The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-02-25

To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal:
In the Journal of Feb. IL VIM. II. Craig
writes concerning the transfer of school
children, presenting quite an array Of fig
ures and facts on his side of the question.
Mr.. Craig argues from the standpoint of
one who lives in city. and 1 venture the
assertion that not city in the State pays
any of this high rate of tax, for that is
what it is; but the cities receive, under the
present law, large sums of money from the
out townships. Rushville city, under the
present law. collected from Rushville town
ship over $500 and from Union township on
two scholars $54, making 1854, and l think
got enough from other townships to make
even a thousand dollars and from Mr.
Craig's argument in favor of the present
law 1 think his own city did as we'll or bet
ter.
Let us suppose (and a reasonable suppo-
sition) u case. We will say that every
county seat in the State got $1,000 each;
that would make So, 600 that the out town
nothing about other Incorporated towns
and cities. Again, suppose each school
corporation in the State outside of the
cities paid an average of 5000 under the
present law (and do not think L am too
high, and We have 1,Ol6 township school
corporations in the State, making a total
which goes to the schools of the cities, paid
from the townships, and but little. II any,
comes from the cities to the township
This looks like class legislation, or favor
ing one school corporation as against an
other school corporation of the same State.
So much as to the favoring of city schools
as against county schools under the pres
ent law.
AS to the efficiency of the township
schools 1 can speak for Rush county. So
far as have been able to learn the pupils
Rushville city school entered the same
grade in the city. school that they were in
in the country school. So much for the SUI
periority of the city school.
AS to township high schools, will give
some figures of my township from the rec
ords. We have two in the township. One
of them this year is costing the township
per capita of SIC. The two schools last year,
according to official records, cost the town.
ship SlS.52 per capita an enrolment. The
per capita cost of all the school children
last April was $l2. / have the figures of
two other townships in this county that
are about the same. These figures are for
tuition alone; IL you add the special school
course, but then Ii would not be as high as
the township cited by Mr.. Craig Mr..
Craig intimates that they built their new
high school building in Noblesville for the
accommodation, in part of scholars that
they expect to get from outside of the city,
or. in other words. from the out townships
of Hamilton county. After the school
board of Noblesville had taxed their people
a high rate to build fine high school
building and equip 1t with the most ex-
pensive furniture and apparatus and other
appliances, with the expectation of draw
ing big support from the out townships
at 50 a month per scholar for a favored
few at the expense of the many no won
der he does not want Ii lowered. Neither
does the school board of Rushville nor Con-
nersville. for l have heard from them, and
j expect all the cities of the State are of
the same way of thinking. If | had my
way / would repeal the law and go back to
the old law. Let the property of the trans
ferred and state school follow the pupil.
One OF the strongest arguments for the
reduction, as contemplated in the bill under
discussion, or for its repeal is that our
present school laws are very explicit that a
township trustee city school board shall
provide for the education of the children
of their respective corporations between
six and twenty-one years of age: and, after
they have so done, that is all that is re-
Quired OF them. 1t provides for a system
of transfer under certain conditions One
school corporation cannot compel an adj
| joining corporation TO provide for fits chill
dren in the way of houses, ETC. nor can
| one corporation crowd out the children of
an adjoining corporation, nor in any way
| abridge the rights or privilege of said cor
| poratiOn; so, under the old law or the new
1 always felt that all the money / could
| get out or an adjoining corporation was
| just that much clear gain for my township
| They did not crowd or I'm any way interfere
| with my scholars; In fact / was always
looking for and took all of the adiOinine
scholars l could get. They helped my
| school / always noticed that adjoining
| old law. and when the present law was en-
acted they We're especially sollcitous 70,
| the educational welfare OF my scholars
GEORGE w. LOONEY, JR.
| Rushville. Ind. Feb. q.