The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1838-02-24

oee Sec. lo.
Present acceptance will prevent the
forfeiture, not of one, but Of G,ur or
fOe years State appropriations, includ-
ing that Of next school year. amount
ing in the aggregate to about 81 to
each taxable inhabitant, or to So, 900 in
District containing 500 taxables.
without counting any thing on a prob
able increase of appropriation by The
present Legislature.
Acceptance next Spring, and the
consequent receipt of the above accu-
mulated dividends, will only burthen
each District next year, with school
tax equal TO 644 cents on each taxable.
This tax, however, is not to be paid in
that proportion 6y each taxable, in the
manner ofa poll tax, but will be asses
sed on the property, professions and
persons that pay county rates, and on
such personal property as paid State
tax. The School tax on township
having 500 taxabes, and receiving
$4,000 of State appropriation, would
be something less than $325.
But in reality, acceptance will not
add much, if any thing, to the burthen
OF taxation, in the populous counties.
1t is known that in many Districts the
tax collected by the Commissioners
for the education of poor children, is
equal to the sum which would be ne
cessary to entitle those Districts to the
receipt of the Common School Funds.
# they should adopt the System. Nor
would il be necessary, in most cases,
20 levy tax beyond the lowest amount
necessary to secure the State aid, be-
cause their accumulated State appro-
orlation Of four or five years, will be
sufficient to build or otherwise pro-
vide good school houses, thus leaving
he current years tax and appropria-
ion wholly applicable to instruction,
or which purpose it would be nearly
sufficient.
lfthe System be adopted next Spring
'nly one other tax, after that of next
-ear, must necessarily be paid by the
Districts, before they will have an op-
oortunity of disseminating the System
It the tri-ennial election on the lst
Tuesday of May, ls4O. The payment
If this tax, equal to 64s cents for each
axable, will probably entitle them,
besides relieving them from the poor
chool tax, to State appropriation
'qual TO 81 for each taxable for the
econd year So that the payment Of
81 80 for each taxable, from the State,
n the same time.
Hence it seems to be for the inter-
st of the non-accepting Districts, to
AXE, the matter seriously into delibe-
alton, independent of all considera-
ions arising from the merits or de-
merits of the Common School System.
Though the System is yet in its in
ancy, it has produced some decided
nd saIutary changes in the Districts
which have adopted it.
The School Houses are generally
much improved, being either new, or
veil repaired, and more equally and
:onviently located than formerly.
The compensation of Teachers is
increased fully one third, and the pro-
ession is rapidly and proportionately
Using in usefulness and independence.
The number Of Children taught in
he Common Schools, is at least dou-
'le that of the schools which preceded
hem in the same Districts.
The duration Of teaching in each
year is about the same.
The kind Of instruction is in all
,ases as good; and in most better than
n the old schools.
The cost QfteachiRg, notwithstand-
ng the increased Compensation of the
eachers-the improved condition of
he house, and the better order and
Kind Of instruction, is only one half of
what it was before the system went
nto operation. Formerly it was So 25
IN an average over the State, now it
S 81 l93 for each pupil per quarter
In the old schools some paid for
heir own education, and some were
educated at the expense of the county
This unpleasant distinction is not
.ound in the Common Schools. All
receive the same kind Of instruction,
81 -