, 1882-02-18
w.ILA waLLA, Feb. sth, 1852


cush. .-GAnBETIA
wALlA wALLA, Feb. sth, 1852
Epr1ca STATESMAN There is no sub
iac, OF more practical interest to the ciii-
zens Of Eslla Wslla than an Increase OF
school facilities for the proper education
Of the youth os the city, and much has
been written and said in favor of building
4 $50. COO school house and adopting the
high school sys.en in this city.
But think you will lind tha: the sober
second thought of the taxpayers is op-
posed to the paraphernaiis OF the hish
school system, not that they are opposed
to it, bu, simply because they object 70
biting oa more than they can digest; Let
US examine the facts. A $4,000 school
house necessarily implies a purchase OF at
least block If ground In az easily &C
cessible part Of the city. The day OF cheap
lots has gone by in Walla Walls, and the
purchase Of this ground means another
$40, 900 added to the cost of the building.
Then it stands TO reason that a $500
school house would have 10 be run on .
$50, 600 basis, and we know from the eK-
perience of San Francisco, Portland and
other large towns, that the experiment Of
expensive high schools has never been
successful How then, can the limited
POPULATION II Walla Walla raise the neces-
sary funds to keep this proposed ins'itu-
ton running Add to these expenses the
interest on the bonds hoated perhaps away
below par and you saddle the taxpayers
of Walla Walla with heavy burden OF
taxation that is sufficient to deter i'm
migration from comm. here and thus pre-
vent In a measure he fostering of other
enterprises Of equal public utility.
Therefore, say again. let the property
holders and taxpayers Of walla Walla
count ,esIl the cos. before they lend their
sanction to a system OF nigh schools that
will add u their taxes and thus leld 10 .
depreciation Of values in-all kinds OF prop
crty in order to build up a system OF high
schools whose every tendency is to create
class aristocracy at the expense OF
taxpayers Who ever heard Of the chill
dren Of poor people being educated at
these high schools Are net the pupils
invariably the children OF men who ere
in position to afford 20 send them to
private schools Such system destroys
the equality existing among the children
n rich and poor which has made our CON-
mon school system the admiration OF the
world and the stady of the philosophy.
1t is true that Walla Walla is lamenta-
bly, deficient in facilities for the accomo-
ta,iun Of her children, but on the other
hand 1t is not necessary for the city to rush
to the other extreme aud launch forth in
a syatem Of runious expenditure in main
tanning the eItravagant appeEda.es of the
high school syst IN. Lit the public take
into consideration the theory of graded
schools which hGs now been in operation in
the city If Lewiston for several months,
| and 1t has been found to fill the require
ments Of parents in the matter Of instruc-
ton and the demands of taxpayers for An
economical administration OF school
money. The Lewiston school Is divided
| at present, into three grades, primary,
intermediate and grammar schools, under
the supervision Of an eastern gentleman at
a salary of 81 800 per year. As the schol-
ars progress it is the intention Of the di-
rectors TO add n high school department
To the other three, so 1t will be seen that
the graded school system combines the
merits OF all the other systems, fulfills the
demands Of the times for higher education
and relieves the shoulders Of taxpayers
from the burden Of maintaining two or
more distinctive systems. +.