1927 The Texas Almanac and State Industrial Guide Page: 100
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100 THE TEXAS ALMANAC.
EDUCATION--PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF TEXAS.When Captain Alonso de Leon entered
Texas from Mexico in 1689 in search of
the La Salle settlement he was met by the
chief of the Tejas, who requested that the
Spaniards send missionaries to Texas to
instruct them. As a result, the first set-
tlements in Texas (excepting the brief
existence of Fort Saint Louis) were made
for educational and religious purposes.
Thus we find that while many other
States and nations have been founded by
adventurers, seeking gold and silver,
or refugees from justice or oppression,
the very beginning of Texas was prompt-
ed by a desire for knowledge. And it is
further noteworthy that the desire was
that of the Tejas, the original Texans in
fact and name.
Aside from the early missions, such as
those near the. present sites of Nacog-
doches, San Augustine, San Antonio and
Goliad, established for the instruction and
Christianizing of the Indians, the first
step in the direction of founding an edu-
cational system in Texas is revealed in
the Constitution of the State of Coahuila-
Texas, adopted in 1827, providing for the
establishment of elementary schools and
seminaries in the principal towns of the
State. The Congress of Coahuila-Texas
took action under this constitutional pro-
vision in 1829, providing a plan for free
instruction for pupils whose parents were
unable to pay tuition. Again, in 1830
provision was made specifically for the
founding of six primary schools.
However, little or nothing was accom-
plished, and at the convention of Ameri-
can colonists, which met at San Felipe in
1832, the Government was petitioned for a
grant of land to be utilized in the creation
of a school fund. Still nothing was
effected and a few private schools served
the educational needs of Texas at the time
of the Revolution.
The Texas Declaration of Independence
declared that Mexico had "failed to
establish any public system of educa-
tion," and the Constitution of the Repub-
lie of Texas contained provisions for such
a system.
Several schools were incorporated by
Congress during the Houston administra-
tion, and in one or two instances land
grants were made, but it remained for
President Mirabeau B. Lamar to take the
first direct action looking to the estab-
lishment of public schools. In his mes-
sage to the Texas Congress, 1838, he
strongly urged the setting aside of large
portions of the public domain to be used
for the development of a public school
system and a university. In compliance
with this suggestion, Congress in 1839 ap-
propriated from the public domain three
leagues of land to each county to be used
in establishing public schools, ald, in ad-
dition, set aside fifty leagues for a univer-
sity. The following year, an additional
league was added to each county's allot-
ment.
The Constitution of 1845, upon annexa-
tion of Texas to the Union, provided for
the establishment of free schools and fur-
ther instructing that it should be the
duty of the Legislature to set apart not
less than one-tenth of the annual revenue
of the State derivable from taxation, as
a perpetual fund for the support of free
schools.Notwithstanding Texas had existed
under three national and two State Con-
stitutions from 1824 to 1854, all of which-
provided for systems of public instruc-
tion, it may be said that the actual foun-
dation of the present public school sys-
tem was not laid until the latter year.
Governor E. M. Pease, .with President La-
mar the most ardent pioneer supporter or
public education, succeeded in having $2,-
000,000 of the $10,000,000 received by
Texas for sale of lands to the United
States set aside as a school fund. It was
in this year, too, that in making grants
of land for the encouragement of rail-
rdd construction, it was further provided
that in surveying their grants the rail-
roads should survey alternate sections
which were allotted to the public schools.
From this date there was rapid extension
of the public school system of Texas.
The Constitution of 1866 incorporated
most of the features of the Constitution
of 1845, and in addition made provision
for education of negroes through taxation
of negro property. This Constitution be-
came ineffective a short time after its
adoption when the State was placed under
military rule. The Constitution of 1869
did away with separation of taxation for
white and colored population, but reaf-
firmed the provisions for the fund for
public education, and provided that the
,Legislature should set aside one-fourth
. of the general revenue for public schools,
assessed a poll tax of one dollar, and fur-
ther pi ovided that all money coming from
the sale of public domain should be made
a part of the public school fund.
The Constitution of 1876, present Con-
stitution, provided that "all funds, lands
and other property heretofore set apart.
and appropriated .for the support of pub-
lic schools;- all the alternate sections of
land reserved by the State of grants
heretofore made or that may hereafter be
made to i ailroads, or other corporations,
of any nature whatsoever; one-half of
the public domain of the State, and all
sums of money that may come to the
State from the sale of any portion of the
same shall constitute a perpetual public
school fund." The chief new feature was
the setting aside of one-half of the re-
maining public domain for public schools.
About 52,000,000 acres of the Texas public
domain, first and last, was allotted for
school purposes.
The Constitution also provided for one-
fourth of occupation taxes and a poll tax
of one dollar for school support, and made
provisions for local taxation. At first
no provision was -made for direct ad va-
lorem taxation for maintenance of an
available school fund, but a maximum 20c
State ad valorem school tax was adopted
in 1883, and raised to 35c in connection
with provision of free textbooks in the
amendment of 1918.
SUPPORT OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS
OF TEXAS.
Public schools of Texas, including ele-
mentary and high schools, receive approx-
imately 45 per cent of their support from
State sources, the remainder coming from
local sources. This ratio of State to local
support varies widely in the different dis-
tricts, however.
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1927 The Texas Almanac and State Industrial Guide, book, 1927~; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth123785/m1/104/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.