The Savannah morning news., 1901-09-09
TO GET BETTER SCHOOLS.
COMMISSIONER GLENN FAVoRs A
LOCAL TAX.

nj Purposes-The Correct and Most
Local Taxation Upon Those to
Profit by the Fund.
Atlanta, Ga, Sept. Sin his annual
report to the Legislature, made public
to-day, Hon. G. r. Glenn, State School
Commissioner. makes a strong plea for
a more comprehensive educational
system and better support for the
schools. He is especially vigorous in
his treatment of the matter of the
states failure to pay the salaries of
its teachers promptly. On this line,
Commissioner Glenn says:
We have 5000 children of school
age Census 1899; eight-ninths of these
children are in the rural districts.
They go to school less than 100 days
in the year. The teachers of these
children receive as their pay an aver
age of less than $3.50 for their services
in each one of the rural schools. The
day laborers on the streets of Atlanta
receive more pay for their toll day by
day than we pay to the average dis
trict school teacher, and yet the teach
are expected to be experts. 1t ought
to be stated here and everywhere that
the teachers in the rural districts in
this state as we'll as the teachers in
the towns and cities, are giving the
state a service vastly beyond the
amount of pay they receive for it. To
make our situation more aggravating.
we do not pay the county teachers
promptly the little pittance they earn
when it is due. Nobody knows, ex-
cept those who are directly ia
miliar with it. the distressing sit
uation in which many of them have
been placed this present year. One of
these poorly paid teachers was in my
office few days ago, and told me how
she had been compelled to discount a
claim Of $50 due her by one of the
counties, in the month Of August. The
money shark actually bought this
claim by paying $4S in cash for it. The
account will be paid in December
when the taxes come in. The heartless
money-lender has therefore wrung $l2
of blood money from a defenSeless Wo-
man. Any member of the Legislature
who will take the time to calculate
the rate of interest that she paid will
see that she has paid 60 per cent. per
annum to get a little money to live
on This is simply a damnable sin and
an unblushing shame.
Inc question lndI, II i COuIQt L
would burn into the very heart OF each
member of the Legislature is, shall this
condition of things be allowed to con-
tinue?
And now what do we need to meet
the demands of the situation. This
question can be answered with one
word-money. To secure a long term
school, a capable teacher a good
schoolhouse and a course of study,
graded and enriched with the things
necessary to develop child life, we must
have more money.
A Local Tax in All Counties.
THE question is, how shall we get it?
Instead Of a million and a half dollars
for common schools we need at least
three millions to-day. There is only one
way to raise the money we need, and
that is by a tax levy. Under the con-
stitution the Legislature can make this
tax levy a state levy or county tax
levy I have pointed out over and
over again in my reports that those
states in the Union that have the most
successful schools raise at least two
thirds of their income by a local or
county tax. Those counties and cities
in this state that have complete
school systems raise by local
tax at least two thirds of the
money, as is done else
where For instance. Bibb county
spends for her schools this year $780,
900. She receives $25, 900 from the state
and raises $4,000 by local tax. Bib
county has a nine months school alb
solutely free for every child in the
county The country schools have
every advantage that the city schools
enjoy. l have also pointed out this
significant fact that the county tax
for schools has resulted in the counts
lands being increased in value over 300
per cent. in the last twenty-five years,
by reason of the schools, whereas the
lands in an adjoining county will not
sell for as much day as they would
have brought twenty-five years ago.
The increase in the value of farm
property in Bib county the present
year is over 100000. Can the members
of the Legislature find a way of escape
from a fact like this? If local tax
for schools that gives the people
nine-months school free to all the chill
dren in the county has increased the
property value 800 per cent. in Blbo
county, can anybody show why a To-
cal tax in every other county devoted
to schools will not also enhance values
in these counties?
The statement of this fact is SIM
pie piece of history that has been re-
peated over and over again wherever
it has been tried. A local tax arouses
local interest, awakens local enthu-
siasm and develops local aspiration
and local inspiration. If the present
Legislature will only have the courage
and the wisdom and the patriotism TO
rise to the demands or the present sit
uation, they will say to every county IN
the state next year. you must raise at
least half as much money by local tax
as the state provides for your children.
Privilege also should be granted TO
raise as much as they see proper to
raise If this measure requires change
in the constitution, then the Legisla-
ture should Immediately take such
steps as are necessary to change the
constitution.
with all my soul l appeal to the
Legislature to take up this question
and apply to it the statesmanship and
patriotism that it demands. Make 1t
the burning question of your next ses-
sion. There is no other question which
the Legislature will be called on to
consider that is of such tremendous
moment to the rural districts of Geor-
gia In the consideration of this mat
ter there is no room for the play OF the
trifier or the masquerade of the dema-
gogue.
GRAND ARMY AT CLEVELAND.