Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1875-02-12

also the per cent necessary TO pay said
expenses, providing twice the usual
amount of public money was to be di-
vided. Finding the result favorable |
increased this last amount about one
fourth the result proved equally favor
able, showing variation of from IL to
Il cents on dollar to be raised by the
different districts, which is much nearer
an equality than is shown by the old sys,
TEN, and a reduction of desirable per
cent on the whole, as several districts
have for sometime supported no schools
and consequently paid very little school
tax. Next to the town system / look
upon this course as the most favorable
one for equalizing our school taxes. |
am not in favor of the town system for
two reasons. First, it tends to usurp-
ton of power, Second, removing au-
thority of parents to govern their own
schools lessons their interest in them, an
evil which under our present system is
thought by many to be quite too preva-
lent 1t appears to me that in the open
ing of this discussion there are two car
dinal points, either every person should
educate his own child, or every proper
ty holder should contribute in proper
ton to what he is worth. Public opin-
ion has decided in favor of he latter.
The next thing desirable is that the tax
shall be equal. Figures show that the
grand lists of the different districts are
in such proportion to each other that
when their respective districts receive
about $50 each of that half of the pub
lie money to be divided equally, the
number of days attendance in said dis
tricts hold such a relation to each other
that when the public money received by
each district is taken from its total ex-
penses, the remaining portion when divi-
ded by the grand list on which it is to
raised, shows variation of only nine
cents on dollar from highest to lowest.
1t is possible that larger amount Of
public money would diminish the differ
ence, though the probable variation of
expense from year to year would not
make it certain.
b. f. SLEEPER.-I am opposed to
consolidation of schools or consolidation
of power to govern. Half of the towns
in this State that have adopted the town
system have gone back to the old one.
Under the present system think more
power should be given to the committee.
[ believe we should equalize the tax,
but | fail as yet to see how raising more
money on the grand list of the town is
benefit to us as district, what is
not paid on one list must be paid on
another
P. d. KEYEs.-To raise more money
would correct many evils. 1t would
bring in more money from those districts
that have supported no schools, call out
more money from those districts where
the grand list is large in proportion to
the number of scholars and the probable
expense, and if we accept the figures
given Mr.. Sleeper's district would be ben
Gifted. 1t appears that an additional
Is cents on dollar Of the town grand
list reduces the expense in his district to
II cents on dollar to be paid by the
district, which added to the Is cents
makes a reduction of at least cents on
dollar from last year with the same
expenses.
NJ. w. DAv1s.-I am not satisfied tc
discuss this question without figures
perhaps we can collect few. 1t appears
that our schools for the year ending
March 1874, cost about $1,000 that the
average tuition per scholar was 1924 fol
twelve weeks; that the tuition per schol
ar in district No. s was only 81 SO, while
that in number Is was $8.16; that tht
per cent raised on the grand list in No
13 was So cents, while that in No. s wai
only 80 cents, thus the thing is unequa
ON every hand. There is no equality
about the district system. The whole
school expense should be paid on the
grand list of the town. One of the car
dinal points Of taxation is equality. Oul
common schools are designed to arrest
crime, and advance the interests of tn,
community, and every taxpayer SHOULD
be willing to help educate the children
Every child should be helped to an edu
cation by public tax. l am in favo
ofthe town system, notwithstanding Their
is SO much prejudice against it. 1t i
universally conceded that the more mon
ey we raise on the grand list of the town
the more we equalize the tax. When
, pay s8.16 tuition per scholar, and m,
neighbor in another district pays onl,
S1.86, i feel that would like to pull OF
an evener with him. When | pay 5,
, cents on a dollar, and my neighbor OIL
: the other hand pays only 20 cents,
claim that the system is wrong. 1t
. said that the town system would remov
narental Influence we have very littl