Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1894-08-22

with salary attached OF SlIa
per month, and to increase the salaries
of the teachers in like proportion, and
then appear before this city council and
demand a concurrence IN
its attempt to have levied npon the prop
erty OF this city a burdensome and I'M
warranted tax.
Inasmuch as the schools of this city
were run during the last fiscal year LOT
SS,10900, and the county superintendent
of schools having reported TO US III al
exhibit hereto annexed, transcribed from
his books, that the board OF education
had received during said year from
licenses. fines, etc, independent OF gen
eral or special tax levies the sum of
nc, S96.9l, we are of the opinion that we
would be doing an act of injustice to the
tax payers Of the city in approving the
levy asked Our taxable property Is
decreasing, unfortunately, IN value every
year, it being $l,S10,93S.0O in 1898, and
only Sl,1OS,49 in 1891. The asses
sor's books shows that a county school
fund of SI,5OS.9l is levied for and to be
collected during the current year, which
added to the revenue collected and paid
over to the city board of education from
licenses. etc, (S6s96.91 would give a
total of S11,4O5S2, and even If only
three-fourths of the county school fund
should be collected there would still re-
main the sum of SlO,27S.59.
Evidently the members of the present
board of education are not familiar with
the financial problems involved in the
strict performance of their duties, and
r+oin
able in coming before this board with a
resolution of vital interest to all tax
payers, and asking this council to ap-
prove of the same.
A 5 mill tax upon the present city
valuation would amount to $5,424.75,
which amount added to the sum already
provided for, from taxes, licenses, fines,
etc. would give us the enormous sum OF
S1G,95S.29, almost $4,000 in excess OF
the amount estimated for the running OF
the schools Of the city during the next
school year. And yet we are brazenly
told that we have no right to supervise
their proposed levy, no matter how
extravagant or fraudulent it might be-
In view of these facts can any one pre-
tend to say that this council has no right
| u
payer and the board of education in the
levying of superuous taxes; nay, we be-
ieve, ON the contrary that it is the hon
est duty of this council to see that no levy
is made unless justified by law.
All the figures submitted by your com
mittee are official and may be seen upon
the books of the county superintendent
of schools. the books of the assessor anc
the records of the board of education Of
this city.
Nor can the undersigned close this re
port without referring to some things
that came under their notice during this
investigation. The law creating ou
present system of schools contemplated
a non-sectaran and non-political or
ganizat1on which should be above reli
gious prejudice or partisan strife, wher
our children might receive the rudiment
of an education, and be fitted to perform
their duties as good citizens to societ.
and to the state, and, if necessary, from
whence should spring new generation o
teachers to share in the future glory an
pride of our people; but, alas, under pres
emit and past management of the cit
board of education home talent is de
barred from the privilege of teaching i
our schools, and prominent men with
1 pull are permitted to designate the az
3 pointment of their immediate friends o
relatives residing in the east, while tn
sons and daughters of the taxpayers {
l this city, holding proper certificates ell
tit!ng them to teach, with character an
: talents above reproach and unexcelle'
pI
Q hoisted into our schools to the exclusio
Q of resident teachers, in order that the
n may receive the climatic advantages {
d dear old Santa Fe, at the expense of I'll
u taxpayers of the city. Directors are pc
e mitted to employ their sons and relative
as janitors. Buildings rented for scho
u purposes from favorites, without refe
a ence to convenience of locality or I'll
J health of the pupils, and dispositic
IS generally to so conduct the public bus
n ness imposed upon them without refe
= ence to the wants or requirements of OF
- public school system.
Il To illustrate the hypocrisy Of some
the members of the school board of ed
J. cation who brazenly asserted that it WI
& necessary, absolutely necessary, the Me
ID lean native children should be taug
u English, and hence their preference fl
10 outside teachers; yet in the first ward
d this city, where the public school is a
" tended almost exclusively by Mexict
10 native children, the corps of teacher
n three in number, are Mexican teachers,
'r maj ority of whom, we are credlbly j
formed, do not possess certificates ent
W fling them to teach, and if they do posse
III them were secured through fraud, al
Is without the examination required
u law. The people of tho ward are up
" arms against this selection of teacher
is and vow that they will not send the
NJ children to the school unless favorab
m charge is made. There are many youn
OF Mexican gentlemen IN this communi
IN who are preomlnertly fitted by charn
- ter and education to perform the duti
Y of teachers to the satisfaction of &
n board, parents and pupils, some of who
~ are graduates of the normal schools
, the territory, but it seems the prese