The Dept. of Public Instruction was created in 1869 (Ch. 1686, Laws) to establish a uniform system of public instruction, free to all the youth residing in Florida between the ages of six and twenty-one. The officers of the Department were the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the State Board of Education, and a Board of Public Instruction and Superintendent of Schools for each county. The Superintendent of Public Instruction had administrative supervision of all matters pertaining to public instruction and prescribed rules and regulations for the management of the Dept. of Public Instruction. The Department was replaced by the State Dept. of Education in 1939 (Ch. 19355, Laws).
From the description of High school accreditation files, 1916-1924. (Florida State Archive). WorldCat record id: 32413714
