The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1875-07-07
The School Meetings.

We have more than once urged tho
Importance and the necessity Of a
full and active participation by the
tax payers in tho township meetings
held to consider tho prcprioty of q
special tax for school purposes. We
have have oodeavorca to show The
advantages certain to follow tho es-
tablishmen and maintenance Of q
good system Of common schools, and
the consequent duty Of all good citi
zens to tako an active part in every
measure calculated to carry out
thoroughly the excellent designs of
tho school laws. 1t is our present
purpose to set forth some of tho evils
which must follow non.participa.
tion Of the best citizens Of every
ncighborhood in the all-importunt
works of putting into geDo'al and
continuous practice the provisions
contained in the statutes.
The first great duty is t." attend
the township meetings held for the
purpose of considering the oxpedi-
ENJOY of n special tax levy for school
purposes. 1t is ut these meetings
that tho most Important steps arc
taken and the defects Of the school
system, as at present conducted, are
most foroibly to DO realized. It il
here that the citizcns assembled dc
termino what tax is to be levied or
the COMMIT unity for the purpose il
hand. 1t is easy to SEQ that this is Q
most important power, and that it,
abuse may lead to most serious re
suits. 1t is no difficult matter, j,
the apathy which has hitherto char
actorizcd the course of most of oul
people iu this regard, for tho town
ship mooting to levy a monstrously
oxorbitant tax,urgcd to this course by
impure motives or by m lack ofpropc'
realization of the high responsibility
resting upon the citizens in the exer
else of the power conferred upoa him
AS an instance Of the extent Of thei,
| powor, we cite the case Of i
township in Marion county, in which
n special school tax Of .fpc mills ha'
bocn agreed on. At this meeting
tho honest Taxpayers wtro either
represented OR they were not
IF they were, it must be
assumed that they acted under
a duo appreciation of theil
responsibility, and took this action
aa tho result Of their deliberate judg.
ment--which would of itsolf furnish
O strong argument in favor of gone.
rous support Of tho public schools
If this levy was made by q few mon
mostly not taxpayers--and this has
generally been the caso--the action
of tho pretended representatives, ol
the school district furnishes only
another of the already numerous in.
stances of the imposition OF a burden
upon tho taxpayers without their
knowledge or soonsent. Wo believe
1T will be almost universally admit.
ted that a levy Of ten mills is suffi
cient for an honest administration
Of tho ontiro state and county sovorn.
mont, and that the imposition of this
by tho legislature is the exercise OF
the grevest responsibility dcvolving
upon that body. How much more
serious, therefore, is tho mattor, when
tax Of one half Of such sum is or
dered by the people of division
OF county, and how much more
heavily does the burden fall upon
those from whose earnings tho tax
has to bo paid. We are not inform.
cd as to the character of tho above
mentioned meeting in Marion, nor
are We yet cognizant Of the oiroum.
stances Of the case and we simply
mention the bare fact, as striking
instance Of the good or the evil that