The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1896-01-25
MIssISsIPPl's SCHOOLS.

sage to the Legislature Of that State
the other day dwelt at length on the
difficulties Of the school question and
the impossibility of the State suppol t.
ing tho burden it has taken on its
shoulders in the matter Of the public
schools without increasing the tax rate.
Gov. Stone said:
There is no subject that figures
more conspicuously in all legislative
bodies than that Of public education.
and it must engage a large share Of
your time and attention during the
present session. The great problem to
be solved is: How are We to contin-
ue our public school system on the
present basis without impairing the
efficiency of other departments of the
State government, and without oppres-
sing the taxpayersT A cursory inves-
tlgation Of the question will disclose
the startling discovery that the appro'
priations out of the treasury for tho
support of common schools for the past
two years amount to more than $780,
900 in excess of all other appropriations
combined, including those for the sup
port OF the University OF Mississippi
and other educational institutions of
the State. While the spirit that actu-
ated our Constitution and lawmakers
to this munifcent provision for the
cause Of education IL most commend
able, 1t is grave question how long it
can be continued, with our present
sources OF revenue, without depicting
the treasury and seriously impairing
the credit Of the State. Section 2O6 OF
the Constitution requires the main
tenance OF the common schools from
the State treasury, for the term Of four
months in each scholastic year. This
necessitates an appropriation Of about
S925,O 900 annually, or about 50 per cent
more than the appropriations for all
other purposes. The common schools
should be maintained for at least four
months in each year, but there are
local conditions which in my judg-
ment, demand that the expenses be di.
vided between the State and counties.
|, therefore, recommend an amend.
ment to the Constitution embodying
that idea."
How great is the burden the State is
compelled to bear is shown in the re-
port OF the Superintendent of Public
Edu"ation. There are enrolled in the
public schools of Mississippi no less
than $50, ,6l5 children, or nearly twice
as many as in Louisiana. Education
costs the State 81 ,403,327 last year, of
which 81, ,276, sol went to the support
of the public schools, the rest being de-
voted to the State University and other
educational establishments.
This is a very large sum, more than
Mississippi can bear, and the bulk of
it comes from the State treasury,
whereas in Louisiana and other States
the counties, towns and districts con-
tribute most of the money for public |
schools. Mississippi, however, when ii
adopted the suffrage amendment con-
cluded. properly enough. that having |
made education requisite TO voting,
it was the duty of the State to assure
every educable child an opportunity %
learn to read and write, otherwise 1T
would be guilty of the political dis
honesty of Furnishing and dsfranchis-
ng its citizens for what was not their
lult, but its own-ilitcracy The
same Constitution, therefore, which
made suffrage conditional upon abili-
Y TO read and write assumed for the
State the care and support of educa'
ion. and promised every child of edu-
able age at least four months of
chooling year. Mississippi has
ived up the promise, but it has been a
evere tax upon its resources: and as
iov. Stone declares, the Legislature
1ust meet the problem and find some
eIief The difficulty has been aggra- +
at d by the failure of the whisky tax
} provide the revenue anticipated.
he money derived from this source
as set aside for school purposes, but
wave of prohibition struck Missssip-
/, county after county, under the t
zeal option law, went dry and there
re- so few saloons in Mississippi to-day l