Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1902-12-24
rNcnnAsn IN SCHOOL FUND.
How II Is Distributed Among the
schools of the State.
EEsaassse Joa,HaLI

heNHNnfG aUNFMdEtl
since the ysar 1850 few states in the
country can show larger gain in the
amount Of money contributed for the sup
port Of the common schoo and Tor other
educational purposes than Maine. The
fact that the school fund aud mill tax dis
tFibated among the towns ot the State, &C
cordtog to the number OF scholars re-
turned, has increased from s3i3 s15.s7 In
issn 81 to s6s2 2oi,2i in lsoool demon
strstes that Maine Is constantly bending
its energies 70 advance the interests OF
the school children OF the State by giving
Them additional school facilities.
And yet, regardless OF this large In.
crease 10 tie amount OF money con-
srtbuted by the State toward the supper,
/ OF tho common schools, the number OF
children returned does not show an in
crease but decrease.
For the year ending April 1, 1880, the
annual returns Of the experimenting
| school com mitsees and the hsc&l returns
OF municipal officers OF the cities, towns
aud plantations give the whole number of
scholars Ia the State between the ages OF
tour and tweaty-one years as ia III.
Tweuty years iates these returns give the
- hals number OF scholars as 2ii 0s5. In
issD the " os9 number Of ain rent scholars
registered Ia the schools during the year
wss ia9 $50; tn 1900 the nunibeS vas $50.
sls.
II will therefore be seen that for the
school year 1850 81 tbs STATE gave si.ts to-
ward educating each scholar OF school
age Ia the State, white Ia 1900 OF the
amount vas sa-5a for each seholar. For
every different scholar re sisttred in 1850.
81 tbs state gaze s2.io; bat for the school
year 1900 OF the amOant per scholar was
sA.OS, gain OF almost 100 pos cent.
Thi4 great increase IN the school fund
and mill tax was brought about by the
natural Development OF the resources OF
ths State, and was not the result OF add
tional appropriations on the part OF the
legislature from time TO time. When the
tx On saving banks was fsst imposed, a
little more than thirty years ago, pro-
vision was Inc 1rporated in the law de-
voting one half OF the amount 50 eoliecle
tot support OF tie com non schools.
The probability Is that the trainers Of
the savings banks tax las did not con-
temptste that the amount Of such tax
would reach such large proportions as II
has tn the thirty years OF its existence
In 1880 the tsx on savings banks only
amounted 70 si6S. 5T6.79, and from this the
schaOl fund received one half or ss4 2sS 81
IL 1902, however, this tax amounts To
ssS7, T2O-5f. One half OF this sum, or
sa6s s8O.25. will go TO the school fund.
Ihs development and the growth Of the
savings banks, which cause an ever
Increasing income TO the State, are the
principal reasons why the common schools
OF Maine have been able to secure such q
stupeudcus increase IN the amount OF
money to be used for school purposes.
Were II not for the success OF this
sliding scale arrangement, sdopted by our
fathers, IL Is doubtful u the scholars OF
Maine would. to day, be receiving so
much money from tie State treasury.
In addition to the increase OF the savings
banks' tax there has also been an increase
. ia tire fAlhhtiuu OF tht okstes " htSh mas
operated TO the advantage of the common
schools. Many years ago ii was provided
that one mill OF the State tax should be
given TO the scholars.
In 1850 this mill tar amounted to s22i 565.
sincu that time the valuation of the State
has grown more than 800 eco 900. In 1900
the total valuation OF the State was
ys36 6ga $40, one mill Of which amounted
TO sss8 go. SO that In twenty years the
mill tax jumped from s224 ,565 to $3.50, 6s9,
a gain OF sil2,i3i.
II sill thus be seen that the increase In
the savings banks tax and the Increase in
the mil tax during the past score OF years
have operated to the benefit OF our public
schools In a wonderful degree, and iustities
the assertion that ie~ states in the country
are doing more for the support OF tbs
common schools than Is the State OF Maine.