San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1889-01-31
Highly Interesting.
OUR PROPOSED NEW SCHOOL
BUILDING.

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Council q petition will be presented
asking that an election DO held de-
eide whether or not a tax shall be
levied To build q new Free School
House in San Marcos, and as this Is
question Of great importance to
our town, I beg to request in that
you publish the following TO show
what our neighbors Of even q cmaller
town are doing:
RocKDALE, TEX. Jan. 8, 1889.
MrC. W. Gregory. San Marcos.
Dear Friend:-At last I find time
TO look up tho facts and figures you
desire OF me in reference TO our city
schools.
LIST. Let me advise you to send to
Supt. o. H. Cooper, Austin, for
copy of School Laws, from which you
will gain good deal of necessary in
formation.
The first thing we did was to call a
mass meeting Of the citizens, having
two or three speakers prepared with
speeches advocating the erection Of n
good building and tho organization
OF first class city schools.
Enthusiasm being aroused suffi-
GENTLY, the Board Of aldermen were
asked to negotiate a $4,000 loan,
which it did, through firmlaw in
st. Louis.
We issued ten bonds of 81 900 each
payable in twenty years at 8 per
cent, int. payable semi-annually.
Our bonds were sold to a New
York house at discount of 8 per
cent, and the lithographing, lawyers
fees, registering in Comptroller's Of
fee, etc. cost us about $3.50, so you
Sec bonds netted us $9,350.
With this amt. we bought our
ground, put up our building, and
furnished it, spending over 81, 900 for
furniture.
An election was had of property
holders only, TO decided whether we
would tax ourselves not to exceed J
Of per cent. for school purposes,
which was decided in the affirmative
by a ( majority (See Law.
The Board of Aldermen then levi
ID I of per cent. for school purpos-
es, and 35 cents on the hundred for
bond purposes. The last was to pay
interest on bonds and create sink
ing fund with which to meet said
bonds ut maturity
The first was for running expenses
IF tho school, and remains the same
,o-day as 1t was when we organized.
We may levy one-half of one per
,ent. but We have never exceeded
,ne-fourth of one per cent. for run
ling school expenses.
We began levying 35 cents on the
for bond purposes. After
wo years we reduced it to 30, and
low it is rs, Or t of one per cent.
This We have been able to do, by
gaming out our sinking fund at II
yer cent, amply secured. We expect
o lower this tax still further by the
anne financial policy we have hereto
ore pursued.
We have paid from the first to our
'upt. 81 500 per annum.
To teachers in Primary Grade $75
yer month.
Next Grade, $40 per mo.
" As
" 4" As
" &" 60
We use the calender month, not
he scholastic.
We could run 10 months but pre-
er9.
For overs and unders we charge
$500 per capita in the two lowest
grades, ST. in the next two and SO.
n the highest grades.
OF course, we organized colored
Ichool also, buildings costing $3.50.
We pay the Principal $500, and
me assistant $4,000 per month.
If l can aid YOU any further in this
school matter or in anything else,
mo. Your Friend,
W. E. COPELAND.
Now, sir, it seems to me this letter
the subject satisfactorily,
md outside of its being a great and
,rand measure which will rebound to
he benefit OF our present and future
generations and the up building of
our town, our present convenien.
lies q are IN eyesore and disgrace to
Is, even dangerous to the health of
,ur children in summer as well as
Turing the cold blasts of minter.
But more anon. 1 hope those more
specially interested will be up and
ioing' to see that a two third major
ty vote is cast in favor Of this meas.
ire, as it takes this to carry, and only
San Marcos property tax payers are
Untitled to vote.
Respectfully, CHAs. HUrcHNas
Treas. City Free School
Preston Il. Plumb has been re-
elected United States Senator by the
Legislature Of Kansas. now in ses-
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