St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1909-06-26
SWORDS MADE An ANAPPElL
Warned me Country People nat iha Votlng
DOWN Of the Tax Meant the Exclusion of
Their Children from the High SehoOI.

IL the children of The farmers who
live outside of the corporate limits of
the city of 0~pelousas are excluded
from the High School next year, and
forced To attend the little ~neighbor-
borhood school, they can not say
that they were not warned Of the
danger.
Sheriff Swords warned them on the
morning of the election. He issued
posters telling them abont it, because
he felt that the fathers Of the child
ren should be told that it ii possible
(and viii probably happen for the
city to stop the helping hand it has
extended country children for these
many years. 1t IS an old school law,
still in force, that the child must
attend the school nearest his domi-
Gle.
Sheriff had printed the following
poster, which he distributed broad
cast:
ITO THE PuBLICm
s0pelousas, La, June q, 1909.
"a school tax of three CD mills il
to be voted on tomorrow. the 22d Of
June. / note that considerable opp0-
sition is gotten up to defeat the tax.
As a public spirited citizen, and one
who has enjoyed the privileges of Of
fee since 1900, / ask the voters Of
the proposed school district to do all
in their power to place upon them
selves the tax Of three CD mills,
which simply means three S3.00)
dollars per thousand, and simply
means that for every thousand dol
lars you are assessed, that you are TO
pay three $500 dollars as the
assessed value on only about SO per
cent. You win only have 10 pay
three $500 dollars for two thousand
dollars worth Of property.
The defeat of this tax means that
the city of 0peIouaas win have to
close the present High School to The
admittance Of the children from the
country, which will give cause for
feeling. and properly 50, Of the coun-
try against the town. The High
School here Isl ovarcroWded aud it viii
take the little tots two years TO at
tain that which they should attain ii
one. The men who fight this tax Is
putting a ban on our children and
their advancement.
Already the sewerage tax has
been voted down, and we can attest
TO the fact that a mute appeal comes
to the parents Of those who are now
sleeping in the cid church yards of
the town. Mute hut potent the ST.
lent voice comes, you can kill is, but
don't stfie our brains. Parents. are
you going to do this? For Gods
sake and the little tets, don't 90 this.
Vote for this tax and teach orr little
ones how To overcome boil weeViI OF
anything else that may IN the future
beset their paths through life.
AS one who has gotten much
from the people, I ask the splendid
manhood and wonanh0od of the pro-
posed district to vote for the tax,
and do nothing that viii exclude the
children outside Of this little city
from participating in the advantages
afforded BIZ the school here. The
man or woman who cannot afford to
pay three dollars per Thousand to
help to educate the children Of this
community. viii never get through
explaining whysthey opposed the tax
Your names will have to appear On
the ballots, and ID the name Of the
Prince of Peace, don't GO on record
as opposing the advancement Of the
little tots.
d. Fl SWORDS.