The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-18
FIXED A HIGH TAX LEVY
SCHOOL BOARD WANTS 8 CENTS FOR
COMPULSORY EDUCATION.
Minority Opposes This-A Loan TO the
Merchants Acknowledgement
School Attendance.

The School Board last night spent a ses-
sion in a discussion of finances and the
transaction of considerable business CT a
financial character. The board concurred
in the report of the finance committee rec
ommending that the temporary loan Of $780,
600 be negotiated with the Merchants Ma
tional Bank. The bid of the Frenzel insti-
tuition was Az per cent, with premium of
$40. There We're two other bids-one from
the c. W. Bridges Investment Company, of
this city, at 52s per cent, another from Far
son, Leach & Co., of Chicago, at per
cent. and $40 premium.
The board, after a long argument, 6xed
the general tax levy for schol purposes and
the compulsory education levy. The general
tax levy for 1897 was fixed as follows: For
special fund, % cents; Tor manual training
fund.- cents; library fund, cents The
levy on account of the compulsory educa-
ton law was fixed at cents. The minority
opposed the high rate from the start, but
was voted down. w. w. Scott led the OPP
position and asked that the rate be fixed at
cents instead of cents. Commissioner
Vonnegut replied to the argument of Mr..
Scott, and urged that the rate be increased
to 10 cents. George w. Sloan was against
a high rate and Commissioner Robson
made vigorous fight against it. He
thought it should not perhaps be higher
than cents. He declared that high levy
would simply cause a suit for injunction
to be fought which would likely result in
tying up funds, while the people would have
to pay taxes on them. He further advanced
the argument that an scent levy would
array the people against the compulsory
education law, which he believed was one
OF the best measures ever adopted by the
Indiana Legislature. Mr.. Robson begged
that the rate be reduced. When lut TO a
vote Commissioners Robson, Scott and
Sloan voted against the Scent rate In vot-
ing this levy, the board at the same time
voted an appropriation of 100000 Tor use
forced into the schools by the new law.
Forty thousand dollars of mis- amount will
be expended this year in caring for the
additional pupils and 500 coo next spring in
the erection of a new building.
EFFECT OF NEW LAW.
Superintendent Goss made a report to the
board in which he said the compulsory law
had already brought about 1,15O additional
children into the schools. He said further:
"The increased attendance already noted
has come from the fact that it is gener-
ally known that it is unlawful for children
between eight and fourteen years to remain
out of school. How many pupils are yet to
come from the warnings, prosecutions and
arrests of truant and other officers no one
can surmise, but it will surely be con-
siderable number Moreover when these
causes are fully operating the board will
find itself obliged to meet the necessity of
providing the parental home for those chill
dren forced into the school who for many
reasons must be- taught under the special
conditions contemplated in the phrase
parental home The number of those chill
dren cannot be foreknown, but reasonable
estimate would not be less than forty. The
per capita cost of maintenance at the Re-
form School at Plainheld is about SIG year
ly The per capita cost in the parental
home would probably be not less than $50,
because our aggregate number will be
smaller and the value of our products in
considerable. The annual cost of mainte-
nance would therefore be about $4,000, to
which the original cost of house, grounds