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THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Jett.
DELEGATE JETT: Mr. Chairman, fellow
delegates, I first want to emphasize what
was said before, and that is the difference
that we had here in our Committee is a
difference in approach and a difference in
concept. I want to pay tribute to the very
able, industrious and intelligent members
of our Committee who worked hard on this
matter and who believe in education with
all their hearts and souls.
Our approach is different as would be
the approach of two different parents in
determining how they would raise a child.
It is our feeling that the g-reatest dis-
service we could do would be to put some
confines on education as it has existed in
this State.
We believe that education is too precious
a thing to tamper with, to try to fetter or
confine.
We believe that education is too precious
a thing to leave solely to educators. We
believe that it is a concern of every man,
women and child in this State, and for that
reason we, believing that we love educa-
tion not less but more, have suggested
this simple language, which has served this
State so well for one hundred years. We
have changed it only to try to capture the
thought of the future, that we would go on
with every hope and expectation that edu-
cation would expand and evolve as well as it
has over the past century.
I would like to remind this Convention
that the short-lived Constitution of 1864
went into some detail, as Delegate Pullen
has said, and it was then all changed in
1867, and I would say to you that the
changes that have occurred are a tremen-
dous tribute to that legislature which some
of us seem to hold in such little esteem.
THE CHAIRMAN: You have one-half
minute, Delegate Jett.
DELEGATE JETT.: In our opinion, it is
absolutely essential that we do not freeze
the framework within which education op-
erates, that we do not set up any State
Board with a control, that we do not set
up any geographic situations, but that we
leave education free to be the concern of
every man, woman and child in this State.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Wheatley.
DELEGATE WHEATLEY: Mr. Chair-
man, before we begin, an opinion of parlia-
mentary inquiry. Is this to be treated as
an amendment rather than amendment to
the amendment?
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THE CHAIRMAN: I do not understand
what you mean by amendment to the
amendment. There is only one amendment
of which the Chair has knowledge, Amend-
ment No. 1.
DELEGATE WHEATLEY: As distinct
from the original Minority Report. This is
the only amendment before us.
THE CHAIRMAN: The only amendment
is Amendment No. 1 which is before you.
Delegate Wheatley.
DELEGATE WHEATLEY: Then our de-
bate schedule will resolve into 1 to 4.
THE CHAIRMAN: That is correct.
DELEGATE WHEATLEY: At this time,
Mr. Chairman, I would like to take one
minute to comment, and I will yield addi-
tional time. Since this proposal —
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Wheatley,
this will be your time.
DELEGATE WHEATLEY: Yes. Since
this proposal is somewhat different from
that which was originally advanced by the
minority, I think I must comment on it
prior to yielding the other time for debate.
The majority would certainly be remiss, I
would think, in opposing an amendment
which recognizes, though by different lan-
guage, the concept which we have been
talking about in that the state schools
should also have the recognition of a gov-
erning board, as provided in the executive
article and also in the proposed article
8.04 of the minority report; and therefore
I would suggest to those who are debating
in the time allocated, that they would ad-
dress themselves to both the questions pre-
sented, which are substantially these: one,
the State Board, which is provided for and
which I would not oppose in this Minority
Report, and the second queston, which
would be that of a state superintendent.
As I yield time, I would hope the persons
speaking would consider it in that respect.
I yield at this time six minutes to —
THE CHAIRMAN: The minority spokes-
man will be next. Delegate Lord.
DELEGATE LORD: Mr. Chairman, I
will yield five minutes to Delegate Hender-
son.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Henderson.
DELEGATE HENDERSON: Mr. Chair-
man and fellow delegates, it is very diffi-
cult in the time alloted to develop a logical
argument. I shall content myself with
trying to state what I think is the essential
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