The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1909-08-19
W00DFORD SCHOOL MATTER
Another Letter from Mr.. Lyon.
Woodford. n. Aup- l7th- 1qoa

Woodford, Va, Aug. 18th. 1909.
To The Free Lance:
Mr.. WashingtOn's letter printed in
your paper Of the l4th inst. places me
IN a false position and | beg leave to
correct same
l VIII say. regarding the school at
/ Woodtord. that the plans and specifca-
tons furnished by MIR. Washington for
a one-rOOm schOolhouse would make
the building of same cost about $3.50
ne citizens of this section of the dis
trict pay as much taxes as those of
Guineys or Mica, 10 both of which places
the school board allowed $500 towards
building. Hence we fail to see the ius-
tice of the school boards ruling only al
lowing US $3.50 TO build a $3.50 building.
30 Tar as having no children TO edu-
cate l VIII let that pass as / believe all
know have one 10 Mr.. Washington'sO
AS To my taking no interest in schools,
II - known ! furnished a house free Of
ali charge for two years That moved
family out Of said house that was paw
ing me $50 per month rent to give il
To the school board. That I was ready
TO 90 down in my pocket to help put up
the new building, not las Mr.. w. says)
To Deneht me personally. but To helm
my friends and neighbOrs and the up-
building Of the place.
As to the road levy being advanced
and the school levy cut or as expressed
by Mr.. w. taking IL off from the
school and putting it on the roads. it is
matter of record that the road levy
was made at least 30 DAYS before final
action was taken on school levy. so il
would be impossible to take il off from
one and put on the other.
ne road levy was raised because we
did not have money enough 10 feed our
teams and work the roads II months in
the year. The extra cents raise will
enable Us 10 have our road gang work
the roads at least 10 months in the year
IN place OF or months we now work
ana the mules standing eating their
heads of doing nothing for the want of
a httle money TO pay hands 10 work
them.
MIR. W. 5 statement of my owning an
auto implies a selfish motive on nv
part IN working the roads. We will
see how facts bear him out. We will
take Mica, who has been blessed twice
WIN school buildings, but has always
had bitches for roads. The roads from
Mica 10 the railroad, a distance of 4 to
miles, are now in good shape roads
wei graded, ditched. culverts put in
and partly gravelled. in so good shape
that see two mules hauling l 900 feet
of lumber over it where it used TO take
TO move the same load.
At Port Royal we have built 5 or 6
miles of good road bed, which the citi-
zens Of said place will gravel. This
week our road gang goes TO Moss Neck
section, then TO Hick' Hill and on down
the Stage road TO Guineys. touching all
Of our district so that all residents will
be benefited. II this is selfshness
then let's have more autos as Quick as
possible.
In reference TO cutting school levy,
Mr.. Reeves came TO me as a member Of
the school board and made promises
considered binding, which the school
board repudiates. Also the statement
made by said board that they would
only have $500 for building purposes
under 10 cent levy, while the wear
previous they had $500 for the same
purpose under 10 cent levy. For these
reasons and the will of the people are
the only reasons for the cut. When
the board convinces the people that the
children will get the benefit of the taxes
raised, and not the officials in increased
salaries, then they will be willing 20
pay more
In conclusion | will say that person.
ally am for education and good roads.
In an official way | am for what the
majority wants every time, as il is
their money and their property | am
put IN charge of and which / am man.
aging TO the best of my ability.
Geo Won