Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1866-01-19
ON eoMnoN suiiooL shsrEm.
NuaBEn ii.
Inequality OF APPROPRIATIONS.


I Before making any comparison Of the ap-
preparations We would reitetate the fact that
the various school districts are required to
keep open their schools for the full term Of
four inbhths, III order to obtain their portion
of the State appropriation. Ii follows there
fore that where a tax has been laid sufficient
to keep open the schools six or eight months,
the amount must be reduced to the proportion
required for four months, in order to show
the actual inequality existing. Thus Clear
field county, faised BY taxation $i90s0. Is and
obtained 429 months school, at the same
rate the amount required to keep open her
schools four months and to secure her share
of the appropriation would have been $l7,-
100. IS, this amount she was obliged to raise
to obtain an appropriation of S1765. 10 or not
quite one-tenth Of the amount Of the tax
The rate of taxation absolutely necessary for
this purpose was .01 mills Delaware county
raised by taxation S3s, ,413. IS and had 9.I5
months school, at the same rate, the amount
required to keep open her schools fourmonths
and obtain her appropriation would have
been SIC, 1926 enabling her to obtain an
appropriation of S2673. A, or nearly one
sixth of the amount required to be raised by
taxation, and only requiring a rate of taxa
ton Of 81 mills, Here we see the rich and
densely populated county of Delaware is ena-
bled to obtain nearly twice as large an appro-
priation from the State, in proportion to the
amount required to be raised by taxation, as
the poorer and more sparsely settled county
of Clearfeld and this with less than one
eighth the rate of taxation.
Fulton county raised by taxation 81. 929. 55,
and kept her schools open four months and
obtained an appropriation of S7s8.5s or less
than one tenth Of the amount required to be
raised by taxation This required rate of
taxation of 202 mills.
Montgomery county with tax of S62, 1893
40 had Z "a months school, at the same rate
four months, would, have required s33, 1872.
50, enabling her to obtain an appropriation
of S6584. 81 or nearly ope,Gfth of the required
tax, while her rate of taxation was only 80
mills.
Here again We find the richer county Of
Montgomery obtaining twice as large pro
portionate appropriation as the poorer county
of Fulton. Though Fulton to obtain her pit
tance of an appropriation has endured nearly
six times as high rate of taxation.
Forest county raised by taxation $160903
to secure four months and obtain an appro-
priation Of $81. II or about one twentieth Of
the amount of its tax. To obtain this amount
required a rate of taxation of 3.5 mills
Bucks county raised by taxation S62, 1885,
SO and had 8.2S months school. At the same
rate four months would have required $780,
404 9s or almost one-ffth of the amount she
raised by taxation To obtain this amount
only required tax rate of "a mills. Here we
find the richer county obtaining about four
times as large proporionate appropriation
as the poorer, though necessarily enduring
but one-sixth as high rate of taxation
These are but fey instances out Of many
that may be found by reference to the report
of 1864, but they are sufficient to demonstrate
the fact that the present method Of appropri
ating the public found, set aside for school
purposes, is as grossly unequal and unjust as
the present method of taxation, and that it in
like manner discriminates against the poorer
and in favor of the richer counties. Some Of
the results Of this inequality and injustice win
be given in our next.