Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1879-02-08
COMMUNICATED.

Mr.. Editor-A communication over
the signature of "lvan," in your last
Register, stated shat / had made big
mistake in my calculation" relative TO
the expenses of the schoo! law. | am
not in the habit of answering anony-
nous writers; but not wishing to do any
injustice to the Free School System, if
, properly conducted, l readily comply
with the request of "Ivan." l stated
distinctly, in my remarks, at Halltown,
pied that l had not given the report of
the Superintendent Of Free Schools a
full examination, but what could judge
OF it, from a cursory perusal, satisfied
me that the people of Jefferson were
more heavily taxed than the full opera
tons of the schools demanded. If | said
that it cost each child S4.75 per day, l
certainly erred, and | am free to &C
knowledge it; but, you will find from
statement aud letter from the State
superintendent herewith enclosed, that
there was glowing error in the report,
and which the Superintendent in his
letter fully acknowledges.
Ny object in calling the attention of
our people TO the report, was to show
them the amount that Jefferson county
paid to the school fund aud the amount
We received back ; and to point out to
them the great injustice which would
be imposed on our county if the Legis-
lsture Increased the school tax from ten
TO twenty cents on the 500. 'Ivan"
is no greater friend to Free School
system than l am, and if he will take
the trouble to examine my acts from
the commencement of the Free School
system in this county, he will find it 80.
Oar school tax is high and onerous, and
to increase it will create reaction
against the school system, and will cause
ito dcctruotiDu. 1 am opposed TO levy
ing oncrous burdens on the people OF
the county unnecessarily. Previous to
the war, the Free School system, as
adopted by this county, worked admira-
bly, and at not one half the cost. The
county was divided into II school dis
tricts, and "a schools. The tax was
levied equally upon every citizen of the
county. The whole amount OF school
tax levied for the year 1856, as per as
SCISSOR Sam'l Stones report, was S7,4l9.-
29, less S34l.l9 Sheriff's commissions,
and s93654 delinquents, leaving bal
ance of 6,4S2.75 Tor support of schools
by taxation. cannot find the return
of the assessor for later than 1856, but
| am satisfied the school tax for the
year 1860 as not increased, as will ap-
pear from my tax bill for that year. My
school tax for the year 1850 was S13.S6,
and extra tax for district purposes IS, SO
total sl7.39. My school tax for the
year 1878, was 1854, and have not
as much property now as | had in 1860,
as | lost my slaves by the war. If the
81 schools good schools could be car
ried on for ten months in the year 1856
for S6,4S2.75, with a small tuition fee
of fifty cents per quarter on such as
were able to pay it, should not AZ
schools be carried on for s months in
the year 1877 for less than $2l, S3S6S
The Superintendent says the fund cred
tied to this county is S20,943.97. He
may be right, but cannot make it SO
appear by his figures. Besides this tax,
which is annually collected from the
people of the county, We have in the
State Treasury to the credit of the
school fund, the enormous sum of 1854
Sll.4S invested in bank stock, Railroad
Bonds, &c, which, during some of these
DAYS of moral rectilude, will take wings
and hy away.
Why should this generation be taxed
TO accumulate fund to educate gener-
atoms yet unborn? And especially al a
time when such great depression pre-
walls throughout the land.
These are questions that vitality inter-
est the people, and am pleased TO see
they are beginning to investigate them.
AS to the pay of the County Court l
made no calculation about it. I read it
from the Register, aud am informed it
was made out by the clerk of the County
Court. If "Iuan' desires detailed ac-
count of the expenses of the County
Court, he can readily obtain them by
calling on the clerk of the Court, and
searching the records, as l had to
do in this case, when he will find every
item entered therein. So much for
'Ivan." Now for statement of school
tax for Jefferson county, as per Super
iutendent's report, page 81.
State School tax 9,50.o2
Bal. from last year teachers fund 1,ll1.E2
Bal. from last year building fund l,2O2.3O
SIG, 1883
Deduct the amount of Jeffer-
son county tax paid to other
counties as per report, 4,9oo.lo
Leaving balance Of $2l,s3s.6s
To ascertain the amount the citizens
of Jefferson county have to pay 10 edu-
cate each child going to schools in the
county, you must multiply the daily av-
erage attendance, viz: 1,l26 by 100, as
the schools were opened on an average
months, and 20 days to the month,
which will give you the number OF
scholars attending school one day 3