The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1893-12-29
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

appropriation the Superintendent of
Public Instruction, N. c. Schaefier,
in the annual Report" says in part I;
amor car the increased appropriation
be said to have produced the effects
which ardent friends of the public
schools had expected. Reference to
the statistical tables shows that the
resulting increase in the monthly sal.
arv of male teachers was but $I.7o
and in that Of female teachers only
$r.6s. The average increase in the
length Of the school was but one third
of a month. The total increase in
the cost of tuition was $7oI,779.S3
and the decrease in the amount of tax
levied for school purposes was $3aI,.
7os.os. Add to those amounts the
increase in the cost Of building, pur-
chasing and renting ($I,o7a,a77.371
and there remains a balance unac.
counted for in the three million in
crease Of the $Ia6,ss9.Ia which must
have accumulated in the treasures Of
the districts instead of being expend-
ed upon the Improvements of the
schools"
How could it be otherwise 2 Ex-
cept there should be a lavish expendi-
ture Of money, even to prodigality by
especially favored school districts /;
such result is inevitable in conse-
quence of the unjust basis for distri
button Of the school appropriation. In
assuming full jurisdiction, and exercis-
ing all authority over our public
schools, prescribing what branches Of
study shall be taught, what constitutes
proper qualifications for teachers to
take charge Of the public schools, how
long they be kept open, and directing
all other matters pertaining thereto,
even at a penalty Of a forfeiture of the
school appropriation if any of the pre-
scribed provisions are violated, / hold
that the Commonwealth is guilty Of a
-rnIsdemeanor, yea, a crime, when she
distribute sufficient sum of money
to pay the teachers salary of some
districts for a period of 8 to 10 months
at $40 per month. when at the same
time she distributes a sum sufficient
only to pay the teachers salary for a
period of 4 to months at $40 per
month to other districts. Will it be
said that this statement is an exagger.
alton, an untruth, or a vain imagina
ton Consult the statistical tables
of the school report for the year 1893.
Had the distribution of the school ap.
preparation $4,000, ,ooo) been made
upon just and equitable basis the
"ardent friends of our public schools"
would have realized their most san
guine expectations and there would
not have remained an unexpended
balance of the three million increase
of $Ia6,559.I2 which must have &C
cumulated in Favored treasures,
awaiting additional surplus in similar
unequal and unjust distribution Of
school appropriations. This is the
reason, and only reason why some
school directors levy from to for
school purposes and have the best
schools in the state, while other dis
tricts are obliged to levy from S to I3
and yet have the poorest schools in
the state. This is the reason why
many schools are abundantly supplied
with all the educational paraphernalia
and school facilities, while others are
barely sufficiently supplied to make
the schools attractive, comfortable, or
even profitable. The "ardent friends
Of our public schools" could perform
no better, nor more acceptable mission
than to besiege the Legislature to
change the present unequal basis to a
just and equitable basis, whereby all
the children would share equal bene-
fits from the bounty OF an inexhausti-
ble supply of our great Common
wealth. Such an achievement would
gain for them countless blessings from
all portions of the state, and crown
them the greatest benefactors of the
age. Not only would the majority of
children receive from twenty to hun
dred fold more benefit from our Pub
lie School system, but the majority of
teachers would also receive a cores
ponding increase of compensation,
and educational progression and school
Improvement would be marked and
uniform all along the line. Parental
love, and anxiety for the future wei
fare OF the individual child is as affec-
tionate, and deep in one part or To-
cality OF our Commonwealth, as it IS
possible for it to be in any other ;
Notwithstanding the unequal condition
IN regard to school facilities in which
the state has placed all the children OF
the Commonwealth, by, and through
discriminating school appropriations.
JOHN c. WENNER,
Benton, Pa.