The Shasta courier., 1864-01-16
Tax for Public schools.

The State Superintendent of Public In
struction, in his annual report to the Legisla-
ture, recommended levy of five mills on
every dollar of the taxable property of the
State, as an additional tax for the support Of
public schools and we see by the reports q
the proceedings of the Legislature, that a
large number Of petitions to that effect rave
been presented from various portions of the
State, and been referred to the Committee or
Education. 1t is to be hoped the commit
tee will report bill for this purpose, and thai
it will become law the present session.
Notwithstanding Congress has donated
large quantities of land to this State for edu
eational purposes-suficient, if it could be
brought into market, at onco to place oul
public schools in highly fourishing condi
tion-yet, owing to want of proper surveys,
coupled with the large land grants, and the
vast quantities of mineral lands..in the State,
our citizens have as yet been unable to avail
themselves of the advantages offered. 1t will
necessarily be several years before the State
can reap the full benefits of these donations,
and in the meantime our public schools are
neglected. for want of the necessary funds to
support them for more than about three
months in the year.
To remedy this evil, let there be small
additional tax levied upon the property of the
State, to be added to the present school fund,
so as to enable our public schools to be kept
open for at least six months in the year,
thereby furnishing the poor an opportunity
ofsending their children to school, thus tax.
ing them from the paths of idleness and vice.
The subject of ample facilities for affording
the rising generation an education, whether
of rich or poor parentage, has become one Of
the fundamental principles of our free and
republican form of government; and expert
ence has shown that where the greatest facil-
tiles for gaining an education have been af.
forded, there Incidence, vice and crime dc
not flourish. If property holders would con.
slider the vast amount Of taxes they pay an
nually for the punishment of crime and the
maintninance of prisons, they would at once
admit the fact that the only way to remedy
the evil is to afford every inducement in their
power to the children of the present day to
attend public schools, under competent teach
ers, there to learn the precepts of industry,
truth and virtue, that they may be enabled
in future years to take their places as up
right members of society, competent to ad
minister the affairs of this government, and
transmit its principles to their descendants
for all time to come.
Let the masses be educated, and crime will
diminish in proportion. No better system tt
accomplish this object can be afforded thar
that offered by our public schools, when pro
perly conducted, and ample provision afford
ed for their support. To render them wha
they should be, we must look to property
holders, and not to those who may have chill
dren to reap the direct benefits 1t is TO tht
interest of every man who owns property tt
see that his neighbours children are not per
mitted to loter about the streets in igno
rance and idleness. ready at all times to com
nit mischief.