Initial messages of Governor W. P. Hobby to the thirty-sixth legislature, state of Texas: Jan. 14, 1919 and Jan. 22, 1919. Page: 27 of 32
33 p. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this book.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
GOVERNOR'S MESSAGES.
2T
the available school fund to be used
by school districts under such regulations
as your body may prescribe to
increase the salaries of "the school
teachers in Texas. The low scale of
wages paid the school teachers of
Texas is a hindrance to the greater
development of our educational system
and the appropriation I have
suggested will be a substantial step
in the direction of making it possiblp
for those who devote their lives to
this useful work to earn a just remuneration.
I urge that you make
the appropriation available to suppleplement
salaries according to rules
and regulations provided by the State
Superintendent of Public Instruction
and approved by the State Board of
Education.
The estimated revenues for school
purposes were for the current year,
less, and the school population of the
State was more than last year. In
order to maintain the school apportionment
at $7.50 per child made for
the preceding year, it was estimated
that a million dollars more than the
school revenues provided for this
year would be necessary. Rather
than reduce the apportionment, I
caused the Board of Education to
maintain it at $7.50. I therefore
recommend that your body appropriate
a million dollars, or so much
thereof as may be necessary out of
the general funds of the State, to
maintain the apportionment during
the current year so there may be no
backward step in the public school
administration of Texas.
I recommend that a million dollars,
or so much thereof as may be
necessary out of the general revenue
of the State, be appropriated in aid
and support of rural schools of less
than 500 enrollment in similar manner
to the appropriation made for a
like purpose by the Thirty-fifth Legislature.
I recommend .that a milli'on dollars,
or so much thereof as may be
necessary, out of the general funds
of the State, be appropriated so that
every school district in Texas of reasonable
size and area where the local
limit tax of 50 cents on the hundred
dollars is imposed, may find it possible
to have a school term of such
length, up to nine months, as the
trustees of the local school district
desire to have. In this manner the
State will supply the deficiency out
of the school funds to supplementthe local funds and maintain the
school for such term.
Each of these appropriations on
the part of the Legislature is authorized
in the amendment to the Constitution
adopted November 7, 1918,
setting forth that when the limit of
school taxation is insufficient to support
the public schools of the State
far a term of not less than six
months, the deficit may be met by appropriations
from the general funds
of the State.
I recommend that legislation be
adopted to aid and encourage so far
as local road conditions and transportation
facilities will allow, the consolidation
of small and weak school
districts into larger districts capable
of erecting better buildings and of
maintaining better schools. Provision
should also be made for removing the
important office of county school superintendent
from the realm of politics
by having the country superintendent
chosen by the county school
board, as the city superintendent is
elected by the city school board.
I recommend the submission of a
constitutional amendment more
clearly defining the status and making
provision in the organic law for
the University of Texas, the Agricultured
and Mechanical College, the
College of Industrial Arts and the
State normal schools. This amendment
should set out the way for permanent
development and the manner
of support and maintenance of these
institutions. In -my judgment the
opportuntiy for permanent development
of the University of Texas and
the Agricultural and Mechanical College
is best presented by embracing
in this amendment constitutional authority
for an issue of bonds by the
State not to exceed $10,000,000 at
the lowest practical rate of interest,
the proceeds to be used for the benefit
of these institutions, and to constitute
a permanent endowment, the
principal of which shall always be
kept intact and invested in such securities
as are now lawful for the
investment of the public school
fund, while the revenue derived from
such investment may become available
for the buildings and for the development
of these instituti9ns.. In
consideration of such endowment it
is recommended that the more than
2,000,000 acres of public land now
reserved for the University be taken
over by the State and put upon the
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This book can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Book.
Hobby, W. P. Initial messages of Governor W. P. Hobby to the thirty-sixth legislature, state of Texas: Jan. 14, 1919 and Jan. 22, 1919., book, 1919; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth5863/m1/27/?rotate=90: accessed April 30, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .