The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1897-07-01
TEACHERS g.. =.
. SAA " AN +ass-rs ...

\
Local Taxation for Public Schools
the Leading Topic Some In 4.
teresting Facts by the "a
AUTHOR OF THE MEASURE.
The ssssion Largely attended by The STATE .
Lsedssg I'd Edae.sors-Prof. Ale andsr Ora
ham Elected Frssidsst and Cbss. !. Pr.
ksr ks-eisetsd sacrsssry-rssehsrs Rs
solve to Heartily support the nsv seAnei
| Law.
| The local session Of the Teachers
Assembly 1t MoreheAd last week was
one OF its most Interesting and prof.
table sessions. "''. ".. .~.- F"' 81
Prof. Alexander Graham, .superi n
tendent Of the Charlotte Graded
Schools, was elected president for the
next year. He Is easily 6ne OF the
first men in the Stste in his profes.
sion. Prof. j. $. Ragsdals, principle.
of Greenyille Academy, . widely
known, successful educator, was chos-
en- ce-president. The effective work
done by Mr.. Chas. D. Parker, the cap
able secretary, was endorsed by NJ
| election.
The following resolution was unani-
! mously adopted: "'' '.' 90 ,h ,
Resolved, That We the members Of
the Teachers Assembly OF North Caro-
lima. give our hearty support to the To-
cal taxation act, and will use our best
efforts TO carry into effect the prov is
ions OF this act in our respective eoun-
ties" a' '.'r .'I '.' !-t.,,r
Many strong and Interesting ng
speeches we're made On improving the
public school system of the State. - =.
j SPEECH OF SENATOR GEORGE 4. Bt-TLRR.
h "The Township Feature of the New
lSahOOl Law" was the subject Of the
addsess of State Senator George II.
Butlas 1t was full Of informatiOn--
showedA mastery OF the subject, and
was listeoed to with marked interest.
Among Other things, he said: ,-..
|, In 1850 our State tax for public
schools was s l-3 centa ON the $lQ0 yalu,
alton OF property aud % cents on the
poll. The average length nf our school
term was ten weeks. T.. ..-.,.., ~,
In 1887 our State tax for. public
schools WAS l21s cents on property and
37ll. cents on the poll, The average
length Of our school term. in 1887 was
Il weeks. Our taxes. had, been, in
} creased 80 per cent. on property md
. polls,yet our school term been increased
only two weeks or 20 per cant. In
1888 the school term advanced to about
: 12la weeks. rs . fr.r,,,...,8
3 In 1891 our school tax was increased
to Is cents on property and 45 cents on
the poll, yet our school term was only
* Re hiCh no
was in 1888. '., ..., ,....-.
IL 1891 the State superintendent in
, his biennial report made this sugges.
ltiOn: "If the General Assembly will
increase the general tax to 20 cents or
3 800 of property, ! think the cOnstitu.
! tional obligations resting upon then
absolutely to provide for four month";
of schooling per annum, as minimum
! will be complied with and we can .her
8 IcOnsistentl and perhaps indefinitely
:. let the question for general taxation
for schools rest at that figure"
r In 1898 our school tax was increased
;. Ito Is cents on property and 4S cents OF
b, polls, Jet the length of our school tern
S remained practically the same. -s.,
4 In his report for 1S93-'94 the Stat,
Superintendent makes this statement
"The school amount raised by taxa
. UlOu luz sCuOOlS 6S SuOW ny tuc x6
4 ports of the county surerlntendents
9 l3 weeks. This falls short of fOu
= months by over sixteen days" III
!, then recommends that the tax be in
. creased to % 3-5 cents, which he calcu
:. lates will give the i. required :. fou
j. months. ...-
In this attempt to reach the consti
. tiOnal requirements Of four month
?. public school, nearly every Legislatur
! has increased the taxes, and so tn
Legislature Of 1895 increased the take
y to IS cents on property and 81 cents o
f polls: but when we see the statistics O
ls95.'96 we are astOunded to fnd tina
the schoo. term over the State has no
J. only not increased, but is only abOu
n II 1-12 weeks and one day shorte
than it was In 1894 '95, and two day
q shorter than it was in 1855. And-thi
is true with county boards of educs
tion and the county superintendent
abolished and this alleged expense re
re moved.
A. In the light of these facts the Stat
Iy Superintendent recommends to th
p tGeneral Assembly, in his report fC
l. 1896, that the school tax be increase
n. I and estimates that u 1-5 cents rs n
in quired to give US the ionx-sought-a q
ter four months term. EndeavoYin
Ito comply as nearly as it could, wit
the suggestions OF the State SupefiI
itendent, the Legislature of 1897 II
II creased the school tax to 20 cents @
property and 80 cents on polls. Th
tincreafe Of tax, however, IL it shou
n have become operative under The Of
~ law, | do not believe would have il
ef creased our school term in theiSfate
.h any appreciable extent g 49,
w From these statistics we Obser'
IN. that since 1880 our tax for publ
on schools has incre4 sed nearly 2S6 p
nd cent, yet our school term has increasI
ot less than 30 per cent. ''','
be1 Since 1888 our tax has increased ov
SO per cent yet our school term b
ud positively decreased, and in 1885 "
rts two days shorter than in 1883. '..''f
no The taxpayer has bet n patient U
ne der the steady increase Of taxes, but
" has become impatient a. to the result
fl- Like the rainbow chaser, who fails
m. find the coveted bag o. gold-the nea
ne er he seems to approach it, the furth
Ell it seems to advance before him.
we When we seek an explanation I
us this discouraging statement Of fac
De, we find it difficult to obtain. It ca
not be that the increase of tax on pr
perty and polls has not increased d
he total receipts, for the statistics she
that since 1854 our school tax has i
die creased from $3.50, 600 to 1924 900, an I
ats crease Of $244 900.
M 1t cannot be that it il due to incres
a ed salaries Of teachers during this pc
OF iod, for the reports show q contra
nv statement. In 1856 the average 8,
ow aries of white male teachers was $26
m per month, and in 1896 the average y
ket $2475. There was . similar reducti
,ev in the salaries of the white female Il
an chers. The salaries Of the col0redv
~. cheers during this period rems9
of ABOUT the same. -.f..-7 ---.- --.,
,h- 1t cannot be that the failure was
the account of the expense in the sch'