The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1875-10-15

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less than 30 cents. But what does
this amount to? Does it not know
that in many of the districts 30 levy
was made at all at first, and in all
the others it was cut down to the
lowest possible notch. on account of
the g~rasshopper pestilencc? Aud
then, every now and then we find a
district with a surplus on hand. In
some of the districts, it was the i'll
t@cntiOn to have no school. Even under
these extraordinary circumstances
the average school levy for the whole
cOGnty This year is Al cents on the
$l09-toW' cents more than the ncw con-
%!tuti0N proposes cccn for prosperous
times, Except by special votc.) And
yet on such a tlimsy, worthless, lie
ccptive foundation as tins. the Patron
built its long article to prove to the
intelligent people Of Andrew county
that the new constitution would fOs-
ter the public schools OF the State,
The Article on Education in both
Constitutions is substantially the
Samc-thc vital difference being in
the provision each proposes for its
support. This under the head
OF Revenue and Taxation.
The new constitution allows to 40
cents on the 500: aEd by special vote
Of the taxpayers it may be Increased
III those districts formed of cities and
Towns to 81. and in all other districts
to G5 cents. Experience will prove
in the working of the law that the
rates practically fixed at 20 cents.
To raise it above this point will re-
qnire an annually recurring separate
clcctionto settle the rate, keeping
pcrpetually alive n~cigkborhood fcud>
and bad feeling. and The people will
get tired of these worrying con-
tests, and the excitement, trouble
and expense of these petty elections.
and let them go by the board"
Some few districts rcopled by Il class
long used to the benefits OF public
schools, will probably overcome
this, but the vast majority, the State
over, Will fall into the rut of 40 cents
on the 500. and there remain.
The present Constitution allows
the school rate to be fixed by the poo
PIE and SChOO! directors Of each dis
trict, according to their own needs.
limiting it, however, not to exceed
81 III the 500. The Kind Of school
elected by the people deter
mine 1T the same time the kind OF
school they wish, without further
irOublc. In times when the people
are Impoverished. they reduce fhc
rate to suit their necessities. as is be
at present; when times Get bet
or the rae can be Increased 20 cor
'c>pond. Ii has the elasticity 10
adapt itself 10 the condition of the
people, as well also, as to their i'll
,Iimatiop and preferences. This fact
: strikin@ly exempIiticd by noting
he diicrclu kinds of schools and
chool rates adopted by the various
districts of1he county. In that por-
ion OF the county traverScd by the
railroad The average rate of all !hn
chOol diStri";s this year. as we learn
rom fhc county clerk, is Is! cents on
be 500: in many Other portions of
he county he people have reduced
t to less than halfthat.
Let us now see the amount rcquir-
q, in ordinary wears, 10 sustain the
schools OF Andrew county,.
Fith this view we called on County ,
'lcrk Erayton OK Monday last, and
we examined the receipt, of +
X-COllcctor Chittcnd@U, for thevCars
and 1874. For the year 1873, we :
nd the county school levy WAS ST.
81; county valuation 2;f.935. 40S--
vcragc rate Of scho0lta ~ cents.
For the year t}7t.thc county school -
w was 500 81: county valuation
1851 .560-ayuragc rate OF school tax
cents.