The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1902-01-02
The SYSTEM IS WRONG.
RURAL SCHOOLS Disseminated
AGAINST.
In the Matter OF the Distribution Of
School Money Says DIR. Jesse
at the State Meeting.

Or. Jesse, OF the State University, 10
an address at the State Teachers Asso
citation meeting ut Kansas City last
week won the applause of the teachers
Of rural schools when he s,i1 that the
country schools ought to DO given more
than one-half Of the amount OF money
levied for school purposes.
"Let me hasten to say" he continued
"that in my opinion the present distri-
sutton OF the scaool fund is not just TO
the rural districts. 1t is not right that
the state school fund should be divided
between the country and the city alike.
10 do 80 is ag linst sound public policy.
Living in the town Of Columbia and
paying tax upon certain amount o!
property / enjoy for my children excelleL
facilities because there are $500 people
within a radius OF a mile from my hous, ..
Ii move five miles into the country
and pay tax on the same amount OF
pre- perry, the educational iacilitie. opeu
to my children in their own school dis
trict become inferior. Yet / am paying
tho same amount OF tax on the same
amount of property. But oven in the
rural districts | and my neighburs doub-
led the tax levied in Columbia, we still
could not have half so good school.
"If 1 go to Kansas City and pay the
same tax on the same amount of proper
ty get school facilities that are i'm
mensely better than those OF Columbia,
because now | have within street car
distance of my house 1885, 900 'eople. 1t
is not sufficient reply to say l am not
bound 10 live in the country, that if |
want better educational facilities for my
children l should move into town. The
state is vitality interested in having peo-
pie live in the country. The process by
which the cOuutry is becoming depopu-
lated and the cities built up is against
sound policy 10 the commonwealth.
"If, therefore, it is of great public in
terest that People would stay in the
country, the commonwealth ought to
see that their children be not thereby
largely robbsd of educational advan-
lagos. 1t will not do to say that child
in Kansas City ought To have as much
state money as child that lives in the
depths of the country. | admit freely
that the children in Kansas City should
be objects Of as much solicituda as those
that live in the country, but the state
should take some not of the power TO
to help ones self. Ii you had $40, 900
worth of property and two children, one
of whom had received from some rela
tive $4,000, while the other had re
ceiyed nothing, you would not divide
your go, 1000 between the two children
equally. One might be as dear TO you
as the other, but you would 80 divide
your property as to give each child
s15, 900.
"A fair method, perhaps, would be 10
distribute one-third Of the state school
fund in proportion 10 enume alton, just
as the whole fund is apportioned now;
10 distribute another third According 10
the actual attendance, and SO distribute
the remaining third so as to equalizs to
some extent at least the educational adj
vIntages of different parts of the state.
Whether the division is correct or not,
it seems to me beyond dispute that each
OF these three things should be consid-
cred in the distribution of the school
funds:
tirst-The enumeration.
Second-The attendance.
Third-The puwer or ability of the To-
cality to have good school apart fom
state aid.