Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1866-06-22
THE PENNSYLVANIA SCHOOL
JOURNAL ON SCHOOL
LEGISLATION.

attempt to impose. general State tax for
Common School purposes. And here, too,
we are free to say, that the instinct OF the Leg
isiature was, according to our views of the
nature aud wants of the system, in the right
direction.
The great, strong, republican, conservative
I feature Of the Pennsylvania Common School
/ System, is its District Township, Borough or
/ City, feature. This leaves with the parents
Of the youth of each district, through their
! immediate and responsible representatives,
1 the directors, as much of parental and local
control over the schools as is compatible with
the fact, that it is public system. Not only
do the District Boards locate and erect the
school houses, employ and pay the teachers,
regulate the studies, grade the schools select
the school books and fix the duration OF IN
struction, but they also determine the amount
of means necessary to effect all these purpo-
ses,-eacn for itself, and in proportion to the
wants and wishes of its own people. Where
as, If a general State tax be imposed for
school purposes, this individuality and indie
pendence of the districts is not only interfer-
ed with over the whole State, but in the more
populous portions, where also wealth Is IN the
largest proportion to population, the grading
of the schools and the elevation Of the branch
es viii be checked, that they may be promo
ted in others.
This all reads very well If we don't hap
pen to see the other side of the question.
Let US take look at the practical working
of what is here called the great, strong,
republican, conservative" feature of the
Common School System As the law now
stands it requires each district to keep Its
schools open four months in each year OF
forfeit the State appropriation. Now the
State appropriation is made from the State
funds, to which every district in the State
contributes its share under regular and
equal system of taxation, and it is bat just
and right that each district should get its
proportionate share of the appropriation.
The present school law gives it, only, on the
above condition of first keeping the schools
of the district open four months in the pre-
ceding school year. Under this great strong,
republican, conservative feature the poor
district of Red Bank in Armstrong county,
was obliged, in 1864, to levy school tax of
u mills on the dollar and then accept such
Indifferent teachers as could be had at $3.50
per month in order to set her share Of the
State appropriation, while the rich district
of Oley, in Berks county, had months school
and was enabled to pay so. so per month,
with tax of three-fourths of a mill on tho
dollar II of mill would have procured her
four months school at the same wages as Red
Bank, and to secure her share of the State
appropriation. Here we see under the
working Of the present law a poor district
compelled to endure about thirty times as
heavy tax as its rich neighbor or submit
to being robbed cf its just share of the
State appropriation; yet this is but one OF a
thousand cases that might be cited. We
are really astonished that Journal. that has
labored 50 long and well in the cause Of ed
ucation, should oppose reform where such
gross injustice and inequality are known TO
exist Aoain If SAYS
sTThere is another strong objection to the
School tax, which its advocates do not or
will not appreciate but which every friend
of the system should estimate and take into
the account. II is, that in the rich and pop
ulous counties the system is not yet so hrmly
settled in the affections of the people as to be
dHiE 70 WllEcbduu every cIbIhy anu AAtAb AAiCAN
fore sound policy teaches us not unnecessari-
IL to again arouse a hostility which has bus
recently ceased to be active"
We would simply ask the Journal wheth-
er it would advise the abandonment Of all
measures of reform, because a few rich eoun-
ties would be likely to object to changing an
arrangement, which now gives them the
lions share of the State appropriations with
out requiring them to bear their proper
tionate share Of the burthens of taxation ?
We would also call the attention of the
Journal to the fact that in Its own county Of
Lancaster, t. Hempfeld district can secure
but six months school at $29. 90 per month
with tax of Is mills while West Lampe-
ter obtains eight months school at $4,000
per month with a tax Of l.. mills, In other
words, it would require about twelve times
as hea Wy a tax in last Hempfeld to enable
it TO obtain the same educational advantages
as It's neighbor, West Lampeter; in this
view Of the case, we are verg much mista-
ken If that portion of the citizens, of rich
old Lancaster, residing in East Hempfeld
would not heartily approve of some meas
uIe that would at the same time tighten
their taxes and bring them little nearer an
equality, IN point of educational advantages,
with their neighbors Still further the
Journal says;
siApart from fundamental objections, the
act proposed to effect this measure was, to
say the least of it, very one.sided. 1t not
only proposed to tax the property of the State
in proportion TO its value, and then to distri-
butte the proceeds IN proportion to popUlG-
tfon,-thas compelling The richer 10 coRtri-
bite to the education Of TIE poorer counties ;
but II added measure, never heard of before,
to carry even farther this inequality.
The proceeds of the tax we're to be divided
into two egaal parts ;-eRe, to be distributed
amongst the counties in proportion to the
number of g0qtb between 6 and 2I years of
age, in each; and the other to be divided ac-
cording to the number of schools in each.
Now we have always believed, that the distri-
button should be by Heither mode; but that
funds coming from the State, should be diyi-
ded according TO actuah Average attendance in
each district And the poorer counties would
gain by this, for the reasgn that they have
fewer select or private schools than the rich
er, and will therefore show larger average.
The great reason, however for this mode
is, that it would materially Stimulate the at
tendance and increase the averages. But the
proposition to divide say part of the proceeds
of State tax by the number Of schools is,
beyond all question, most unequal it being
well known, that in such counties as Brad
y 4 AZ Il