The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-01-18
THE SCHOOL TAX.

Elsewhere in this mornings paper will be
seen communication relative TO the tax
pet!ioned'for for tho purpose of building
school-houseI in this city. This petition has
been prepared by a committee of citzsfs
appointed at meeting to consult upon and
consider this question of fchool-housos, and
we presume will be acted upon by the coun-
Gil ut lis next meeting. Our correspondent
takoa conservative and reasonable position
relative to this proposed tax. The question
involved, that of building school-houses, il
one which must appeal directly to the eyR-
pathiss of every citizen who favors eduea-
ton md who wants 10 SEQ the youth of the
country given those advantages Of
Learning which will enable them
to grow up 10 be useful citizena
and good men and women, worthy of the re.
sponSibilities 10 dsvolye upon them when
they reach the estate of manhood and woman.
hood. In the older states, especially those Of
the east and north, it is u custom to dorido
the south for being so backward in the mat
ter of free education. The south has gotten
accustomed to these sneers and unjust in
situations, and we pursue the even tenor of
our way, building up our school facilities and
aiding oil we can tho cause of education.
Before tho war, when We of the south had
our plantations and our slaves, there was not
then the need of free education that there is
now. Parents and guardians wero able to
educate their children and wards nj private
schools, and 1t WAS q matter of pride with us
tnat our academies, seminaries and colleges
were the very best this entire country could
boast. But even before the war Texas had laid
the foundation for a splendid free school sya.
tom. With vast acres of land she he'd endowed
free schools and state university, and now
that endowment Is being developed and made
to DO Of magnificent utility. In sdditisn to
this landed endowment the state now gives
an annual sum large indeed, beins a stipend
not to exceed one-fourth Of the general
revenue, with the poll tax for tho support of
public free schools. The change Of political
conditions in the south and the CONSEQUENT
lack of that financial independence formerly
happy popularity of the southern people,
and the acquisition of an elomen,
in our midst, the enfrSnchised negroes,
makes FREQ schools now necessity. We all
know that with the sparse population of the
state as compared with its immense extent OF
domain, the undevelcped condition of our
resources aAd the limited amount of revenue
obtainable with the many drains necessary
upon II for requisite current expenses Of tho
state, the public school fund spportioned
among communities in accordance with
scholastic population and demands. ia insult
feisnt to build school-houses and summon,
school teachers too. The pride of eyetv
town and city should DO its educational facil-
tiles. Nothing will attract attention TO. and
secure it population more readily than good
schools and in this 1,r of prorrss. and
advancement ircs oils. The state
gives to Dallas at pro rata OF tho
general school fund for her public school,
and with an eye to her own material interest,
and fair fame Dallas can at least begin now
toprovde good school-houses, that thi, fund
may all be applied to the support Of teach
srs, and therefore the increase of the schola..
tic term. We believe, with our corrsspopd-
emit, that If reasonable amount be agreed
upon for the erection of these proposed
school-houses, that the people will chsorfully
indeed enthusiastically, vote for the levy of
a tax to raise the money. Without suggest.
ing an amount, We believe that the people
will not object to pay tax to raise as much
as $4,000 to build three school:houses. If
we are not misinformed as 10 the terms of
tho petition in question, it prays for
the levying Of a tax 10 build
three school-hoases, two for white children
and one for colored children, and if We do