The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-02-08
A NEW LAW.
Wichita Board of Education Will Maintain
Efficiency of Our Schools.

| Speaking of the public schools in
Wichita last night John l.. Powell,
president OF the board Of education,
said that something would have to be
done to maintain the efficiency of our
educational institutions.
The school law only allows the board
! to levy q tax Of ten mills on the dollar.
On a so per cent valuation a tax Of
three mills on cash value of property
is about all that can be levied.
This does not give a sufficient sum
of money to run our schools as they
should be run And in order to make
ends meet the board have reduced sal
aries of the teachers and in addition
the teachers have been compelled to
discount their orders in order to get
( them cashed. The result of this Mr.
! Powell thinks Will be 20 force some of
our best teachers to look for schools
elsewhere.
In order to be able to maintain the
present efficiency of the Wichita
schools the board has secured the intro
duction of a bill in the legislature which
! will probably be passed in both houses.
The bill is as follows:
Sectionl. That section 70. chapter
227 of the session laws OF the year 1889,
being an act concerning the public
schools in the city of Wichita, be and
the same is hereby amended as to read
as follows: Section Is. The board of
education shall in the month Of August
in each year prepare an estimate and
levy of the amount OF money necessary
and requisite for the support and main
tenance of the public schools under its
charge for the year commencing on the
first day Of January next thereafter,
and also the amount necessary to pay
the interest on bonds accrUing during
the year, and the amount of sinking
fund necessary TO be collected during
such year for the payment and redemp-
ton of such bonds issued by said
board. and shall be caused TO be ceru-
| fled by the president and secretary Of
said board to the couwnty clerk OF the
county the per centage by them levied
on the real and personal property of
and within the said city. as returned
on the assessment roll or the county;
and said county clerk is hereby author
lied and required To place the same on
the tax roll of the county. And the
said tax shall be collected by the coun-
~ treasurer as the other taxes are coll
lected. and when collected shall be paid
TO the treasurer OF said board OF edu-
cation for the sole purpose Of which
taxes were levied, subject to the order
Of said board of education. And il is
hereby made the duty of said county
treasurer to promptly pay over, on de-
nland. TO the treasurer of the board OF
education. once q month all moneys be-
longing 10 the board OF educauon;
and upon default or refusal TO do such
county treasurer shall be found guilty
OF a misdemeanor. and subject 90 a fine
of not less than one hundred dollars for
each and every offense. All levieS re-
Quired TO be certified by the fifth day OF
August annually: Provided, That the
estimate and tax for the general pur-
poses for the support and maintenance
of such school, and the expense there
of, shall not exceed in any one year
fifteen mills on the dollar of all tax
able property Of said city: Provided
further, The schools shall not be kept
open more than nine months in any one
year"
President Powell says that there is
now a bill before the legislature re-
curing all property 10 be assessed for
taxation at actual cash value If that
| bill becomes law the one given above
would not be needed. and Mr. Powell
SAYS in that event il would be with
drawn.
The present assessment of 10 mills on
the dollar would furnish more than
money enough to run the schools II
property was assessed at its cash value
Mr.. Powell says the board OF education
are very anxious TO maintain the pres
ent efficiency OF the schools, as no city
in the west now has schools superior 70
those of Wichita. The board are OF the
opinion that the difference in the cost
Of good and inferior schools is no. YER.