| W. S. M. Pinkham's 1910 Report to the Florida State Superintendent of Education for St. Johns County Public Schools |
| St. Johns County St. Augustine, Fla, November 30, 1910. Hon. W. M. Holloway, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tallahassee, Fla. Dear Sir: in compliance with your request, I beg to submit herewith report of public schools in St. Johns County for two years ending June 30th, 1910. School Buildings Three rural school buildings have been erected within the past two years, one located at Espanola at a cost of two hundred and five dollars ($205), one at Bunnell costing the School Board two hundred dollars ($200.00), the balance of the eight hundred ($800.00) dollars (the actual cost of the building ) being paid by the Bunnell Development Company, and another (a colored school) at Mill Creek at a cost of two hundred dollars ($200.00). With very few exceptions, our rural schools are ceiled or plastered and provided with patent desks. A new high and graded school building at St. Augustine was practically built during the past two years. This building, constructed of reinforced concrete and brick, contains twenty-eight (28) class rooms, auditorium, chemical and physical laboratories, library, offices for superintendent and principal, emergency (or sick) room, with a basement 75 x 212 feet, and up to the period for which this report is made, while this building was still unfinished, the sum of $62,527.00 had been paid on account of its construction. Schools. St. Johns County has one Senior High and Graded School, located at St. Augustine, with twenty teachers and an enrollment of 569 pupils. We have two Junior High and Graded Schools, one (colored) located at St. Augustine, with eight teachers and an enrollment of 279 pupils; and one (white) located at Hastings, employing four teachers, with 102 pupils enrolled. Financial. The financial condition of St. Johns County I consider good. While our last annual report shows an indebtedness of $55,161.00, considering the fact that $62,527.00 has been paid on account of the construction of the St. Augustine new high school building, $6,000.00 for grounds and $1,500.00 for furniture, making a total expenditure of $70,027.00, it can be easily seen that without this extraordinary expenditure of funds the report would have indicated a cash balance of $14,866.00 Special Tax School Districts. St. Johns County has no Special Tax School Districts. In my opinion, when the law requiring Tax Assessors to assess property at its full cash value is enforced, there will be no necessity for Special Tax School Districts. I believe the enactment of a law providing for the appointment of an inspector of tax assessments, to the end that the above mentioned law may be enforced, would be a move in the right direction. Very respectfully, W. S. M. Pinkham, County Superintendent of Public Instruction. |