Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-05-18

~. TO THE EoTEEs OF FAIRFAX t"r>rY.-
1T the ensuing election yuu will b" asked t"
vote IL TAX yuursclvc. and the county I" the
amount Of three tourth> of one mill on tn" dol
lars worth Of real and personal aSSc:>tblc prop
rrly ih the county for school purposes; to aid the
State fund in paving the salaries of teachers
Tins tax is small that it would seem gratntouS
to address You urging liz favorable r"nSldcra-
ton. yet small ~ il the amount asked for. ther"
arc those regret I" say. opposing II. ne laNr-
1t present. it l. true. are "n"r"u~. ana might
say oppressive but the REASONS iur the tax III
question are so cogriit. and nrcr>>iy.>u urgent.
that when heard Il" hope You will agrrr with
me-. that it Is not ON V reasonable" but III justice
to yourselves and the uncducatcd your duty to
vote for il.
There are 400 school population, lbctwccn
the age OF five and iwcnty-onr.) in the county.
OfthrSr OYER sixteen hundred have been and are
still attending the public schools during the
present scholastic session. These are apport"n"o
to f"rty-tw" schools: thirty-thrce white, and
nine CoI"rcd. Giving To each teacher the sum
of $50 per term or SD per month ii will require
SlO,jW 10 pay the teachers; While il will require
at least eight additional schools L" favor neigh
borh"odS not now supplied making illy teach
cr>. Fifty teachers ut 80 per month. or $3.50
per term often months land thcS" prices are too
low We shall want SIP. 800 10 pay teachers alone.
One mill on the dollar of tn" State tax, and the
poll taX paid by you is by law set apart Tor that
purpose. This will [ hope give to our county
SGUWl Three iOurth< OF Il nl!t on the dollar
asked for will give. say $1,000 not more. which
added TO thr State fund, will make SO U'O,
sum with which We hope to continue fifty schools
during the next scholastic year. for 4. least eight
months aad ten if possible If this additional
tax is not imposed You may lose all benefit Of the
one mill YOU are compelled by tn" existing laws
to pay, or schools rs now, must he III part sup
ported bv private subscription, (Which should
not be- and ncighborhoods equally entitled II
schools, pay their one mill tax withou! deriving
any benefit thcreiro!n.
| have above given You briefly what W. are
doing, and propose L. do in this matter III Far
fax county. | will not offer an nsnltto your IN
tclligcncc by Il word Il" to the importance Of this
subject the benefits of education. But repeat,
we have over 1920 school population, requiring
to admit all 10 liz benefits; these fifty teachers
should be- competent and competent teacher
cannot he expected 20 teach gratuitousIy. l"u
now pav one mill on the dollar worth ofprop-
crty assessed tn YOU, giving ten cents on Sipo or
SliO on the 81 900 We now ask 4 county tax OF
three tuurths of mill. which Is only seventy
FIVE cents on the 81 Coo with which - t" supple
mcnt the State fund. III paying teachers on -
Give Us this tax this year. LEI our pubIlc schools
have fair trial. and if the system prove: iai!-
IRE withhold this support in the future But it
will not prove a failure but Il success Loscnot.
BIZ YOUR refusal to vote for the tax, the benefits
Of the money YOU pay, b. law. into the public
treasury Ii we fail /" keep our schools open.
tho countie: that do. will receive E"nr money
for their Use. ,
The county Superintendent asks no increase Of
hi: pay He is will to worl; Ill the cause on such
allowance a: the Board Of Education has fixing
Respectfully, Your Obcdcnt Servant.
THOMAS MOORE. ;. p. +. ::
Eu;rt.,T Comfy