The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-20
PAYS MORE THAN 1T RECEIVES
CHATHAM LOSES HEAVILY IN THE
SCHOOL FUND DIVISION.

Proportion to the Amount Paid In
to the school Fund There Would
BE No Pressure i'm school Matters
I'm Chatham Poorer Counties
Benefit by the Present System.
superintendent Ashmore Does Not
Think the Proposed Bill to Cut
100000 From the Direct ApprO-
priatfOn VIII Pnss-It Would Mean
$4,000 Sliced From Chatham's
Share.
Eighty-fve children in Savannah are
unable to secure entrance into the pub
lie schools. These are white children. OF
colored children, the number is consider
ably larger. Yesterday cards of admis-
sion were given by Superintendent Ash
more to fifteen children, so that those
seeking entrance into the schools decreased
that number. The holders of the fifteen
cards will present them tomorrow to the
principals of the schools to which they
were assigned.
Superintendent Ashmore says the condi-
tons in Savannah are not nearly so bad
as they are in many other cities. 1.-The
yearly seek admission into the schools"
he said, is something that should be
recognized as the index that points to
the need of continual increase in school
facilities. This thing of having INSULT
cient room for the accomm odation of all
who want to get in is not confined to
Savannah. New York has its thousands
who cannot get in, and nearer home, At
lanta and other cities are troubled every
year to find room for those who ask for
admission.
This year there are 25s more pupils in
our schools than there were last, and we
added three teachers. We would do more
to relieve the pressure, but there are sew
eral reasons that make 1t impossible, and
were it possible, impracticable. The Board
of Education has not the funds to apply
10 an increase of facilities, nor has it
rooms in which new classes could be es-
tablished. 1t is a difficult matter to obtain
rooms suitable for school purposes, and
/ do not know of any that could be OBJ
tanned. Then another matter that is to be
considered is that the eighty-five children
yet unprovided with places are trying to
get into several different grades. They
are also from every school district, as
have tried to equalize this as far as lay in
my power. II would, therefore, be Inn
practicable 10 provide for all those who
want to get in the schools by simply es-
tablishng one even two or three
leases"
If the proposed bin for the reduction of
the school appropriation is passed there
will be more difficulty for the board of ed
ucatfon. The bill aims at a slice of $40O, 900
from the direct appropriation of 81, 900 900
to the school fund. If it becomes law
1t will mean that Chatham's share Of
the fund each year will be cut down about
$4,000.
About SAL 900 is now the county's share
of what the state gives up for public
schools for Chatham does not
get back one-half of what it
pays into the school fund of the
state. The distribution among the coun-
ties of the fund Is made according to the
number of children within the school ages
that each has. Were it made in proper
ton to the amount of taxes paid in by the
counties Chatham would do much better.
In addition to the direct appropriation
of $l000,000, the school fund Is made up
from the following sources: Liquor taxes,
show taxes, dividends on Georgia Rail-
road stock, hire OF convicts, fees of oil
inspectors, half rental of the Western and
Atlantic Railroad, poll tax and fertilizer
inspection fees. 1t all amounts this year
to $3.50 SS1, but, as $500 is expended for
the expenses of the Office of the state
school commissioner, 81 ,632, 3S1 is left for
the actual use of public schools.
If Chathem kept what 1t pays in for
| liquor taxes, poll tax and show taxes, it
would have more than it now receives from
the state The poll tax'is $4O66; the liquor
tax is $36. 921; and the show tax is 1921.
This makes a total of $41,221. If to this
fund from poll tax, show tax and liquor
| tax the amount to which the county would
be entitled If a different plan of division
were followed should be added, Chatham
might receive for its school what IL is en-
| titled 10 according to a strict business con-
struction. This would be sos ,621 instead OF
! The S41 900 actually received from the state.
| This division of the appropriation among
| the counties, Supt. Ashmore and others
in the more wealthy counties think should
be made, not in proportion to the mum
| Der of children, but in proportion to the
| amounts paid in in taxes to the state
| Chatham therefore pays in to the school
fund $67,6A more than it gets back
There are about 100 counties ir
Georgia that receive from the school funt
more than they contribute. The others
| ceive In return in order 10 allow this plaT
to work. 1t is a fine example of HUMANE
| tarianism, but Mr.. Ashmore does no.
| think 1t is the plan that should be follow
! ed. He believes each county should be al
lowed to retain such taxes as may bt
identified solely with them. Such are th'
poll tax, the liquor tax and the show tax
! Other sources from which the school funC
Is made up cannot be considered as con
| fined to any one county or as admitting
of a ready computation of its proportion.
Some time ago the legislature hit upor
this method of distributing the schoo
fund Supt. Ashmore thinks il all RICH
from a philanthropic point of view. i
makes the more wealthy counties help il
the education of the children of the poore
ones. He does not believe the bill look
ing toward the cutting down of the ap
preparation will pass. AS a rule, the rep
resentatives from the counties that get th'
best of it win favor the appropriation re
naming as il is, and their voices will viii
the fight, If it should come to a fight.