Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1910-08-04
A STORY OF
extravaganza
Continued From Page One.)

edneSs Of all the school districts of
the State aggregated 7,193 ,29600,
while on June goth, 1909, the total
bonded and warrant Indebtedness of
all the school districts of the State
was S12,085, 508.00 an increase Of in
debtedness Of nearly five million dol
lars in five years. The five higher
educational institutions of the State
(the State University, the State Col
lege, and the Normal Schools) re-
ceive their appropriations from the
State general fund. The appropria-
ton for 1909 and 1910 for these in
situations was S1,543, 40S.00. The tax
levies for the State direct for school
purposes, together with the appropria-
tiOns for the maintenance of State
colleges and the income derived from
the State school funds, make a grand
total of SO SOS, 92S.00, representing the
cost to the State for the year 1909 for
the maintenance of our school system.
Commenting on the public schools,
superintendent Dewey has recently
said:
"The rural schools are running in
debt. This condition prevails in spite
of the fact that the times are pros
porous, and it is not right. Ever since
Washington became a state, the de-
ficit has been piling up. ! warn you
against too frequent change of text
books. Changes cost too much
money"
Commenting on the same subject,
the State Board of Tax Commission
ers, in it's report for the year 1906,
gives the following language:
"The interest debt of the school
districts is accommodating at such
rate that if all the income from the
permanent school fund and from
school land leases were applicable, 1t
would not annually redeem the ILL.,
terest debt of the school districts, nor
would all the current school funds
derived from the administration of the
public school lands, suffice to have
paid by the sum of $745, 945, 1884, the
total interest on the public school
debt
"The unselfishness of taxpayers
when drawn upon for educational pur-
poses should be requited by a con-
servatism and thrift on the part OF
all public officials having to do with
the schools"
Again in the tax commissioners re.
port for 1908, the tax commissioners
say:
Public money cannot be better in
vested than in education, but where
complaints are so generally made
against high taxes, it may be well TO
consider the amounts we are taxed TO
pay for our schools
Nearly forty percent. Of all the
moneys raised by taxation in the State
Of Washington are expended for the
maintenance of our public schools.
worthy object for the expenditure of
money, but it is apparent that wherey-
er possible true economy should be
practiced.
The amount levied for current coun
ty expenses, relief funds, Indebtedness
and other county funds, in 1905, was
SO, ,345.00, and five years later in
1909, the levy for the same funds was
$3.50. 1861 90. showing an increase in
five years of s1,546, 015.00. The rapid
growth of our cities and towns for
the past five years has swelled valua-
tions enormously, and taxation has
followed. The total amount levied for
all municipal purposes in tho year
1909 was S5,90S,51S00, against 80 1885,
$1,000 for 1905, or an increase equiVa-
lent to 143 per cent.
Every patriotic citizen realizes that