| W. S. M. Pinkham's 1906 Report to the Florida State Superintendent of Schools for St. Johns County Public Schools |
| St. Johns County Hon. W. M. Holloway, State Supt. Pub. Inst., Tallahassee, Fla. Dear Sir: In compliance with your request I herewith submit the following report of the Public Schools of St. John’s County for the two years ending June 30th, 1906. Since my report in 1904, we have built five new schoolhouses, and enlarged several school buildings, in some instances, to twice their original capacity, at an aggregate cost of four thousand dollars. Under the State High School Law we are operating one Senior High and Graded School with twelve grades, thirteen teachers and four hundred pupils enrolled. In addition to Latin, French and Spanish are taught, also stenography and typewriting. We have two Junior High and Graded Schools, with nine grades each, with seven teachers, and three hundred pupils enrolled, in one, and three teachers and one hundred and twenty-seven pupils enrolled in the other. We have one Rural Graded School, with three theachers and one hundred and twenty-one pupils enrolled. Under the 80 per cent. law two schools only have had extended terms. I consider, however, this law a move in the right direction. It has a tendency to improve the attendance of pupils. We have no Special Tax School Districts in this county, and consequently have no Special Tax Schools. I regard the enforcement of the regulation of the State Board of Education requiring all principals of Senior High Schools to be holders of State Certificates, just and proper. Without such a certificate, there is no evidence of their ability to teach the subjects required by the law to be taught in the Senior High Schools of our State. Our School Board is not in debt. The financial statement of June 30th, 1906, shows a cash balance on hand of $1,544. The School Fund, however, is not sufficient for the successful operation of the schools. The old complaint of small salaries for teachers, applies to this county in its truest sense. In order to establish and operate schools, within easy access to all the children of this sparedly populated county, employing teachers at salaries which would insure good work, our school fund would have to be increased at least 25 per cent. Respectfully submitted, W. S. M. Pinkham, County Superintendent |