Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1873-06-19
Shenandoah Herald.
IS PUBLISHED wEELKy BY
J. Fl. Rabbi, & 60.
SUBSCRIPTION PRICE @e.a0A YEia
VIRGINIA.
THURSDAY Morning, June 10, 1878.
THE action of the Board of Sinner

produced feeling Of surprise, no less
than OF regret, upon the part of the
citizens OF the county who are in favor
of education. In pursuance of the law,
recently passed by the General Assem-
bly,, an estimate of the the amount of
funds needed for the support of the
schools, together with a brief statement.
prepared by the County Superintendent,
showing the amount of funds which
each district would probably receive, if
the levy asked for were made, was sub
mitted to the Board of Supervisors.
Contrary to general expectation, the
Board refused to levy the amount neces-
sary for the support of the schools. The
trustees of the several districts rep ort
that seventy-eight schools are needed
in this county. The people demand
additional schools. Many of the schools,
If but seventy-eight are opened, will be
crowded. The present year the school
funds amounted to $9140,Oo, of which
$4,000 was county fund. Next year,
lnsconsequence Of the act of the Gen.
eral Assembly which was passed by
that body after full consideration of
tie necessities Of the system, the
people expect the benefits to be
extended to those sections which. as
yet, have had no schools. In pur-
suance Of the recently enacted law, a
meeting OF the county school board was
called, and, by their unanimous action,
the Board Of Supervisors were reques-
ted to give the schools the increased
amount. The Board, for some reason
which we do not understand. refused
to grant their request, and as result
of their action, the funds for the next
year, will be about 500, less than
those of the present year. We regret
this action of the Board Of Supervisors,
for seN eral reasons:
Heretofore school officers appreciat-
ing the difficulties of inaugllrating &
new system, with out the necessary
funds, and the impossibility of meeting
the popular demand, have patiently
borne the complaints of the people
with scarcely word Of self defense.
Encouraged by the General assembly
they have looked forward to the time
when an increased amount of funds
would enable them to open schools
which would meet the popular demand
and be credit to the county, These
hopes are al gone. We have taken 9
step backwards. BY the action of the
Board of Supervisors, the Trustees
will be compelled to economist. There
are but two modes. They must either
resort to the plan which has already.
become very unpopular, and, we think
deservedly so, of asking the people to
pay their tax and then to be taxed for
the tuition of their children, or thew
must deny many neighborhoods the
schools which they SO much need. The
trustees of each district are required by
law to make arrangements to con
tInue their schools jtoe months, before
they are allowed to draw any of the
public funds Heretofore this feature
OF the law could not be fully enforced
because the amount Of funds to be re-
ceived from the state was uncertain.
That uncertainty no longer exists, and
one OF the two modes above suggested
must be adopted.
The responsibility of this change
must be placed where it properly be-
longs. The people must know who
are responsible for their schools being
closed and their children refused oppor-
tunities which are afforded the children
Of others. Another and very import
ant consideration is that the schools
must be supported either by state or
county funds. In some sections there
is move to have our schools sup
ported entirely by state taxation, a
mode which, while it might be effect
I'VE IN securing the necessary amount
OF funds, would annually take from eur
county thousands of dollars which
would not be returned. Our interests
require that our schools shall be SUP
ported, as far as possible, by county
funds, because every dollar is retained
Ill our eagn county BY refusing to
give county tax eqnaf 60. the state
tax, you cripple the SYSTEM and en-
courage the state tax party
Another consideration, which is very
important, especially at this tiine:-
The educational interest should
not, by any means, be involved
with political matters, but the Conserv-
alive party Of Virginia is now the
guardian of our educational interests
and will be held responsible for its sue
cess or failure. The public school sys
stem has its friends and a large MAORI
ty Of the people Of Virginia are the
friends Of the system Let the repre-
sentatives ofthe Conservative party at
tack the system and you array thou