The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-05-18
OPPOSED TO REDUCTIONS.
q. q, Russell ssys the Schools IL show
Ing Poor Economy,

q. q. Russell ssys the Schools IL Show
Ing Poor Eeonomy.
To tho i.dopendsnt
what 10 eysfybody'a business Il no.
body's buainsss" 10 this fact can bo at-
tributed many Of the sins Of omission and
commission Of tho servants Of ,he people.
which nobody would stop 10 notice and
correct At tboif inception. and which every
body liysa 10 regret and dsnounoo. IL 10
In just suoh way, that the recent action Of
tho school board Of this city. la cutting on
two branches Of Instruction. music and
drawing, 10 being allowed ~ paaI unnotioed
aud unoriticiaoA. But This should NOT be.
Oar pretent schools are a source Of justin
able pride 10 our oitizonI They rank we'll
with those Of our mOat tfoRTeasiVs eastern
sister states. 1he schools OF city ste
always the best idea OF ita intelligence. en-.
teTpfiso and good order. 1hey are its best
adyertissment 10 persons looking for a new
home, and 10 capital seeking Investment in
real estate. So far thsrs has been atehdy
growth forward In our SCHOOLS, md thsY
have done their foil shafo Ia sustaining be-
lief In the permansuos aud reliability Of
our city. The rsoen, action Of our school
board IL a NAKED backward atsp, and can
NOT fail, n carried out, 10 have q serious.
injurious effect, on our standing thfonRh-
out the state and outsids ia boundaries.
1be depression Of business has developed
n necessity for reductions In many sxpendi-
lures. until many persons have boeoms
monomauines on the subject OF economy
and reform" But tho o could not we'll be
woIso example OF tho penny wiss and
pound foolish policy than TO make this
reduction Al this cost and that OF the best
development OF the children OF our city.
M Musio and drawing have come 10 be reeoR-
nizsd elements In every we'll regulated sys-
ten OF graded public schools. As a neces-
sary part OF the training hnd development
Of every child. No child but what 10 better
for cultivated love OF music. and 10
stronger physically for the singing ersr-
discs. No child that will not be helped In
after life by its knowledge Of drawing. and
in many cases will have It's life work
dii ected and facilitated by this early teach
ing.
Aud what Is this so-cnlled "saying," by
this Looping of OF these two branches
OF instruction. The combined sslar-
los OF the two teaohers employed
last year Amounted to $2.l00 On
nn assessment Of Sl5.000.000 this would
amount TO II cents per $1,000 for the tax
payer Estimating the number Of school
children next year al !. 900. the cost for a
years instruction In drawing and music 10
81. 40 for each child. And the school bosrd
has decided that tho people Of
this city bserudpe that $l.40 per child
and believe its expenditure ill-sdvised.
Do the parents Of this city appreciate the
fact that they could not get Two lessons by
private teachers ior what 10 thus paid for q
whole years Instruction. And what 10
more, that the tublie instruction, thus far
given. 10 far better than much OF the private
instruction would be. Does such q rsduo-
tion. Mt such sacrifice. ssem worthy Of The
Queen City OF the Rockies, or consistent
with our reputation for intelligence and
enteI priseI The committee Of one hundred
have been granted hearing by the board.
and to their influence We can credit this
work: would it not be fair TO the rest OF the
community 10 give them an oppo tunity TO
DO heard. There 10 q rich field for reduo-
tions elsewhere. and IL Ia becoming richer.
and until the general sentiment 10 better
known, 10 Ia safs TO say the verdict Of the
people will be: Keep the schools no TO the
highest notch. givo ths children the beat
that can be had, and let no man begrudge
IL. EDWARD q. RUssKL.