Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1908-03-19
The School Proposition

The question has been asked: "What
is the real state of the school situation.
and what is required to make the Taze-
well HighSchool such as it ought to be?''
The only satisfactory way to answer
this inquiry is to state first what we
now have, and secondly what we desire
to have, and how it may be obtained
without working hardship to any.
The primary and grammar grades are
now run seven months.
The High School is run nine months
on tuition basis. The primary and
grammar grades are run on a tuition
basis for two months.
The amount of public funds available
for the schools of the town as at pres
ent conducted is as follows:
State and county funds 1890. 1852. 90
Town taxes. ....... l42S OO
Total available public funds 5000. 90
The situation which now confronts
the people of Tazewell is simply this:
The Graded School building is both I'M
safe and also totally inadequate for the
accommodation of the pupils of the
town. The District School Board would
have no legal or moral right, even if it
had the money, to take all the funds of
the district from the rural portion of
the district and expend it on a building
for the town. Such a course would be
fiagrantly unjust even if it were posi-
| n 1 Pr,f h.
funds, nor will it be able to obtain the
funds Therefore the town of Taze-
well is of necessity reduced to a choice
OF two courses, viz: Provide a suitable
school building for the school, or be
without public school. The school
law IS very clear and explicit in stating
the fact that no public funds shall be
available for the pay of teachers until
suitable buildings have been provided.
1t Is clear that the town cannot and will
not suffer the 400 children within the
limits of this corporation to be without
school privileges.
The only remedy for this condition of
affairs, as far as can be ascertained at
TINS time, Is to have the town erected
into separate school district and main
tain its own schools. The school law
says:
A town of more than 500 inhabitants
may, If the council of such town so
elect, be constituted single school dis
trict." O''
Under this provision the town of
Tazewell may be constituted a single
district, and if public graded and high
school free of all tuition, except music.
were conducted the following public
funds. would be available for the SUM-
port of the school, viz:
State and comfy funds. s1612 90
| District funds Idoo M
State High School funds. 500 %
Tuition of pupils outside dis
trlct (paid by other district) 36O OO
Derived from increased State
appropriation (estimated) 400. 90
Total of available public funds $4,000. 90
1t is not question of whether we
wish to build school house, but wheth-
er we can afford not to build. Without
a suitable house the law says we cannot
get any public funds. AS the district is
now constituted it is impossible for a
suitable house to be built. If the town
Is constituted single school district.
there is a reasonable probability of get
ting $1,000 to $500 more of public funds
than we are now getting, and a GER
tainty of saving from $500 to $1,000
yearly of tuition which is now paid bv
the patrons of the school. So that in
stead of paying $500 for the tuition of
from forty to fifty pupils who happen
TO be able to pay tuition, we shall have
high school and graded school which
will be free to all pupils in the county,
upon conditions provided by law. and
every pupil who attends from outside
the limits Of the corporation will be
help towards maintaining this school.
Probably the only expenditure that the
town will have to make will be the
amount necessary to provide suitable
site and building.
The district board of Jeffersonville
District has already entered into a writ
ten agreement to turn over to the town
as soon as the town is constituted sin
gle district, all the school property of
the district now in the town. This /,
property while entirely unsuited for
school property is by reason of its sit
uation (Which is one of the reasons for
its unsuitableness for school purposes) |
very valuable for other purposes. The |
board has now an offer of $4,000 for q
part of the property which 1t is Offering
to transfer to the town. Arrangements
could be made by which this town could
borrow money for period of 80 years,
If necessary, and the children who will
receive the benefits could pay the debt
after they have acquired their educa-
ton from the school thing rrnuidod Co.