Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-04-06


County tax, 5 cents, one year-.,........ 1859 q
Amount expended for school pur-
poses one S97 81
A 10 cents county tax would in
cT * een 1sis co1nfv tax world in. i0''' u
crease 1t lS2l6 II
A 20 cents county tax would in
crease it 1880 o.
1t is estimated that the 20 cents county
tax would maintain The schools for ten
months and give us a good system in all
English branches, and that the Is cents tax
would run the schools for eight months.
The additional cost of the 20 cents tax to the
person who is taxed on 81 900 worth of prop
erty would be the small sum of 81 so, and to
the person who is taxed on 5000 worth of
property it would only be 81 So The first
may be expended for a couple of circus
tidkets, and the last for q three gallon demi-
john of good whiskey, without very great
complaint of extravaganza in either case.
These are rustic comparisons / will admit,
but it is sometimes best to bring facts down
to the fitting point.
The foregoing statement shows that we
expend upon the public schools of the coun-
ty about $4,000 under the present arrange
ment of giving the children an opportunity
of going to school only about four months
of the year, whilst it would require only
about $1,000 additional to run the schools ten
months in the year; or in other words, we
expend for the people of the county about
$4,000 for something that is acknowledged
by many of the most intelligent ones to be
almost worthless, whilst by increasing this
amount to about S2l 900 we obtain for these
same people something that is invaluable,
and for their children q blessing, the value
of which caRnot be estimated by dollars and
cents, it being worth really more to them
in the end than the entire taxable property
of the county. Then the question for US to
consider in regard to the school tax is /:
whether it is best for the people of the
county to expend $4,000 for system of
schools that can be but little if any benefit
to themselves or children, or would it be
best to add about s., 900 more to this amount
and furnish them with a thorough system
of education, as would in the end bestow
such lasting benefits upon themselves and
children as could not be estimated7 The
additional cost to each taxpayer would be
so little, when compared with the immense
advantages to be obtained by it, that am
compelled to believe that the people would
| prefer the latter proposition and willingly
pay the additional amount to have perfect
system of education inaugurated. But some
may ask the question: "Why is it that
! $4,000 is required to run the schools for four
months, when the addition of only $1,000
/ will maintain them for ten months? q"
Nearly all necessary machinery for run
ming the schools either four or ten months
| including superintendent, Commissioners,
school houses, etc., costs about the same,
with the exception of teachers, and these
! can be employed at a less rate per month
when more permanent positions are given
! them. To use rural illustration; In order
to fa1low ten acres of land we must procure
| a team, pillow, and all necessary equip
ments. After we have procured these neces-
/ sary articles we can with but little additional
expense fallow twenty or thirty acres.
Therefore since we are compelled to keep
all necessary appliances to run the schools
three or four months, the only additional
/ expense is the extended time of the teachers.
In all cities and towns of much importance,
though having the advantage of good private
schools, the people feel the Importance OF
public schools, and vote a corporation tax
upon themselves in addition to the State
| and county tax, in order to have them
| properly sustained. There is no good reason
why the children of towns and cities are
better entitled to educational facilities than
/ the children of the farmer and others living
in the country; neither is there any good
| reason why the people of towns and cities
should sacrifice more in the interest of
! education than those whose homes are in
the country. But some people seem to think
that it is not necessary for farmer or
mechanic to have "much learning" as they
/ express it. Even many farmers think that
because they expect to make farmers of
their sons, but little education is necessary,
and it is only when they become possessed
of an ambitious desire to have one ''great
man" in the family, they select the one they
imagine to be the "smartest" for the purpose
of creating lawyer or doctor out of him.
am fully convinced myself that good edu-
cation and sound judgment are fully as
necessary for successful, scientific farming
purposes as it is for almost any other pro-
feSsion or branch of business. And if I
possessed a half dozen sons, and wished to
distribute them out among several different
trades and professions, 1 would select the
best educated and most intelligent ones for
farmers and mechanics, and advise the
others to become lawyers and polit clans, or
Justices of the Peace. There are many
persons who object to the school tax, and to
the public school system generally, because
they say that so many who own property
and pay no tax must share equally the
benefits of public schools with themselves.
i Those people most generally alluded to, as
paying no tax, were once the slaves of the
Taxpayers, and though they own but little
or no property themselves, a considerable
amount of the property upon which taxes
are paid was derived from the proceeds of
their labor whilst in slavery. By decree
of fate, and not by any acts of their own,
they were liberated from bondage, made
freemen, and thrown penniless upon the
world to seek a living as best they could.
AS a general rule they are ignorant and poor,
unable to educate themselves, and unless
assisted at the public expense many of them
must remain in Ignorance. Then since
these people have become freemen, having
all the rights at the ballot box as other citi-
Zens- and thereby having n voice in the
management of all public affairs, would it
not be best for the county, for the State, and
for the National government, to have this
voice an intelligent one? Outside of all
other considerations, would it not be our
, religious duty, demanded by all just princi-
pies of true Christianity, to assist these peo-
: pie in the education of their children and
} otherwise aid in redeeming them from
ignorance and vice, and assist, far as
possible III them 1nJO pains OF virtue
: and intelligence. The cost to the State of
, courts, jurors, prison fees, ETC., for petty
offences, in many instances the result OF
ignorance, is more than would be required
} to furnish schools for the entire scholastic
: population. The over-crowded condition OF
, the prisons of the Southern States to-day
, may be attributed very largely to the want
t of enlightenment and educational inteIIi-
: gence among the poorer and laborine
| classes. Go where you will, South, North
I East or West, throughout the world, you
will find that very large majority of those
2 who are living out miserable existerce
: behind prison walls and in chain gangs are
; illiterate and uneducated
Then, if educational intelligence will dc
! so much, lift will bestow upon our children
$ such lasting benefits as cannot be estimated
e by money, if it will add wisdom and virtue
to the Councils OF our Nation; if it viii
E make more prosperous and happy ON
4 children and our ehildren's children 70,
4 generations to come and lastly, though not
: least, If il will redeem from darkness. deg
a radiation, and eternal death, and place in