The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-04-13

Mr.. EDITOR: The article in your paper
of last week in relation to the school ques-
tion. signed ''Court House & School House."
perhaps deserves some notice. The anthor
writes well, but fails as think, to present
the truth, or comprehend the subject. He
says, 81 think the necessity for new court
house is quite as great as for new school
house." Has anybody said the contrary!
Does the fact that we sorsly need new
court house argue that we should make no
effort to have a healthful and decent school
house. do not see that one question af-
fects the other at all, except that the poorer
our school houses are the'poorer our schools
are likely to be, and the poorer our schools
the more need we shall have Of court
house. and Jail too. However, we cannot
dispense with court house under the most
favorable circumstances, and l fear not with
Jail either. Those we have, if not actually
now, will soon be standing shame to the
people of the county. But voting special
tax for the purpose of building school
house, will not in my opinion retard in any
degree the building of a court house. In
deed, think it will encourage the move
ment. The opposition, if any exists, is in
the country. When our neighbors in the
country see that we are disposed to do
something for ourselves by the erection of
creditable school building, they will feel
more ready to favor the erection of court
house, which will be useful to the county at
large and ornamental to our now reasonably
prosperous little city.
But if "Court House & School House" is,
as he strongly intimates, friendly to the
public school, he has queer way OF talking.
He says: "For when we have no public
school l notice that private schools are
started (which are probably equally as good)
where schooling can be had at nominal
cost for those who desire to send their chill
dren to school" And again, '.if there was
no public school at all, it would be found
that in this place there would be abundant
school privileges at a cost which would be
SO small that it would not be much Of bur-
den to parents"
court House & School House" may be
some gentleman Of fortune, or fortunate
gentleman who has q comfortable salary and
perhaps only one or two children to school.
In such case the expense may seem him lit
LQOS6
are poor or only in moderate circumstances
and have large families to support aud
school. it is very different matter Indeed,
the assertion made in the article under con-
sideration, that schooling in private schools
in this place can be had for a nominal price,
varies 30 widely from the truth that can
not comprehend how the writer could have
made it. The rates, for schooling here in
private schools, are from $3.50 to IS per
quarter. This is not nominal, but real: and
not only an inconvenent, but impossible
sum for many parents with large families
and small means to pay. The consequence
would Be that without pablo schools such
children would have to 60. to great extent,
uneducsted. 1t is from families like these.
in the main. that our best and most useful
men and women are to come. Certainly il
y not too much to extend to them the help
ing hand Of the public school.
The writer Of the article under considers
tion says: Let the county borrow sufiic-
lent funds to build court house. and the
district do the same for . school house. bv
Issuing bonds for the necessary amounts. to
run. say ten yssrs-if this course be practi-
cable. Now, the county can borrow money
and issue beuds to build . court honse, be-
cause the legislature, by . special act, has
authorized our County Commissioners to do
% But the directors Of the school district
can DO no such thing. bscaass they have no
suthsrity 70 do it. an sorry they have
not. wish they had tbs power 70 issue
bonds e run Ter 1t least Is years. This
woeId relieve a. from prsssnt burden ssd
= diseribats It - TO make Il easy upou III.
Hat shall " stand still-do nothine. ~
psrnit our sdacational intsrssts 70 las9uish
ed oar rspuentioa to suGsr bsoauss vs e.
~ % jnst - We would prefer! ! tsuse -
n trss policy think i 70 vsts ~ =