The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-02-17

neighborhood in the State. Qt is proper to re
mark that this term is used TO designate thos
parts OF school districts, some ak or eight in mum
ber adjacent 10 the borders of the States OF Penn
sylvania and Massachusetts The provisions o
this section were made with particular reference
! 20 the spaTsely populated districts OF the State
which, without such equal distribution, would be
Your committee could not reconcile Y with q
sense of justice to the larger districts, Turning a
majority in the State, to recommend tine equal dis.
nbution Of any greater sum:
BY the fifth section Of the bill, the remaining
one-fourth of the amount raised by State tax,
together with three fourths of all moneys appro-
pfiated by the State for the support of common
SCHOOLS, IS apportioned according TO the number OF
years OF age, residing in said district. II is also
enJoned that the schools shall be kept open during
elght months OF the year, by a duly qualified
1t is expected by your committee that the
amount 10 be raised by the State tax, TO wit:
$500 900, in addition TO the appropriation from the
income OF the Common School Fund, NAV be in
creased 100000, thus making the total sum OF
81, tor the pay ment OF teachers wages will
be Sufficient to support the common schools for a
period of eight months. Bat in case thers should
be defcency-o or if it were deemed advisable by
the trustees TO continue the schools for a longer
period, then it is required by the sixth section OF
the bill that "the balance to be raised in any
school district for the payment Of teachers wages,
beyond the amount provided by the previous Sec
ton Of the bill, shall be raised by poll tax, to be
district entitled TO vote at the school district meet
lance"
During the year lS49, a. appears by the last an
Dual report Of the Superintendent of Common
Schools, there expended for teachers wages
the rum of 1922 696 "a OF this amount 81 81, 1888
20 was public money, $502,7N Sc raised on rate
bills from those sending to school, $3l 4 n raised
DV district xAtiOp. AuDnlV deficiency fae
collection of such rate blls, and $l474S Il raised
like manner, 10 defray the rate bills of INDECENT
persons-the number of children placed in the list
ofind,gent exempts having been Is, 6S6 The sum
OF $22,226 26 included in the above amount of
public money, and appropriated for the pay ment of
teachers wages, was raised from local funds be.
longing to several of the counties and towns of the
State.
Taking, therefore, these statistics as basis, we
can calculate with some degree of certainty the
amount of poll tax to be paid by each person upon
$500 900 proposed to be raised by State tax, there
may b. added the sum $500 000 to be appropriated
from the income Of the Common School Fund and
Of the U. s. Deposit Fund, and also the sum OF
81, 226 from the loan funds belonging to different
counties and towns, making total sum of 81 ,l22,
26. There will then be required to make up the
deficiency for the payment OF teachers wages,
soc. 470. There are nearly IL 600 school districts
Der of residents in each district entitled to vote at
school meetings, will average Is voters, thus
ma king aggregate of 300 600 persons upon whom
10 levy poll tax. The average amount to be as
sessed upon each person, therefore, would not ex-
coed the sum of 81 cents.
1t is naturally to be expected that under the Free
School System there would be an increase oil scho
lars; though such increase would not necessarily
imply larger expenditure for the payment of
teachers wages. Yet liberal allowance may be
made therefor, and the result will not vary mate
rally. For, by the gradual increase OF the appro
prlation from the income of the Common School
EunN NV re- n he I'M IF ,fo cani.
tai, an increase Of the poll tax to average 10 cents
per capita. would be amply sufficient to make up
any deficiency.
II is deemed advisable, to en- sure an economical
administration Of the schools that portion of the
funds for their support should be raised from the
districts, and your committee, upon mature de-
liberation, wosld suggest the plan of poll tax, as
best calculated 10 accomplish this esult and least
liable to objection. II cannot be said to be tax
upon the basis of population, inasmuch is not
proposed to tax, Unfortunately, all the inhabi-
fonts Of district but only those qualified to vote
at school meetings II may be said, therefore.
with more propriety, to be tax upon capital and
labor combined
The main support of our free institutions rests
upon the virtue and intelligence of the great labor
ing class. 1t is desirable, therefore, that labor
should be elevate by spirit of honest indepen-
dtnce For this reason, among others, the schools
are made free, that the children Of labor may, in
the public schools OF the State, claim a perfect
equality with the more favored children of fortune.
IL is conceived, therefore, to be wise and polite
measure TO give to labor the opportunity to con-
tribute its share towards the support Of an inst-
tuition designed expressly for its moral and social
elevation. There are many who are able and
willing TO contribute the price of days labor for
the support OF a school, who would be unable to
raise the amount required TO be paid upon rate
bill. noble, manly pride belongs of right TO
labor. and when that pride is appealed TO in aid Of
the 81 900 children Of want in the State, who will
not crave the boon of an exemption from the rate
bill, it will not hear the appeal in vain. Again,
the repeated demands OF labor have made the
common schools Of the State in reality free, yet
il is deni,d the privilege Of paying its due proper
ton Of the mems required 10 keep them free Ii
is not, therefore, morally free; and is but as a
guest eating feast at the expense Of its host, and
does not feel at berry to question the prudence
beraliy OF the eiveI. or to suggest improvement"
ALBANY, Feb. 6, 1851.