The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1908-11-26
TAXATION FOR SCHOOLS
Money Put Into Children's Brains Al
ways Comes Back Many Fold. The
More That is Put Into Schools, the
Richer the People Will Be.
The savage pays no tax.

levy ranged from to 10 Mills.
In these districts the school term
ranges from Z to months, with an
average of months.
They have as a rule. comfortable,
convenient, up-to-date buildings.
Their teachers receive good salaries
hence are the best that can be found
in the state.
Competent supervision is the first
consideration in these districts, hence
good teaching follws.
The people OF these districts pay
their special school tax in addition to
local levle5 for streets. sidewalks,
water, lights. etc
The people Of the country districts
can better afford to pay local school
tax than those OF the towns. as they
have no tax for sidewalks. etc. The
average town property pays from . TO
IS mills more for these purposes.
We tax ourselves cheerfully for
court-houses. jails. bridges. roads and
the maintenance Of courts. or these
the first two and the last are not in
the nature OF Investments.
Money spent for schools is invest
ment which win pay large dividends
both in this generation and in gem
erations to come.
Public education. as the primary
policy Of the South, presents not mere
" an opportunity and a duty. but a
policy OF investment-wise and sac
red and secure. DIR. Edgar G. Muir
ply.
More than 60 per cent, OF all the
funds raised for public education in
the United States IS raised by local
taxation.
Massachusetts, has, perhaps, the best
equipped public schools in the Union,
and raises % per cert. Of the public
school fund by local taxation.
A recent law in Louisiana compels
each parish county, to make a special
levy OF no. less than 8 mills TO sup
plement a very liberal State approprla-
tion for public schools.
But even before this law was pass
ed many o: the parishes had begun
to make special levies and hundreds
Of school districts (ruraD had made
levies ranging from to 10 mills.
The superintendent Of jefferson
Parish Qa) says: More money has
been spent in this parish for educa-
tlon In the last three years than IN
the preceding seven years"
Franklin Parish CLa) has levied five
mills TO run for next seven years.
for schools.
In Lincoln Parish CLa.) 2S out Of the
80 districts levied to 10 mills each
for schools.
In 1900 North Carolina had only 80
local tax districts. Seven years at
er the number was four hundred and
fifty. and Of these 367 were rural dis
tricts. In that State it Is said that nj
town or district has ever abandoned
local taxation after once giving It a
trial
A law was PASSED In Alabama a few
years ago permitting each county 10
levy a one-mili tax for schools. Almos
Immediately Al OF the CT counties Of
the State levied the tax. A year
later the superintendent OF these
counties made unanimous report as
follows: "a Term increased by one TO
three months; (2) Salaries increased
10 to 40 per cent; co attendance In
crosed in every instance; (D increase
in general interest; 90 people well
pleased with experiment.
Effect on attendance in Lincoln
County, Mlss.-Replying to inquiry on
this point County Supt Bennett states
that since the term has been increas-
ed by local lovy to eight months
there has been general Improvement
of 16 TO IS per cent, in average at
tendance. One school (Auburn) shows
an increase OF % per cent, in average
attendance. In this county the school
fund has increased during the past
eight years from nine thousand 10
thirty-three thousand dollars.
I'VE speak o: the wealth Of our
State. we speak of the riches Of our
forests, fields and factories. but we
should never forges that richer by far
than these TO tie State, as whole.
are the tens Of thousands Of untaught
children who till our soil and fill our
factories"
Tho boys and girls OF our cities and
towns go TO school nine months each
year, in good houses, with good equip
ment. under well trained teachers, VIII
are themselves under expert supervls-
len.
The average country boy attends
school from four to six months in an