Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1847-03-11

and making reports, Sc. sc. And all this, |
Editor, through pure love of the people, and for
good ofthe cause. Dear, disinterested men !--th
get compensation; no, sir, not a dollar -
no, they only subject themselves 10 fine and pros
cuton if they neglect any of the numerous dutI
imposed upon them by the law This Is beau
ful Utopian plan indeed And how admirably
will work! We have specimen of the operate
of this diSinterestcd benovolence i'm the manner
which some of the School Commissioners appointe
under the system lately adopted i'm this county pei
formed, or rather schoty neglected, yes, sir, who'll
neglected the duties assigned TO them. 1 am no
censuring them, sir. Not at all. They may hav
had good reasons for not giving so much Of thei
time TO the public.
Yes, sir, we are TO have mighty array Of Off
GERS with almost plenary powers over the schools,
and over our purses, too, by the way. And this
brings me TO another and an important part of the
subjcct-the erpensc OF the system. 1t behoovcs
the taxpayers to beware how they adopt system
that may prove 10 DC more Onerous than they ex-
pected, and which, adopted, may not be so ca
silly gotten rid Of. We think the estimates made
by the advocates ofthe system altogether visionary
Let us enter into some calculations on this subject.
There are, it is supposed, about 900 square miles
In the county Lancaster" thinks there ought to
be deducted from this 200 square miles for tho
mountainous regions. This, however, is too great
a deduction, considering that in many of these
mountains there are large and thickly settled neigh
oorhoods. There ought TO be counted at least 720
square miles of populated country. Well, sir, the
estimate of 10 square miles for single school dis
trct is perfect absurdiy. II is considered that it
Will involve the necessity of some of the children
walking distance OF from p 10 miles, and that,
too upon the superstition that the school house was
placed exactly in the centre of the district, and that
the children could find perfectly straight roads
both OF which would often be impractcabe. No,
sir, square miles would be large district. Many
of the children would then have to walk, even ON
straight lines, from to 2, miles. This may do
for hearty boys, but we want 10 send daughters
as well as TO school in the country, and in
the winter as well as the summer. II some of the
districts should necessarily be more than 9 square
miles, on the other hand some will be much less.
The corporation Of Staunton for instance with its
! square mile would require or schools or more.
Nine square miles, then, is enough to allow for a
district This will make so schools instead of ID.
Eighty schools for the county Of Augusta is small
allowance. Eighty schools with each 40 scholars
would make but 5000 scholars. This is not more
than half the number of children above years of
age. One hundred schools of 40 scholars each
would include but about two,hrds of the children.
But If 81 school houses is the number. what will DO
the cost OF the sites, and the erection and the fix
lures OF them Surprising that so of them should
be new, (and it is not too many, and the cost Ger
tany not less than $3.50 each, the amount is $l2,-
800. Now if the remaining SO cost for moving
500. the whole cost OF so school houses will be
Sl5,O0O. 1t is small allowance for so houses to
accommodate 40 scholars each. Then 81 900 more
must be raised 30 pay the officers for collecting and
discussing the money. Here is the sum of SIG 200
to prepare for the system. Nearly as
much as the whole OF cur State and County tax
Tor one year. Every mans tax must tie nearly
doubled for one year for this purpose. Now what
will be the annual expense II every neiph-
borhood has its school (and without it, the people
OF that neghborhood would be bearing their portion
oil the burden, without receiving the benefits of the
SYSTEM there will be so teachers Can teachers;
qualified as the law requires, be had for less than
$500 year? Certainly not, when it is consider
ed that they must pay for their board, which, no
doubt they must do under this system. Then it
will require for fuel, books maps, and stationery Of
every kind TO be furnished for all the children rich
and poor, an addition of least $75 for each school,
Now we have Tor the annual expense OF each school
1919, amounting to $4,000 in all Now we must
add 10 this the Sheriff's commission (5 per cent?
Tor collecting and discussing, the Superintendent's
and the Clerk of the Boards compensation, a.
TO say $4,000. Here is $4,000 as the
annual expense Of the schools, from which deduct
say $500, our quota of the Literary Fund, lea
wing $685. TO be raised annually by the county
for these schools. The average amount of our
otate and County taxes does not exceed $4,000.
1t will be an addition, then, of about 10 per cent.
upon the present amount Of every mans tax. That
10, III Hc HOW pays SZU ne would then paw S54;
heSe estimates are not too high il the county is
fully supplied.
Nor will the system operate equally upon the
different classes OF the community. There is
large portion of our wealthy citizens who own no
slaves, such as the denomination of Dunkards, and
others. They say, and say with good deal of
point, that while they would be paying as ifiuch as
the Shareholders, they would be receiving equal
benefits, inasmuch as the STAKEHOLDER can send his
children the whole year, while they must necessa-
My keep their children at home considerable por-
ton OF the year to assist in the labors of the farm or
the shop. The poor might make somewhat SIM
lar object on and it is for their benefit especially,
and not for that of the rich, that an improved sys-
TEN of education is needed
Another idea presents itself Under our present
voluntary system, when father has finished the
education OF his children, he is released from tho
burden of lis expense. Under the system proposed
the burden is never got rid Of is never Iightened
Since writing the above, see that writer I'M
your paper of the 25th of February signing himself
'SyniaX," has anticipated me in some of the OBJ
Jectlons intended making. | think when "Syn-
tax considers the size of District of nine SQUARE
miles, he will think it large enough, and too large
for an average when the mountains are deducted -
and that 500 is little enough to allow for building
school house for 40 scholars with seats and tables
and desks, Sc, &c. COMMON SENSE.
o. augusta Democrat please copy.