The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1894-09-21
THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.

Inasmuch, as the County Superin.
tendents report appeared in several
OF the County papers l will also SUBJ
NIT the following comments to several
County papers. We all know that
public questions all have a bright, and
a dark side.
There is nothing so interesting to
study as school statistics, as the pub
lie school system progresses from
year to year. There is nothing so un-
justihable as the present basis for dis
tribution of school appropriations.
The law requires the establishment of
sufficient number of schools in the
commonwealth of Pennsylvania for
the education of every child between
the ages of six and twenty one years.
This mandate requires the establish.
ment of many schools in sparsely set
tied rural communities where the
schools are necessarily small. The
County Superintendent's report for
last year is full of instruction. From
his annual report we learn that "the
State appropriation for I3 districts
was greater than the preceding year,
and for IL districts it was less, due to
the triennial change of basis for distri
button" THE tax rate for school
purposes in S districts was greater
than the preceding year, in 10 districts
it was less, and in the remaining dis
tricts it was the seme as the year be-
fore" 1t would be interesting TO
know what IS districts had their ap-
preparation increased and what IL had
theirs decreased and the cause that
led to such change. In the year I8oa
Benton township received from the
State appropriation Sr,433,Sa and in
1898 it received only 81, 90, due
to change of basis for distribution, y
$3.50 less than the preceding year
From the last census report we find
that Benton township had as large a
percentage Of increase of population
for the preceding decade as any town
ship in Columbia County, and the de-
crease in the school appropriation is
nearly equal to J mill Of school tax
levy, which OF necessity requires a
greater mill rate to support our public
schools the required minimum term,
and which requires correspondingly
less mill rate TO suppoi. the public
schoolssthe required minimum of those
districts which had their appropriations
increased. The present basis for
school appropriation distribution is
upon the principle Of robbing Peter
to pay Paul. The Superintendent
further says "'rhe highest rate
levied was IS mills in but one district /;
the lowest rate was inili and this in
but one district" In the name Of
common justice we ask, why should
one district be required to levy I3
mills for the education Of her children
while another is required to levy only
I mill--1s times less for the education
Of her children than the former, Here
is lesson for legislators that cannot
be we'll misunderstood. There should
be law to provide uniform mill
rate for every county at least, if not a
uniform mill-rate for every county and
township in the commonwealth. Is 1t
right or just that the State requires a
specified minimum term of school,
and at the same time requires some
districts to levy I3 mills and other
districts only mill in the same Coun-
ty to keep up their schools the requir.
ed minimum term The present sys-
tenn makes it possible for the mono
polzation of the best talent and best
teachers of some districts by virtue Of
large appropriations and low mill
rates, as against small school appro-
priauons and high mill rates and low.
er salaries of other districts. In fact
many districts are enabled to pay
higher salaries from the school appro-
priation alone than other districts can
pay with IS mill rate including the
school appropriation. These things
ought not so to be. Is it not a fact
that teachers of equal qualifications
and ability in every district OF the
County expect and demand equal
compensation in each and every
school in the county a And who will
say that it is not just that it should
be so When equal service Is render
ed it should be equally rewarded.
But who will say that it is just and
right in order to attain such an end
that the citizens of the different dis
tricts should be taxed anywhere be
tween the extremes from I to IS mills