The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-07-27
LOCAL TAX FOR SCHOOLS
Mr.. W. P. TAYLOR, OF HEREFORD, ASKS
SOME QUESTIONS ABOUTiIT.
The Editor Answers Them and States the
Position of This Paper Upon the School
sTx Campaign.


To the Editor: Will you please tell the
honest taxpayers of Hartford how, I'M
der the local tax theory, larger per
cent of the children are to be learheu
TO read and write? and, If only per
cent of the children of school age were
reached under the constitutional FOUR
months school, with teachers at $-o 10
$40 per month, how by paying the same
teachers $40 per month ana extending
the term to six or eight months, a larger
per cent of the children ale to be brought
into the schools?
IANSWER.-With better teachers'
more efficient schools, and longer TERMS
guaranteeing good education TO cnllureh
who attend, parents VIII be Wiling "
make greater sacrifice to keep their chill
drep in school. If only five per cent OF
the children of school age are reacheu
in Hartford, there is pressing need OF an
educational revival in that county,
Editor.l
2nd. Can you say in the towns and
cities of the State, whose local taxes
we're imposed to maintain graded schools,
there lived many farmers, who were
moor men. compelled to work their chill
dren in the cropping season in order that
thev might pay their honest debts, and
were not the schools established in these
towns and cities of the State, controlled
and managed by wise and discreet men
of judgment? 80.
ANSWER.-In the towns and cities,
a. we'll as in the country, many of the
moor need their children to help support
the family. but most of them send their
children to school part of the time, at
least until they are large enough to earn
wages. These graded schools have been
managed by wise and discreet men or
iudgment'' and have been free from
politics.-Editor.l
Bird. If the colored man is 'anu-taX
in his makeup, and mot so much a
school man. why did Maj. Finger once
saw. North Carolina stood first in the
list of illiteracy, the white race con-
sidered. and third in the list, when the
white and colored races were considered
ANSWERING do not recollect this
statement by Maj. Finger. We do know
that our illiteracy is menace to our
progress and prosperity. Editor.1
4th. How are the poor children to be
benefited in sparely settled districts
when there are less than siXty-five chill
dren of school age. by allowing the school
committee TO divide the district, and re-
ouire the children to attend central
school, where a larger number than sixty
four pupils might be allowed to go, re-
CARELESS Of the distance from the re-
hottest limits of the districts, and how
can il be right to tax the father of the
child. who cannot attend on account of
distance. to pay larger salaries and for
longer terms?
ANSWERING do not approve the
law requiring sixty-fve children to live
in sparsely settled school districts. The
State Superintendent of Schools has in
dictated that this provision would not be
enforced when its enforcement would
work a hardship. Our advocacy of school
tax in districts where it is certain the
money will be wisely used. does not carry
with it approval of the new school law
Editor.]
9Th. From what districts, do you look
for the greater number of townships to
vote the special tax upon the property
owners, the white or black? Who is
most likely, in your opinion, to vote this
tax, the men who have nothing to tax,
or those who own the property, and
know how the public school money here
tofore has been thrown away, by paying
teachers to sit in the public school houses
for months with only three to five pupils?
Please answer honestly, and show the
good people why they should vote this
tax. w. L. TAYLOR.
Winton, n. c., July "a, 1897.
[ANSWER.-The action of the Flu
sionists in some counties, putting the
control Of the schools in the hands of
ignorant or selfish politicians; the selec-
ton of negro committees to have a voice
in the management of white schools; and
the doubt as to the constitutionality of
the law, have operated to weaken the
issue to be voted upon in August. For
these reasons, we do not look for the tax
to prevail in many townships. The
principle of local taxation is sound, and
it will ultimately prevail in every town
ship in the State. 1t ought to prevail
this year in every county where the
boards of education and the members
Of the school committee are wise and
discreet men of Judgment 1t ought not
to prevail where little men make the
schools a football of politics.-Editor.