Waterbury Democrat., 1901-08-24
SCHOOL TUITION FEE.
An Anxious "Outlander" Asks Some
 Very Pointed Questions.

@oU per year, the IultlOH Lee TOT du nonresident pupils of the Waterbury High school.
 Does the term nonresident apply only to pupils living in adjoining towns outside of Waterbury town lines? Does the term nonresident, as used by the board of education in the above vote, apply to and mean all pupils at tending the Waterbury High school who live in the town of Waterbury, but live outside of Center school dis 1 trict lines?
 Does the vote take effect with the l opening of the September term of the l Waterbury High school?
 Has each pupil living in the town of Waterbury, but outside of the Cen l ter district lines, who attends the Wa l terbury High school at the coming Sep l tember term, got to plank down the l sum of $20 or be sent home? Under the new Lilley consolidation l law, has the board of education of the city of Waterbury the power and the | privilege of doubling up at it's pleasure the tuition fees of all Waterbury ''out- l lander' pupils who wish to enjoy he l privileges of Waterbury High school? l After the first Monday of January, 1902, will each "outlander'' pupil of l Waterbury who wishes to attend the l High school have to pay provided l there is not another rafse) the sum of l S3O per year, or the sum of $50 per
 year, or does the greater city of Wa terbury pay the entire tuition fee?
 The above are a few of the ques- I tionS which are being asked every day l by the voters and taxpayers of the town l of Waterbury Different members of 1 the board of education who voted for l fho ir0 nf fI1iti who did not vote for it, also the clerk
 of the board and the mayor, have been l approached for information on these l points, and the information is lot I given. One member of the board said
 he knew nothing about the vote except 1 that it was voted.
 l Another said the school district to
 which the pupil belonged would have l the bill to pay, and the pupil would go free, except small increase i'll district l taxes.
 One prominent member of the board l was written to in regard to the matter 1 nearly two weeks ago. with stamp en- closed for reply. He has not even ac-
 knowledged receipt of the same. I One member said he did not know l who were meant by non-residents, but
 he thought it ought to mean all who l were paying tuition at the present time. So far as getting information
 from the board Is concerned (except l that they have doubled the tuition feel l they seem to be as much at sea as the
 outsiders and seem to be unable or lin- l willing to give the people interested
 the information desired.
 The above is submitted, hoping that l the subject may be brought before the I people, and also the board of educa- I finn thof yvn r11au af bo fao e they are and that the matter which I is of so much interest to those having children to send to the High school, and with the present prices of living, l have all they can do to keep soul and I body together, are coming to the con 1 clusion that the terms are prohibitiye, | and that many who had hoped to con-
 tinue the courses commenced will be obliged to discontinue them and seek l employment.
 The Waterbury Evening Democrat l of August 8, under the head of Dis 1 posed of the Bids,' has the following l words in reply to question by MT I Chapman of the board of education: ''The mayor informed Commissioner l Chapman, according to the new law, I under the form of consolidated govern ! ment, that the school district to which l the parents of an applicant for tuition l in the High school lives shall pay the | tuition fee, which is $60." 1 have 1 hunted high and low for that new law 1 referred to by the mayor, but cannot | find it, neither can 1 find any person l who has seeh or ever heard of 1t ex- cept another member of the board of l education, who told me there was such
 a law, and the school district and not I the parent would pay the extra tuition 1.o T fN cNIln rpln filp law
 Another member of the board said
 that after January, 1902, pupils in the town of Waterbury now paying tuition fees would be residents of the city | and therefore would be free from pay 1 ing any individual tuition fee, as at present.
 The consolidation charter gives the
 board of education unlimited and ab-
 solute power to make the tuition fee
 any sum they may choose to make IL.
 The same charter says the city shau
 only pay the sum of $30 per pupil, and l there you are. Who pays the other
 $50, or whatever more they may T chose to make it?
 Again, if the term non-residents is
 intended for the outside pupils of Wa
 terbury town, would it be matter of
 courtesy and kindness on the part of
 the board of education to those inter
 ested who do not attend the meetings of the board and are not supposed te
 be informed of all their doings, to pub fish an official report of this act ot
 tleirs. that the people may know
 where they are at? Or do they think it is policy and good politics to keeI
 silent until after schools have opened
 and pupils have returned, then present this double tuition fee to them and
 say pay or get out?
 I believe Waterbury is the only
 town in the state containing a Higl
 school which discriminates in regard
 to it's pupils, by admitting pupil or
 one side of street scott free and
 charge a pupil on the opposite side oi
 the street S60 per year for tuition
 whilst pupils from the neighboring
 towns of Wolcott, Prospect, Middle
 bury. etc, come right past our doors to this same Waterbury High schoo
 and enjoy all it's benefits free oi
 charge to themselves, their towns pay
 ing the bills as per state laws.
 Tn Waterbury the state and the towr
 shirk the matter of individual tuition
 expense by saying the town contains
 a high school The city of Water
 bury says the town has no high school +