The Tucumcari news. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1905-1907, 1905-12-23
TAKE YOUR CHOICE
Some Good Thought Along Edu-
cational Lines

The laws of New Mexico in regard to
education are such that the responsibility |
for schools rests wholly with the local
community. Each district can have Just
the kind of schools and the amount of them
that the people wish They can have |
these on exactly the same terms they can
get anything else by paying for them. IT
they do not want to pay for them, they can
do as they would do about anything else
do without them.
The Territory levcS for educational pur
poses general tax of two mills which is paid
into the school fund of the county in which
it is collected. Beyond this the people of
any district, by an affirmative vote, can
levy tax as high as ten mills for educa-
tional purposes. The doing of this rests
primarily with tie board of directors.
We have a stringent poll tax law that
appears to me to he easy of enforcement,
by which each male over u years of age
is required to pay one dollar year to the
school fund of his district. The enforce
mcnt of this law also rests with the board
of directors. and the people elect the board.
So the responsibility comes back on the
people, The enrolment of voters in the
Territory numbers 6h424. So, il this law
we're enforced it would place in the school
fund of the Territory So4,4 approx
mately one dollar and fifty cents for each
pupil enrolled in the schools.
There are certain funds arising from the
to quite sum- and from licenses and fines
shall not consider these in this article
because they are not Immediately under
the control OF the people.
In this article am not attempting to
dictate to the people what they shall do
am simply trying to acquaint them with
their rights and their responsibilities, and
then to say to them take your choice.
Now, some additional facts are interest
ing. AT the last annual examination Of
teachers. by reports in my Office, $50
teachers were examined, OF these, 80 re-
ceived first grade certificates. IIS. second
grade, and I70, third grade. Just as long
as people are contcntcd to employ teachers
with third grade certificates, so long they
will continue to have poor schools. And
they can not get teachers who are well
qualified without paying for them. Take
your choice.
From the best information ut my com
mand at this writing, it appears that com
paratively few districts have levied any
special tax for educational purposes. In
some cases this is entirely contrary to pub
lie sentiment, and in some cases is the fault
of incompetent or unwilling boards of d-
rectors. San Juan County appears to be
an exception. In five districts special
tax of five mills has been levied; in three,
seven and half mills; in five, ten mills.
The amount of these leves amounts TO
over S., 500. AS to the collection of poll
tax, the information At my command is not
such that can speak with absolute GER
tainty of accuracy. But the following is
what infer from the reports At hand, If !
make any mistakes. shall be pleased to
correct them In Bernalillo county, out
side of Albuquerque none OF the twenty
seven districts collected any; Chavez, none
in seven Districts Coliax. at least fourteen
collected none; Eddy, twelve; Grant, three;
Guadalupe, seven Lincoln, four, Mora,
five; Otero, four; Quay, one Rio Arriba,
forty-scvcn not a cent collected, Sandoval,