Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1872-11-28
SHENANDOAH Co., VA, Nov. Is, 1872
MESsRS EDITORS -

MEssRs EDITORS -
As this is about the
time the public schools of the county
ought all to be Incorporation, and as there
are as yet many places in the county which
are destitute Of schools, many of which
must remain without them in consequence
OF the wantiof funds, we thought it might
not be out of place to send you few
thoughts as they have occurred to us while
listening to complaints made against the
school system. Truly, we think the sys-
tenn is working badly and if there is any
reason for its ill-working, the people ought
to know it, so that if they are deprived Of
a school for want of means to carry it on
or derive little benefit from it on account
of the shortness of term, they may know in
what direction to make complaint.
We would be far from condemning these
complaints on the part Of the people, Since
we have. public school system, the people
have right to expect free schools; but
when, because it fails to accomplish its end
they on that account condemn the school
system. We think they commit an error.
We think the school system is very good.
Ofcourse there are some imperfections,-
things which mar all the works OF man,
but in the main. we believe It. is good
one, and would work well if well managed.
But here seems to be the difficulty. IT has
not been carried on so as to develop legiti-
mate and satisfactory results. Do you ask
.How?" or ..where?" As much as lies in
our power, we will try to give what We be-
live to be a defect in the working of the
system, and if we make a mistake, for we
do not pretend to know much about this
matter, we hope you will correct u.s.
|, To JUS the reason seems tobe that we
have not funds enough for school purposes.
A publigs dhool system, like a government
cannot be Kept up without means. If we
have not the means for carryingat On, the
system however good Will be a.,Efailure-= "a
humbug as some would say The past
couple years have taught us this. AT no
time heretofore have we had sufficient
funds to run the schools by paying even
meager salaries to teachers. What is to be
done? Some would say, PAY still lower
wages and let the money go further" but
we say ''No'' to that, for we do not believe
that good teachers can be had for less than
the price heretofore prevailing. What
then is to be done? We must have more
money appropriated for the purpose. Last
year we had not money enough,to run the
schools the required length of time. Some
townships had schools only four months,
and even then had not money enough to
pay all liabilities to teachers. Other towli-
ships had schools five months, and are so
much in debt, that it will require a large
proportion Of their school fund, for this
year to pay off teachers for last year. These
things ought to teach US that if I'VE want
free schools we must have more. money
But what has been done?- Although last
years liabilities must be paid Cup, and
schools are expected to be kept open five
months, yet by an act of the legislature we
have much less money this year than We
had last. We had last year a counts.school
tax of one mill on the dollar for school
purposes, which, as we. have noticed before,
was not enough. The legislature has step
ped in and said that the tax shall not ex-
coed three fourths of mill, a reduction of
Is per cent. But this is not all. By the
last reassessment, the valuation of property
has been made out much less. In some
townships, it has been decreased 8
per cent; in others 20 per cent. On an
average, it has been reduced about 10 pr.
ct. all over the county. Taking this into
consideration with the rate for this year,
three fourths of a mill on the dollar, we
find that the amount of school tax for this
year is just 65 pr. Ct. of what it was last
year,-a reduction of IS pr. CT, or more
than one third. Last year we did not have
enough. This year, after paying off last
years liabilities, there will be very little
more than half enough. What is the con-
sequence? The patrons have to, make up
part of the teachers salary. What results
from that? People become dissatisfied, and
make complaints against the school sys-
TEN. 1t is time we were knowing that this
odious interference of the legislature, has
produced this state of things. s-.ct.s'
We believe the majority of the, people
want free schools and are willing to pay for
them. While they want taxes as light as
possible, all with whom we have talked,
have said that since they already have to
pay some school tax, they would rather
pay enough to support the school entirely,
than to be called upon to pay patio the
teachers salary after paying their school
tax. So we think. srs;s-4
From the action af the legislature, we are
inclined to think the free school system is
very little cared for by that body. It seems
they have tried to cripple it as much as
possible, and if they so any further, they
might as we'll abolish the system mt once.
This, however, they will not do ! it will
not be allowed by the peoples who begin
to see already that it is not tortheir in
terest even to limit the rate of tax to AN
insufficient amount, and then help sto make