of learning, and that his moral character is good. The mental attainments necessary for entering upon the courses of study comprise a fair knowledge of arithmetic as far as proportion, of descriptive geography, and of elementary English grammar and composition.
The regular courses of study lead to the degrees of bachelor of scientific agriculture, bachelor of mechanical engineering, bache- lor of civil engineering, and bachelor of scientific horticulture. Thorough instruc- tion, theoretical and practical, is given in the departments of mathematics, agriculture, mechanics, civil engineering, horticulture, chemistry, English, veterinary science and drawing; conrses in modern languages; special short courses in agriculture, horticul- ture, dairying, carpentry, blacksmithing, ma- chinery, chemistry, drawing and surveying.
Total expenses for session (exclusive of books and clothing), $140.
There are in the agricultural museum 419 specimens of Texas wood, all numbered and labeled, also 208 jars of soil from the different counties of the State, all of which are properly arranged in cases.
Grounds and buildings are valned at $260,- 000; equipment, including stock, machinery, apparatus, library, etc., $75,000.
AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION OF THE AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL COLLEGE OF TEXAS, COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS.
In 1887 Congress made provision for es- tablishing, equipping and supporting agri-
cultural experimental stations in the several States, the stations to be placed under the supervision of the boards of directors of the State agricultural and mechanical colleges, where such colleges have been established.
The act of Congress appropriates $15,000 per ammin from the United States treasury, to each State, to equip and support the sta- tions. Owing to some technical defect in the bill as passed, additional legislation was re- quired to make the fand available. By recent enactinent the appropriation is placed at the disposal of the several States, and the stations are being organized.
The purposes for which the Agricultural Experimental Station bill was passed is clearly set forth in section 2 of the act, which reads as follows:
" It shall be the object and duty of said experiment stations to conduct original re- searches or verify experiments on the phys- iology of plants and animals; the discases to which they are severally subject, with the remedies for the same; the chemical compo- sition of useful plants at their different stages of growth; the comparative advantages of rotative cropping as furnished under a vary- ing series of crops; the capacity of new .plants or trees for acclimation; the analysis of soils and water; the chemical composition of ma- nnres, natural or artificial, with experiments designed to test their comparative effect on crops of different kinds; the adaptation and value of grasses and forage plants; the com- position and digestibility of the different kinds of food for domestic animals; the scien- tific and economic questions involved in the production of butter and cheese; and such other rescarclics or experiments bearing di- rectly on the agricultural industry of the United States as may in cach case be deemed advisable."
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