Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-12-22
STATE HOUSE.
Great Increase in the School
Fund Since 1880.
What Gen. farnham Has to Say About
the Dick Bill.
Insane Hospital Trustees Confer With
Gov. Hill.

'7lice tne year 1880 few states in the
country can show a larger gain in the
amount OF money contributed for the
support of the common schools and for
other educational purposes than the
state of Maine. The fact that the
school fund and mill tax distributed
among the towns OF The State. accord
ing to the number of scholars returned,
has increased from S313, S95.S7 in 1SSO-Sl
to S332,204 "a in 10000 demonstrates
that the State of Maine is constantly
bending its energies to advance the in
terests of the school children of the
state by giving them additional school
ing facilities. And yet, regardless of
TINS large increase in the amount OF
money contributed by the State toward
the support Of the common schools, the
number Of children returned does not
show an increase but a decrease.
For the year ending April /, 1880, the
annual returns of the experimenting
school committees and the fiscal re-
turns of municipal officers of the cities,
towns snd plantations give the whole
number of scholars in the State be-
tween the ages of 4 and q years as
21i.274. Twenty years later these re-
e'AiiG SaiHN VIZ Nilblc humber Vi ScHOl-
ars as 211,0S5. In 1880 the whole num-
Der of different scholars registered III
the schools during the year was 49,
Dot; IN 1890 the number was 130,9iS.
Tt viii therefore be seen that for the
school year fSS0-N the State gave STAG
toward educating each scholar OF
school age in the State. while in 10000
the amount was $3.50 for each scholar.
For every different scholar registered
in iSS0-Si the State gave So 10; but for
the school year 190G-01 the amount per
scholar was $4.o6, a gain of almost 100
per cent.
This great increase in the school
fund ana mill tax was brought about
by the natural Development Of the re-
sources of the State, and was not the
| result of additional appropriations on
| the part Of the Legislature from time
| to time. When the tax on savings
! banks was first imposed, little more
than 90 years ago, a provision was in
corpOrated in the law devoting one-half
| of tho amount so-collected to the sup
port of the common schools. The
proba bility is that the trainers of the
| savings banks tax law did not CON
| template that the amount of such ta:
would reach such large proportions as
| it has in the so years of its existence.
| in 1880 the tax on savings banks only
| amounted to $iGS,57G.79, and from this
| the school fund received one-half or
| $S4, 2SS36. In 1902, however this tax
| amounts to S537,720.j1. One-half Of this
! sum. or s2GS, SG0.25, will go to the school
| fund.
The development and the growth of
| the savings banks, which cause an
| evcr-increasing income to the Stale.
| are the Principal reasons why the com
NOR schools Of Maine have been able to
| secure such a stupendous increase in
| the amount of money to be used for
| school purposes. Were it not for the
| success of this sliding-scale arrange
ment, adopted by our fathers, il is
doubtful if the scholars of Maine would.
| today, be receiving so much money
| from the State treasury.
In addition to the increase Of the
| savirGs banks tax there has also been
an increase in the valuation Of the
| state. which has operated to the adj
vantage of the common schools. Many
| wears ago it was provided that one mill
| of the state tax should be given to the
| scholars. IN 1850 this mill tax amount
| ed to S224.5f5. SINGER that time the val
it9tion of the State has grown more
than 100000 COO In 1900 the total valu-
1tion of the State was $3S6,699,Gt9, one
| min Of which amounted to $@@6.69y. SC
| that in 90 years the mill tax jumped
! from E.2f,5CJ to $336,e9o, Gain Of Sli3,-
1874.
II will thus be seen that the increase
| in the savings banks tax and the IN
| crease in the mill tax during the past
| score of years have operated to the
| benefit Of our public schools in a Won
| aerful degree, and justifies the asser-
ton that few states in the country are
| doing more for the support of the COM
| non schools than is the State of Maine.
| GOV. Hill had a conference, SATURDAY