The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1909-06-24
DANGER TO SCHOOLS

or having no county SCHOOLS Tor one
year after July l and unless prompt
action is taken the cause OF educa-
ton in Kentucky will be struck a
serious blow. Even though the deci-
sion of the Court Of Appeals Friday
In the case involving the constitu-
tionality of the new school law was
favorable to the cause of education
and means a big victory for the COM
mon schools In many of the counties.
ties where no school levy has been
made. make a levy before July l of
this year, or suit is brought before
that time to force them to make a
levy, no levy can be made in those
counties, for school purposes, for one
year and this would mean that the
schools would have no janitor service,
heat or anything else necessary
to conduct a school except teachers.
They would be in the position of
having teachers without any place
to teach the children.
Three points OF great importance
were decided by the Court of Appeals
in UNFOLDING the constitutionality of
the new school law and every county
in the State can take advantage OF
this decision to improve the condition
OF the county schools. Whether or not
all the counties avail themselves
OF the opportunity depends en-
tirely on the counties and the time
OF making the levy Tor school pur-
poses.
The first and most important point
decided by the court Friday was that
the law was constitutional. That. Of
course, was the basis of the whole de-
cislon and everything depended on
that one point The second point of
importance was the courts holding
that mandamus would lie to force
the Fiscal court TO make the levy
and the third point was the right Of
the County Board of Education 10 de-
termine just how much money was
needed by the schools The last point
was the one on which there was most
doubt. IL was contended by those
who opposed the law that the Fiscal
Court OF a county could say that the
amount fixed by the County Board OF
Education was too large and that
much money was not needed. But
the Court OF Appeals says that the
County Board of Education has the
right and power TO say how much may
be needed and that the Fiscal Court
must make a levy that will raise
the full amount asked for by the
board.
Under the law the State spends
about 100000 on schools and this
goes only toward paying teachers.
None OF the money can be used for
other purposes. The levy made by
the county must raise money for all
expenses except for teachers. Elk
penses such as for buildings, light,
heat janitor service and all expenses
except for teachers pay must be
met by the counties themselves and
II the county has no money for these
purposes there can be no schools in
that county unless the money should
be raised by popular subscription.
At present the school levy has
been made in eighty counties and has
not been made in about forty counties
According to the decision OF the
courts the levy must be made by
July l or it cannot be made for the
next fiscal year until another year
has rolled around
Prof. j. G. Crabbe, State Superin-
tendent OF Public instruction Is great
ly pleased over the decision Friday
and says it means much TO the
schools of the State. Under the old
law the total amount collected for
school purposes was S1SO,OO0. 1t is
estimated by Professor Crabbe that
under the new law $2,5O0,00O will be
raised for the school purposes by To-
cal taxation.
The difference between the amount
raised under the old law and the
new law is shown by the following
table: