Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-03-06

L
were voted under the general school law,
and this money then became ordinary school
money.
Fourth-Some men in the city had threat
ened the board with an injunction if any
attempt was made to use the money for an
academy.
Fifth-The using of this money for an
academy would be unlawful, but 10 use
money voted for unlawful uses in aid of
lawful objects would not be unlawful. This
is the way the board viewed it.
| The proper thing for the board TO have
done was to have cancelled the bonds, and
called on the people for more money IL it
was needed, as it was.
The board met in session and took into
consideration,
First-The unlawfulness Of the academy
scheme.
Second-The increase of children of a
school age in the near future.
Third-The crowded condition of the
schools, and the demand for more room.
Fourth-The fact that it must soon call
on the people for more money with which
TO give more and better facilities to the
city.
Fifth-The fact that the school debt, in
Guiding the academy bonds, was near $780,
600.
Sixth-That the academy scheme was
robbing the general taxpayer for the ben
eft of the particular taxpayer.
Seventh-As a conclusion, the board re-
solved to Use the money for present needs,
under the belief that the taxpayers of the
city would sustain them, and that the con-
sistent kicker only would howl blood, hair
and fraad
The $4,000 was, and is being used as fol-
lows:
Tristan addition to the First ward
school building, $500.
Second-An addition to the Second ward
school building, $4,000.
Third-School site on Emporia avenue, to
be used in the next three years, $500.
Fourth-Site for school building on Main
street, to be used soon, 81 800.
Fifth-The present building now con-
tracted on Emporia avenue, when complet-
ed and equipped for use, sl1,500.
This leaves a surplus to be used in repairs
and for other school sites or buildings.
Why purchase. school sites so far ahead:
| The answer to this is that school sites will
never be as cheap again if the people of
Wichita can prevent it. The board paid
| 81 800 for one site on Main street, and have
been offered, and can get 81 $50 for one half
OF it. 1t is thought best not to sell it.
III the people want 10 sit down oil the
board they have the lawful right to do so !;
and, while the board are loathe to part with
a salary Of one dollar a year, yet there is
not one Of them that would undo anything
done to retain his grasp on that one dollar.
Again it won't be long before more
money mus. be voted to build more build
| ings. Was ii wisdom, economy or pru-
dence to use this s25, 900 for an academy un-
der this state Of affairs? Had this academy
been built, we would to-day have had mea-
gre school facilities for our children, or be
| $4,000 in debt; and the board must go on
making school debts..as long as-as long As
the parents OF this town furnish the chill
dren. The proper caner at this time is to
quit raising children. 1t is an outrage for
parents to growl about high school taxes,
when each year, as the cycle Of time rolls
round, adds ''link'' to the chain of their
| delicate embraces, which ''link" has TO be
educated by public money.
There is a radical defect in the system of
education at our schools, and each member
a. To- n; ha l,a
came a member, and the changes in the
board from year TO year have made it diff
cult 10 agree on what should be done.
The present board, or majority, have
| reached the conclusion that it is the
province Of God Almighty, genius, or some
unknown power, to make doctors, lawyers,
ministers, statesmen and clear, leyel-bead-
ed, sagacious business men, and that the
only duty on the board is TO enter all the
children for sweepstakes, "and then let the
child who can. win the race. In other
| words, give each child a fair common school
education and If he wants more let him
get il. The public has done its whole duty
when il taxes itself TO give each child this
much. Whatever is taken by taxation be-
yond necessity, taking into consideration
the object sought, is wrong, morally if not
legally.
There is no distinction in the law between
city and country public schools, though
there lie in the law as administered. Yet,
the boy in town has no right TO have more
money spent to educate him than has the
boy in the country. IL we have made
school In this city, out Of public funds, that
draw the children from the country to it
because of our advantages, then we have,
yer the school be left, taken money to give
10 city boy more than we should.
The people are awakening TO the fact that
city high schools are frauds-frauds on the
taxpayer, frauds on the parents, frauds Oh
the children. The idea is growing that the
taxpayer is wronged, parents fiattered and
children "educated' without knowledge.
High schools are becoming burdensome
without any remuneration TO faithful tax
payers and fond parents in the way OF edu-
cation.
The world is moving young men and
women embark in business long before they
can be graduated in the 9Th grade of high
school. according to Che present regime.
Is it justice TO the childs High school
children should be made TO order, hand
painted and embroidered, SO that they
would all be alike; and attain their majori-
ty at twenty-five instead Of eighteen and
twenty-one years.
A doctor that would give the same dose |
to delicate boy that he would to brawny
blacksmith would be hooted at, but here /
we go with a hypodermic educational
syringe squirting Latin and the things that
go with it into tie future butcher and law
yer. baker and preacher, barber and states
man, with the same monotonus squirt, year
IN and year out. The men that conceived
the common school system had no thought
Of the colossal proportions to which idiocy
might attain in A. ID. 1884.
There is one solid fact from which there
is no avenue OF escape, which shows the
ra,lacy Of the high school business, and that
Is. that seyenty>ive per cent. OF the children
have no earthly use for the training given
hem in high school-graded schools, city
there is i large per cent. that
wouldn't If they could. and some that
,ouldn't II they would. Hence the small
Der cent. that desire and have use for this
earning have been educated at an enor-
nous expense, aud when graduated Tor
each the apex OF the grade feel that they
nave only got as far as the front gate that
cads to the door Of learning This small
,er cent. embark in business, study nights
md make educated men and women OF them
elves. and when they become famous this
-by.lO high school claims all the credit. {
These are facts, sooner or later We viii have
o acknowledge il. $
The boy or girl that wants an ed
cation cant be prevented IRON get