Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-05-27
Our Common Schools.

Our Common Schools.
The common school system of Georgia
is not what 1t ought to be. This fact is
conceded by every friend Of popular edu-
cation in the State. Outside the cities
and some of the larger towns it is a sys-
tenn in little else than in name. The or
ganization, the laws ana regulations eX-
ist, but for three-fourths Of the year
there are no schools and, of course, the
schools are much less efficient during the
three months in which they are open than
they would be if they were kept in ope-
ration, as they should be, for at least nine
months in the year.
! 1t is believed that our State Commits
sioner of Education has accomplished all
that could be expected of him with the
limited means at his command. 1t has
been charged that there are too many
officials connected with our common
school system, and that it is therefore
more expensive than it ought TO be. 1t is
doubtful, however, if any Of the officials
could be dispensed with without impair
ing such system of common school educa-
ton as we have.
To give the State such a common school
system as it ought to have, and such as IS
contemplated by the constitution, would
require a school fund of about $l.500,000
per annum, while the school fund under
existing laws is only little over a half
million. Grant the necessity for a thor
Ough common school system; let all agree
that the Legislature should take steps to
carry out provisions of the constitution
| and establish such a system, the question
of raising the fund necessary for the pur-
| pose becomes an all important one. 1t is
easy to say that the Legislature ought to
make an appropriation of such sum as
may be required. 1t is useless to appro-
pirate money, however, if it is not in the
| Treasury, or there is no source from
which it can be obtained TO be put into
the Treasury.
At present there is no property tax for
educational purposes in Georgia, outside
of the cities and towns above alluded to.
The school fund comes from poll taxes,
the State Railroad rental and some other
special sources. There seems TO be no
source from which the fund can be mate
rally enlarged except an extra tax on
II
common school system badly enough to
tax themselves to sustain it? That
is the question of the hour.
They certainly need it badly
enough. The question Will, no doubt,
again come up before the General AS
sembly this summer. 1t would be well
for Senators and Representatives to can
vass it with their constituents and be pre-
pared to act upon it. Four years ago the
levying of this tax was postponed on ac-
count of the distress in many parts of the
State in consequence of the terrible
drought. Two years. ago the new capital
question, the enlargement of the Iunatic
asylum and some other matters were
given preference. Now there is a deficit
of nearly $3.50, 900 in the estimates for the
current year to be made up from some
source.
Verify, the chances seem to be against
the hope of improving our common school
system. Perhaps, however, our legisla-
tors and the people will appreciate the
Importance Of the demand made upon
them by the cause OF popular education,
and resolve not to shirk the responsibility
and avoid the burden any longer. An
extra tax of one mill on the dollar would
make it possible to keep the public schools
open six months in the year. viii the
General Assembly have the courage to
levy such a tax? If, this tax should be
levied the efficiency of our common schools
would be doubled, and the way for the
perfecting of the system would be plain
to succeeding General Assemblies.