The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1880-05-07
TIE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

The General Assembly at it, late SEES
sion passed an act relative to the sub
iect of public education which was not
signed by the Governor, because, a. we
are informed, II contained some tea
lures he regarded rs seriously objection
able.i Consequently, We are thrown
upon act No. %, Of 1877, - the only
means TO carry ont the provisions Of
the Constitution. until farther leg
islation upon the .snbject. ,ei4s; ITO
The Constitutions authorizes the COLI
lection Of q poll tax, for the mainte-
nance OF the public schools, to the
amount Of one dollar and ffty cents.
For the present, the poll tax is regu-
lated by the Act Of 1877, and all the
proceeds thereof are appropriated
to the support of public schools
Very stringent regulations have been
adopted to enforce the collection of
this poll tax going to the school fund,
as we stated in our last weeks issue.
In addition to this poll taS, there
will be levied and collected under
State authority, by the Consultation,
the sum or two mills upon the dollar
for the cash valuation Of all real and
personal property, subject to taxation.
Under the Act of 1877, before referred
to, the local Municipalities, such as
parishes and towns, are authorized to
levy also two mills upon the cash
value of property in the State for the
same purpose In addition to the
amount raised by the poll tax and
property assessment mentioned, there
will be appropriated to the same pur-
pose the funds received from the sale
or lease of the public school lands. III
We understand that the foregoing
are all the legalized sources Of revenue
for the support of the public schools at
present in force. But it Is suggested
that contributions are to be solicited
from the patrons Of the public schools
but that they are to be considered a.
entirely voluntary. 5-:t3 gs 's.4.,af.
These constitutional and legal pro
visions will probably secure the amour
of the poll tax, and also that of tn
State and municipal levy, aggregating
say, four mills on the dollar for tn
support Of the public schools.
The whole aggregate of all the taxes
poll and upon property, will ,probabl!
be far less than under preceding law
for the support of the public schools. &
There are two serious obstacles II
the way of the successful establish
ment of tho public schools In this
State. Tho first, the sparseness of pop
ulation; and, second, the want Of
funds. When it comes to private con-
tributions, since the payment of thu
same is not made obligatory upon thu
parent, or tutor, as a condition prece
dent to the benefit Of participation ii
the public school funds, he sends hi
children to the schools, and, whe
asked for his contribution in order (
make up the necessary salary Of tn
teachers, he very decidedly says, tbs
it is n free school, and he is boun
neither morally nor legally to contrib
ute anything personally. And it is
singular fact that tho person, WI
talks the most loudly on the subject
paying teachers bills, are the very on
who pay nothing for that purpose ~
on property because they have no,
which legal process can reach, and I
that very reason the poll tax to whi'
they were liable, was never collecte
One conclusion is certain, that ger
raj and special taxation will not fl
nish the necessary funds for the su
port of the public schools in SIM
towns aud sparcely populated count
districts; and If the local school dire
ors are not empowered to enforce I
collection OF what the Superintende
of Public Education calls private &C
trlbutions, the public school system
substantially failure, for the reas
that many parents wish to educs
their children at public expense, wit
out contributing In the way of taxes
any other way the means thel
for. The sooner such an lnefacie
system of public education, incapat
~