Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1873-04-08
Explanation OF the Free High
ScboOl,
AUGUSTA, March 10, 1873.
10 Inc Editor. or me Press:

70 me Editor or me Press:
Allow me to offer the following expla'
nation in relation to the ''Free High
School " act. especially with reference lo
amounts necessary 10 be raised by any
town. district or districts. ia secure u
certain gratniiy from the State.
First. The object in establishing the
Free High School system on the present
basis was to secure ''snpei Tor education.
at the expense of property, one halt 10
be paid by the State. one halt by the
town. The first question therefore TO ho
determined by the State will be, how
much has any town actually expended
for obstruction i'm said school, for the
current year. This amount will appear
in the return made under oath by the
SuperiutendinG School Committee to the
State Superintendent ol common schools
on or before December first. Suppose
this amount Ia be $1,000 actually oXpend-
Ell Tor instruction, meaning BY this the
salaries OF teachers including board,
nothing morc-lhis amount then is an
obligation OF the town. IN be met as fol-
lows, one halt, $500, by = special appro-
priaton on the part OF the town anu one
half, 500. by gratuity from the Stale.
Second. The actual expenditures hav
Ing been determined, before the State
proceeds to delray one halt OF the eX-
penScs thus incurred. the second inquiry
will be whether the town has made pro-
vision Tor paying It's hall by special APP
preparation. besides iAe ordinary require
menis OF the per c4piia tax. This will
appear by the same certified statement
as above. This half Is the sum required
to be raised by The several towns.
Therefore town raising $500 will have
$1,000 to cNpcnd lor high school pur-
poses, OF in other words the town will re.
ceiye from The Stale as much As II raises.
(not exceeding 500 on the part OF the
Stale) provided The town has expended
in instruction twice the sum raised Tor
Free High School" Ilustraton--Tho
town OF Gray raises $500 lot a free high
school. Suppose this sum expended Tor
instruction in a spring term OF school.
Gray Wi.l pay Tor this. In the iall the
town many have auo.hcr term OF school,
costing the same and this the State will
pay Tor ia December 1.-THE term closes
prior To December. the town can pay the
cost OF instruction 10y drafts on It's own
treasury, by temporary loans OF other
wise. and rcimbuIs itself or cancel the
loan 10y State warrant when received II
Gray stopped with its spring term OF
school, i, would receive into its treasury
$3.50 from the State, which. without anoih-
er term OF school. would bc diverted from
the original intention and the youth OF
Gray be deprived OF The extra term OF
school. Every town. therefore, should
oXpend twice the sum IL raises and re-
ceiyc from the Stale Tie same amount rs
il raises.
The view that il Gray raises $500 it
can receive but 500 from the State, is
moi in accordance with The intentions OF
those who originated tho "lrec high
school" plan, nor with the words of the
act, "shall be entitled TO receive from the
State one half OF the amount actually
expended (uoI raisedD for Instruction;
IS unjust TO the State, IN that The grluily
Of the Stale O., not expended Tor educa-
ton; unjust TO the citizens Of the town,
in that they are thus taxed Tor twice The
sum necessary; and finally Il unjust TO
the Young men and women. in that they
secure only hall the possible school facil.
tiles
Very respectfully,
Your obedicut servant.