The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1856-02-09
What are we Coming to rs Respects
Schools


ustruction-undcr superior superintcnd-
eut-for the advanced scholars, fewer classes
and moro time for recitation and illustration
Of the principles involved in art or science
taught, great economy as respects buildings
AMI the working of the system, diminishing
the burdens Of taxation. Last, a capacity
of enlargement or alteration and adaptation
with facility.
We were informed that the committee
were designing to erect five such bu ldlngs
as the two now built We stated that they
were not needed, and that their plan
rrst lie abandoned or our city involved in
great and long continued taxation. The
board Of education had departed from the
plan which tho people said they would have,
and which they designated this board to
carry out. They were left in painful sus'
pcnscs as to how their money was to be cx'
pended ard whether in fact this board
really intended to complete what conjecture
declared to be their system.
Since the census Of the city has been
taken it has been scmio officially announced
that the board design TO rest for the present,
in the provisions made, and divide the city
into two school districts. If they shall do
this, many families will find these buildings
quite too remote from them to send any
young children, For instance those living
east side Fox river. They wiIl unlucs''on-
ably need a school nearer home, ana 'hey
or the board will have toproyide one. other
cities, whore this plan has been tried, have
had to do just SO,
But we think the board have done right
in this matter. 1t seems to Us easier to stop
where they are than to involve US in any
greater difficulty, They will have spent on
these two buildings, in the first year and in
the salaries for the first year, nearly all the
money the people intended they should have
or that could be raised by one per cent. tax
for hyec ycars. We should like u know a
few things more definitely: LIST. How much
money the tax brings them this year? 2l.
How This money was expended? 81. How
thcy'proyiJcd over and above what was raised
TO NEE, the aypcnscs of the first YEAR, Or.
in other words in what condition their
finances arcg
We have no douht Lpt tLst the hoard are
,llc and ,,,o-o,bor vi,l;pr n cfyc fuller
c,ro,e Of their MINIS and al about their
financial opcrations We think the uuLIjc
would take more satisfaction in this work, if
the committee wouldrcport procccdinrs-as
they could very easily DO. There is not
now perfect understanding between them
and the people, from whose Plan they
departed.
We said we THOUGHT the board had better
divide the city into two or three districts for
the present, and leave the matter as it now
is II may appear on trial that we have nj.
rcadv MS much room as i needed. It is de.
sjrablc that the working Of the system
.hould be seen before mourning debt or
making it necessary TO tax the people 3d.
600 more than they anticipated.
Dccp as we regret the departure from the
system which was the choice Of the people,
now that another system is fixed upon us
we wish to make the best of it, We hope
it will be found to work well. Nevertheless
,,rp p0 lipty II "a sp tl a a