Southwest-sentinel. [volume] (Silver City, N.M.) 1883-189?, 1894-01-23

E
BY order OF the board Of trustees tho
public schools OF Silver City we're closed
on laat Friday. Thisaotion was rendered
expedient through a combination Of
circumstance for which no individual or
collection OF individuals, are respon-
sible. Without attempting TO criti-
cleo the actions Of past or present
sohooI administrations, The SOUTHWEST
SENTINEL viii endeavor. briefly, with the
information at It's command, 20 cite the
principal causes leading up to this result,
Owing to a special act Of the last legisl
lature a law was pissed granting an oxten-
sion Of time in the payment Of the taxes
OF 1892, from December 31st to July Let,
1898. As a result Of this law out schools
closed last June with an Indebtedness to
teachers, etc, amounting to 1885. The
amounts derived from licenses and fines,
in the mean time, were small and when
the July taxes we're turned 10 and dis
bursed there was still a deficit Of $3.50.
Thus it will be seen that the present
school year opened up with an indebt-
ness Of $3.50 and not a cent in the treas
ury.
Then, again, a further complication
presented itself through the operations a
new law passed by the same legislature
mtking oil taxes payable s~emi-annually
on the first days OF January and July, re-
spectively. An examination Of the col
l%ector's books shows that but about one
third Of the first half Of the taxes for
1898 have been paid, and this, added to
the fact above stated, and the probability
Of light tax collections until mcney mat
tefs are less stringent, were the condi-
tons which suggested the ~advisability
on the part Of the Trustees to take the
action which seemed inevitable.
The tax levy for school purposes has
been inadequate for years to carry on
our school system and it b as been neces-
sary at each municipal spring election
to vote a special tax in order to main
tain it. At the last election the special
tax proposition was defeated, and this
can only be construed as another import
ant factor in the present embarrassment.
It is but just to say that the present
board Of trustees have not only been eco
nomical and iudicious in administering
the affairs Of their Office but they have
~retrenched the expenses OF running the
schools to the amount OF S120 per
month, or, $1,000 for the school year Of
ten months. When we say that Silver
City has the most efficient corps Of
teachers in this Territory we have no fear
of successful contradiction, and to raise
the cry Of extravaganza on the part of
the present board Of trustees, whom they
} have had no funds to expend I'M
wisely, is simply ridiculous. The crisis
came, and could not, in the nature OF
things, be averted.
PRIVATE SCHOOLS.
We are however, not without school
facilities. As soon as the trustees con
cluded to close the schools they immedi.
lately informed their superintendent,
Miss Koehlor, OF their intentions and
, rendered her the use of the buildings
, rent free, and a circular was OF once pre-
pared by her and sent to the parents Of
every child in tho school, as follows:
SILVER CRY, N. ~, Jan. Is, 1894.
To the Patrons Qrthe Public Schools;
For lack OF funds, the public schools
will close Friday, January 10. By ar
rangement with the school board, a pri-
vate school, under the management OF
the present superintendent, will com
mence in tho school building, Monday
January %. To ascertain how many
teachers can be employed, it is import
ant to know at once how many pupils
, will attend.
Primary pupils $500 per month.
Advanced grades, $3.50 per month.
Payable at end Of each month.
Deduction to large families.
Please report below.
Very respectfully,
M. Il. KoEHLER,
Superintendent
1 will send pupils. -.-.,..G
, Name Of parent.
l The schools, at the time of closing, had
an enrolment OF 1888 pupils, and the re-
sponses already made indicates that the
pciCChbuSO VI ubbobudhCo unhtI tub new
/, regime will be large. In fact about the
only falling of is noticeable in the pri-
MARY and intermediate grades.
The SOUTHWEST SENTINEL can not too
heartily commend the spirit with which
some Of our citizens have shown their
generosity in this matters Several per
sons have volunteered to pay the tuition
OF children whose parents could not af-
ford to do so, and in a number Of cases
certain gentlemen, who have no children,
have guaranteed the payment Of as high
as four buttons.
The full dress suits made from the
finest West OF England broadcloth and
lined throughout with silk, that Walker
10 making, are pictures 10 look at. *1t
Grant County Fruit.
V. b. Bean presented US Saturday
with half a dozen Of the finest apples we
have seen for many days. They we're
grown by his nephew, Clark Rogers, on
his immense fruit farm near Silver City,
New Mexico, and we're samples from q
barrel sent to Mr.. Bean as a Christmas
gift. The orchard from which these APP
pies we're gathered grows in a district
which is seldom visited by rain, moisture
being obtained by means of a system Of
irri0oiiOu. Eoufharn nliuoiq boaata III