The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1899-02-16

report at future meeting.o This
proposition was voted down by an
overwhelming majority. We did not
ask to raise tax or to build school
edi6ces. We we'll knew that first and
foremost knowledge of the facts in
the case must be brought to the public
mind before we could get vote to
build the school houses"
i have found what appears to be a
portion of committee report in Mr..
Deming's handwriting, which we can
readily imagine may have been
presented at this meeting of
which he speaks, st has been said
that we must wait until our public
lands are made productive and a
Estate school fund has been created
before we can introduce the system.
To this we reply that even then there
will be no funds from which to build
school edifices, and so we gain nothing
by delay. We have yet to learn that
there is anything impoverishing in the
tendency of public schools What is it
that gives scope to enterprise, per-
manent value to property, or stability
to government? Taxation for any
purpose we are aware is often deemed a
burden, but suppose all taxation was
removed for one generation, what value
would property then have, and in what
condition should we find our boasted
| free institutions? What but
and moral virtue and the spirit of en-
terprise, to which they always lead,
gives any real value to worldly inter-
ests? Intelligence shapes the destiny
of the world. We often advert to the
present and future prosperity of our
young and thriving village, but what
constitutes the real prosperity of our
village? You talk of the prosperity of
your town! know of but one true test
of prosperity, docs the human soul
grow and prosper hereg The glory
and happiness of a people consist not in
numbers, but i'll the character of it's
population. Of all the fine arts in a
city, the grandest is the art of forming
noble specimens of humanity. The
costliest productions of our manutac-
turers are cheap compared with wise
and good human being. A city in
which men should be trained worthy of
the name would become the metropolis
of the world"
/ Although defeat came at first, he
writes g The final result of our silent
working educational association over
came opposition and ultimately chang
ed public sentiment, but the change
cost effort and time and patience. The
| friends of the eform abandoned all
hopes derived from either our educa-
tional code or our school district power
and became thoroughly convinced that
our only reliance was the formation of
free school sentiment that would
influence the mass. The Methodist
and Congregational meeting houses had
been built. Meetings and lectures and
discussions were held in them perhaps
as often as once month. After the
holding of a few public meetings we
would privately feel the public pulse
ard after long and patient toll, sound
ing the public mind, We INDUCED a
confidence that we could safely hold
school district meeting" In 1843 and
1916 Colonel Michael Frank was a
representative in the territorial legis-
lature, and introduced bills looking to
free school system. At first he en-
countered defeat. but early in 1916
bill was passed authorizing the people
of Southport to establish free school,
the cost to be paid by taxation, pro
vided however that the voters should
sanction it before going into effect.
An attempt was made to vote upon it
at town meeting March 9th, 1915,
but the excitement was so high the
chairman could not control the meet
ing and no vote was reached. Another
meeting was had April Both, 1915,
and free schools were victorious by
vote of 90 to TO- October q, 1847, a
tax of $4,000 was voted for the erection
of free school house, and perhaps
| it was this meeting to which Mr.
| Deming referred when he wrote:
+" A meeting was called and held and
the proposition made and carried that
the district collect the sum of 81 600.
But the opposition was far from being
satisfied. Some stood out and suffered
personal property to be taken and sold
rather than to pay the tax. The OPP
position continued, and with portion
of the community it was bitter. At
length one of the most sanguine aud
violent of our opposers got up call for
a district meeting to rescind the tax
previously raised. After long discus
sion one who entertained rather con-
servative views made the proposition
that on a given day the voters should
rally and cast their votes for oragainst,
and the result of this vote was to be
final. A cool, able and dispassionate
appeal was drawn up by Colonel
4 of ooVoioc ofrY1 y