emphasized by Supt. Horton. Nor has much been done since for its solution. One town—Phoenix—now employs a superintendent of schools. In two others—Prescott and Tucson—the principals must devote a large share of their time to teaching, and in other large towns practically no time is allowed the principals for supervision. In the counties having the largest amount of taxable property the separate office of county superintendent has been established, and is now on trial. The office of superintendent of public instruction has lost rather than gained in importance, and a small salary and no appropriation for office or traveling expenses prevent it being sought by able men engaged in school work. The problem of supervision is one of the most pressing matters in education in Arizona to-day.
While Supt. Sherman had the honor of selecting the landed endowment for the university, it was owing to Supt. Horton’s persistence that a part of it was finally secured. To him is also due the law of the assembly to prevent any further destruction of the timber, which alone made the land valuable. He, too, saw the advantage likely to result to the Territory from further selections of unoccupied timber land in lieu of the school sections (16 and 36) when they should fall on worthless lands, and urged that steps be taken to get such authority from Congress.
He concluded his estimate of Horton’s work in the following language:
Supt. Horton was not a candidate for reelection at the close of his term, and with his retirement from the office the schools of Arizona passed from under the control of the men whose names can be linked with those of Gov. Safford, not only as having matured his policy, but as successful superintendents of public instruction, though not in equal degrees. In addition, both Sherman and Horton, by their ability as principals of the schools of Prescott and Tucson, so commended public schools to their towns and sections that the success of the system was assured. Without such help Gov. Safford, wth all his energy and enthusiasm, would have found it difficult to reach the larger success that marked school matters during his second term as governor.[1]
- ↑ In March, 1885, Prof. Horton was appointed by Gov. Tritle as clerk of the county court and clerk of the county of Pima to serve two years. After this office expired he removed to San Carlos, Ariz., and became Indian post trader, where he was killed not long after by an Indian policeman.
