Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1867-10-01
THE SCHOOL TAX AGAIN.

In our notice last week of the manner in
which the Taxpayers Of Chnrlestown town
ship had been feeced Of $4,000, We did Mr.
THOMAS JOHNSON the injustice of connect
ing his name with the Board of Education of
the township. We regret this, for VIC are
anxious that the responsibility of this tyran :
meal taxation and oppression shall rest upon
the proper parties, aud none others. Mr..
NATHANIEL MYERS, we understand, is the
third party to this transaction, aud not Mr..
johnson, as stated by u. Since writing our
article last week, we have been advised of
some further transactions of this Board, which
incline us to the opinion that it will probably
find means for disposiug of the whole assess
ment, and more, if they can get hold of it,
They have, according to our information, de-
termined to dispense with the old bench sys-
TEN, by which the scholars can be strung along
have contracted for double desks, suited to the
accommodation of two scholars each. These
desks have been, or are about being, con-
tracted for at the moderate sum of 81. so each
so that the furniture for a school of EOrty
scholars will cost ninety GOLIdrs-that num-
Der Of scholars requiring twenty desks. This
estimate does not include teachers desk, easy
chair, hat pegs, and We suppose, tops and tee
totums which must be furnished at the expense
of tie people for the amusement of the juve-
niles. If five schools shall be organized in
the township, the school room furniture may
be set down in the aggregate at about 5000.
As school house is to be built for the negro
children, it is hardly unfair to presume that
their accommodations will be somewhat more
expensive, as our liberal board will doubtless
have desire that their desk seats shall be
cushioned. and made otherwise comfortable
so that the road to knowledge may be as
smooth and soft as possible. 'Twould be
cruel to take the innocent kiuky- heads from
the corn fields and cabin floors, and seat them
upon hard benches, and expect their thick
skulls to be penetrated with the rudiments
of English, aud to progress in the elements
of q Kids Elocution and Vocal Culture
or 81 Robinson's New Geometry aud Trigo-
nOmetry." We therefore insist, in the name
of tax ridden people, that our Board shall
provide them with the most improved and
comfortable accommodation, so that the acqui-
sition Of knowledge may be facilitated.
Again, the Board of Supervisors of the
county have set the bright example of voting
the members of the Jail committee, one hun
dced dollars c.tch, for building an untenauta-
bic Jail Now our School Board will only
have to follow this example to absorb S4OO
more of the peoples money. With these
figures, who does not see in the future a fine
opportunity for the judicious expenditure of
the $4,000 assessed.
Charlestown township is not the only one
in the county where this oppression is being
practieed. In Averill township, Capt j. f.
Smith and other radicals, have extorted from
the pockets of the people, tax of Miriy>tf flee
cents on the 500. for the alleged purpose of
rebuilding the school houses Of the township,
and in every instance, as We are advised, the
houses have been erected at the most mac.
cessible points possible, no attention being
paid to the convenience of the scholars-save
i localities where the radical element pre-
dominates. These have had houses set down
at their very doors, so that their children c, n
come home to dinner-thus doing away with
the necessity and expense of school baskets.
AS We are giving oursclf some trouble to
Investigate this subject, We shall have occa-
sion to refer to it hereafter, and therefore
dismiss it for the present issue.