The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-01-31
SCHOOL LELY
IS FIVE MILLS
So Decided at a Large Meeting Of
Taxpayers Of the City
Last Evening.
ANOTHER NEW SCHOOL HOUSE
Sense Of Last Nights Meeting That 1t Be
Erected on Block Reeeatly Donated the
City for School Purpose by
Mayor Taylor

Pursuant 10 a call issued by the board
OF school directors. a meeting OF the tax
payers OF the city was held last evening
in Shively school house for the purpose
OF lfvylng a tax for the payment OF In
terSat on the past Indebtedness: 10 make
provision for running expenses for the
coming year. and to provide for incidental
expenses. The meeting was largely at
tended, nearly all the heavy taxpayers
OF the city being present
School Clerk Ferguson, after stating
the object Of the meeting. read the esti-
mate OF expenses for the coming year,
which were as follows: Teachers salaries,
$4,000: Janitors' salaries. tl.es0: water
rents. etc, ss0i; interest on bonded indebt-
o.ness. $50: clerks salary. $50: sup
plies, etc. t1.70o: making total OF sZ.-
~. The total Indebtedness on January
I. 1896. exclusive OF the bonded indebted
ness. was sl6,25&Z. which. with the esti-
mate for the coming year. would make
a total indebtedness OF A3.7l25. The
statement showed that the school dis
trict had run over 5000 behind the estI-
mates for 1895. which increased the In
debtedness from $1,000 10 $ls.z5s25. The
deficiency was caused by the large In
crease in the number OF pupils in the
schools and the failure TO receive from
the state the amount that was forth
coming. II the tax payers saw fit to
levy a FIVE mill tax, said the clerk. the
amount that would he received from ali
sources would be s2s.h3o. which, counting
the amount that could not be collected,
would cause a deficiency during the year
1896 Of about 5000.
Mr.. @. c. Fulton said he thought a
5-mill tax sufficient, and moved that such
a tax be levied. The motion was passed.
Mr.. w. r. Dement, thought that II a s.
mill tax would not pay expenses for the
coming year, a larger tax should be lew
led. The community would some day. he
said. be compelled 10 stop evading the
payment OF Its just debts. and he moved
to reconsider the motion This brought
forth n lengthy discussion. b. vanDusen
was opposed TO increasing the levy. and
thought that by retrenchment, the de-
ficiency OF 5000 could be made up. Benz.
Young was OF the same opinion He stat
ed that the board was very economical.
and cited as an instance his efforts yes
terday to save the tax payers $40 by
trading a wornout stove from Alderbrook
school for one that would heat the room.
His economy was applauded. Henry
Thompson was OF the opioion that s.
mill levy would be sufficient. and made
the statement that the school board had
been offered plenty OF money by the sew
eral banks In the city. W. E. Dement,
asked the chairman for the opinion OF the
school board on the matter. This Mr..
Dealey could not furnish. but. as chair
man OF that body he said he thought.
with economy. FIVE mills would be suffi-
Client.
Chairman Dealey then stated that the
board OF directors considers as important
the erection OF a school building on the
block recently donated by Mayor Taylor.
The policy OF renting buildings, he said.
was a poor one. Here Captain Gray said
he thought the board should have made
a report at this meeting and make recon-
mendations as to the amount OF the run
ming expenses for the ensuing year. as Il
was the only opportunity the tax payers
had for the consideration and discussion
of such matters. He thought a five
mill levy sufficient. Mayor Taylor was
Of the opinion that. with economy, the
levy proposed would be sufficient Here
Mr.. Dement, withdrew his motion to re-
consider the assessment
James W. welch thought the levy suf-
flcient and said he favored a low tax.
The levy OF five mills, he thought. was
the recommendation of the directors.
Speaking of the possibilities Of economy.
Mr.. Welch said he couldn't understand
why the principal OF the Shively school.
(Mr. Jackson) received SIS more per month
than the teacher who taught the same
grade in Mcclure school (Mrs. kragerJ
As regards the ability of the teachers,
he said there was no comparison between
them: the teacher In McClure's school
knew how to teach. and the principal or
the Shively school knew absolutely moth
ing about teaching. Another thing Mr..
Welch did not favor Is the night school.
He did not give his reasons for not IA
voring It. He did. however. make a state
ment regarding the teacher of this school
professor Wright. principal OF the high
SCHOOL,. No man, he thought. should be
allowed to teach two schools; he could
not possibly do II. Already he received
a salary OF SIPS per month as principal OF
the high school. and the $50 received for
teaching the night school made total
of $i55 received by this gentleman for
teaching. Mr. welch did not believe in
this. No man. lie said. could tesch two
schools.
Henry Thompson replied to Welch. stat
ing that. owing to the responsibility OF
the position OF principal. that held by
Mr. jackson. his salary was, as is every
where the same. greater than that Of the
lady teacher OF the same grade in Nc
Clure school, AS regards the night
school. Mr. Thompson said he thought
II an institution of great Importance, af-
fording those who were otherwise en-
ployed in the day time the opportunity
OF acquiring an education. Here Mr..
Welch interrupted. saying he had not
given any reasons for his opposition TO
this feature Of the school system. but
that he just opposed II. Continuing. Mr.
Thompson said 25 or 80 pupils attended
nightly, and that. no doubt, this number
would be greatly increased during the
year; while the total expense was only
So or $SS, and, as pupils over the age
OF years were charged an admission
fee of 81 per month, the expense would
be insignificant in comparison with the
benefit derived.
Mr.. Young. in reply to Mr.. Welch's
statement regarding the principal Of the
Mcclure school teaching the night school.
said he thought as long as the gentle-
man performed his duties as principal,
he had perfect right to teach the night
school. Replying to a remark made by
Welch, concerning the relation OF the
directors daughters to the schools. Mr..
Young said the board at all times has
acted for the best interests Of the tax
PAYERS, and that, IL his actions did not