The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-21
ATTHE WRONG END
Senator Young Talks Of Defects
in Education.
Too Much Attention to Colleges,
Too Little to Schools.
FOR A UNIFORM SYSTEM
Would Hire Better Teachers
Say the Senators.
First Move Is to Provide General
State Tax.
o A UNIFORM SYSTEM

s9Vhere do we go to find our freaksc
TO the colleges said Senator Young in
the senate Friday arguing in ia
vcT OF his bills providing for additional
tax levies for the common schools.
W ave neglected the common
schools and We have grown top heavy
with universities, top heavy with col
1eges and top heavy with normal
schools and top heavy in promoting
higher education. I am for this higher
education, not against it, but let's start
the foundation of education right" con
tinued Senator Young who is chairman
of the senate committee on education.
GIVE a young man a good common
school education and he will make a
success. We have overlooked the COM
mon schools I stand first for the boy
and girl in the country with meager
advantages n I stand for a better
teacher for them"
The discussion of the senate came up
during a session of the committee of
h whole considering Senator Young's
bill for a two mill levy on h property
of the state for the support of the COM
mon schools of the state to go n the
common school fund for distribution
according to the school population of
school districts.
Senator Young referred to a school
district in Mitchell county which has
an assessed valuation of $34, 900 and 46
pupils and another district, the same
size. with IN assessed valuation OF
49, 900 and IS scholars.
Senator Gilbert, who also avore the
bill, told Of district No. 2, in Riley
county, with ten pupils which pays the
teacher $50 a month and district No.
4 with 50 children going to school
which pays the eacher $35 a month.
Senator Young has -rOdu two
bills, one for a state and the other for
q county tax. The state school tax bill
IS: For the purpose of a~ffording the
advantages Of a free education to the
children of the state, the state annual
school fund shall consist of the annual
income derived from the interest and
rents Of h perpetual school fund, as
provided in the constitution Of the
state, and such sum as will be produced
by the annual levy and assessment of
two mills upon h dollar of
the taxable property of the state: and
there is hereby levied and assessed,
nuauy, the said two mills upon the
schools in the state; n the amount
so levied and assessed shall be collect
ed in the same manner as h state
taxes"
The county school tax bill is: THAT
the county commissioners in each
county of the state shall meet al the
county seat on the first Monday of
August in each year, and shall make
and levy a tax upon the assessed val
uation of all the property of TIE coun-
ty for the support of the common
school of the county. That said levy
shall in no case exceed ten mills nor
be less than two mills on the dollar,
assessed valuation.
THAT the funds arising under this
act shall become a part of the annual
school fund Of the county, and the
county treasurer of each county shall,
on the first Monday of February and
August OF each year.. furnish the coun-
" superintendent with a certified
statement of the amount of county
school funds in the county treasury
subject to apportionment
The county superintendent shall
apportion to the school districts of
the county-cities of the first class
and cities Of the second class included
the funds arising under section I of
this act at the same time and in the
same n as now provided by law
for apporitiOning the annua state and
county school funds"
These bills have been endorsed by
the State Teachers association and
are favored by many of the leading
educators of the state.
Senator Young's bill proposing a
state tax of two mills would Increase
the fund in the permanent sohool
fund, on the present valuation in the
of a per capita distribution among
schools of the state OF SPA while the
present annual distribution per pupil
from this fun is 50 cents.
1t is not expected that either of
these proposed laws would increase
school taxes materially as the school
district boards in making the annual
school tax levies would take into con-
sideration the state or county, or both.
taxes to be received The intent OF
the bill IS to provide funds for good
common schools in districts where the
taxes are not sufficient to pay COM
petent teachers.