Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1897-06-26
INFORMATION AND REPUTATION.

there is little opposition to the pro
posed school. Now, while / concedt
that there may be some honest oppo
sition to the measure, l am certain
that most of it arises from misinfor
nation or lack of information in re
gard to the law and the rest of it i:
based upon the grounds not nearly Sc
creditable
1t is said that the school will cost
something. 1t is true that any
thing worth having must be paid fol
but the amount in this case has beer
grossly and purpQsely exaggerated
Under the law there is but one thing
required of the county and that is tC
pay the teacher or teachers. Such a
teacher as will be needed will cost
from $500 to $1,000 according to length
of term and reputation of the teacher.
After the first year / believe an as
SiStant teacher will be needed at a
cost probable amounting to $500. In
round numbers the real estate of the
county is assessed at 81 900. 900, more
than half OF which is owned abroad.
The railroad valuation is $500, 900 and
the personal property $4,000. The
railroad thus pays seven times as
hiuCh dS GHe IoSlucHUS OI the county
on personal property. Thus if the
school cost 81, 800 per year and it need
never cost more the people living here
Will be required to pay not more than
$500. The total amounts to less than
one and One-half mill tax. The av-
erage value of a quarter section in
Wa-Keeney township is $780, In all
the other townships it is considerably
less. In the south part of the county
it is $3.50.
The average for the whole county is
1920. If the school cost 81 900 per
year the tax will be 81 cents on the
average quarter section or IS cents in
Wilcox, riverside and Franklin to 35
cents in Wa-keeney township. These
figures are taken from the records in
the county clerks office.
1t is said there is no demand for
such school, no need of it and that
pupils would not attend to which |
reply that fifteen pupils of this coun-
ty have gone abroad to school within
the last year and, remind DIRECTORS.
that they and their parents have paid
In board, car fare and tuition more
than enough to support a county high
school, all of which would have been
kept here If we had had county high
school.
Some fear is expressed that there is
a county bond issue concealed in the
proposition. This is absurd because
there is no law authorizing Trego
county to issue bonds for such pur-
pose.
Some say that the school will be Il
good thing, but that Wa-Keeney will
get all the benefit, and that it is
selfish and unjust to support such a
school by county tax. In answer | re-
fer to tho roll of Wa-Keeney school.
In the advanced department of the
school 81 pupils enrolled in 1895. Ten
thpSn e. l.,
there were 81 enrolled, IS of which
were non-reSidentS and fully one
fourth of the whole school was nom
residents and was thus given superior
advantages without paying one cent
OF tuition or tax. Many of these pu-
pills live 20 or even 30 miles from Wa
keeney. This shows concluSively
that Wa-keeney is not selfish, that
there is demand for better school,
that pupils will attend from all parts
OF the county and that it would not be
UNJUST to support such a school by
a county tax. Let pupils and parents
Sign petitions saying that they want
such school and will patronize it.
1t is said that other counties will
take advantage of such school if we
establish one. This Is also absurd.
Inc same thing may be truthfully
SAID OF the scalp bounty with advan-
tage in favor of the high school he
gladly pay tuition and thus bring
money into the county instead of tax
ing 1t out as in the case of nonresident
scalp hunters.
1t has been intimated that Wa
keeney will furnish the building for
the hrSt year and then lease or sell
the building to the county. This is
untrue and unreasonable because the
law does not authorize the commits
sioners to buy or lease or build a
school building. l am certain that
Wa-keeney will furnish the rooms.
furniture and library free of cost to
the county which in turn will pay for
tuition only.
am accused of selfish motive in
seeking to establish such a school to
which L can only say that l have
brought this matter before the public
because believe it to be my duty to
do so and because l believe such n
school is needed and wanted. | first
consulted taxpayers and parents ont
side of Wa-keeuey. L have no Ak TO
grind. l seek no personal ADVANTAGES
nor the personal advantage of any
Irego county teachers by way of en-
pIOyment. The course of St11dv will