The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1898-12-23
SCHOOL TAX.
Indianola College.

To the Ardmorits and Readers.
In representation of Gaines,
High School. responding to your
kindly considerate requisition for a
brief letter from teachers of civ
schools would say that my letter is
not written for empty show or
f1owery ornament, but for cause
and effect. Knowing full well the
hard conditions that are wreathed
around the educational interests
of our people, and being in favor
of making education more free and
easy, my pen is welded in the
hope of helping to make way for
improving the educational condi-
tions.
If we but look around in other
municipalities in the states we will
see ways by which means are ac-
cumulated for running their pub
lie schools. Those or synonymous
methods can be constituted and
employed by our municipality to
the greatest educational benefits.
Therefore, let us reason together
on a poll tax system for education
al purposes. A poll tax of one or
two dollars per capita per annum
from each male adult would raise
school fund sufficient to run pub
lie schools nine or 10 months; the
money derived from white and
colored people to be applied to their
respective race schools. If there
are 5000 people in the city, about
1000 of them would be poll tax
payers, which at the rates of 81,
81. so or So per poll would raise a
school fund of from $1,000 to
81 ,O00-a sum quite sufficient for
public school purposes, without
mOlesting the college or high
school interests; for the institu-
tiOns of higher learning are but
the more in demand in connection
with the public schools every
where. Let us demonstrate this
one fact, thus: If there are 500
colored men in Ardmore, a poll
tax of 81 per capita would give US
the sum of 81 900, a sum sufficient
to run a public school a term of
nine months, paying 800 per
month for principal and assistants
and 800 to spare for contingent
expenses, etc. All of this can be
done, and can be done inside of 80
days, if our honorable functiona-
ries will but take up their mallets
and chisels and chisel these ideas
into municipal laws, have the tax
assessed and collected, and school
started.
Parents are paying 50 per month,
more or less, for their children's
schooling. and most assuredly they
would gladly bear such benefeent
taxation; and he that has no chill
dren of his own would be taught
to feel an interest in all of our city
children, and be made happy to
know that he is really helping to
educate them.
Such steps are progressive and
in keeping with the national peace
and dignity.
Together with these ideas,
Gaines High School tenders many
thanks to the honorable business
men of Ardmore for their endorse
ments and other kind favors be-
slowed, and wishes to say to the
the authoritative functionaries that
Gaines High School stands ready
with best advantages as a public
school domicile, when such can be
inaugurated, knowing that educa-
ton, morally and religiously, Is
the only method by which our peo-
pie are to be elevated to higher
standard of respectful citizenship.
1t is our motto to instill such
principles into our students as will
discipline the whole heart and ma
ture of them and develop them in
to intelligent, respectful men and
women.
Arise, strong menl Strike home
to the root of darkness until the