The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-10-22
AMEND SCHOOL LAWS
Especially Those Governing the Dis
tribution Of Money

tribution Of Money
Under the heading small towns
are paying the Bills" the Burlington
Free Press Thursday printed the fol
lowing special from Montpelier
"A close scrutiny OF the state trea-
surer's report shows that the state
school laws governing the distribu-
ton Of the public money are sadly in
need of amendment if they are to ac-
compllsh the purpose for which they
were intended. The intent of these
laws was to make the larger and rich
err towns share the burden of support
ing the schools in the smaller and
less wealthy communities so that in
these towns schools could be main
tanned that would afford some Of the
advantages to be had in the larger
places.
AS matter OF fact the law accom-
plishes just the opposite of what 1t
! MdS llNtHutu W uO anu AliotNdA Vi AlA1
larger towns contributing to the
smaller ones the little towns are ac-
tually helping to pay the school bills
Of such places as st. Iohnsbury, Bar
re- Lyndon and a score of others.
This is clearly proven by the figures
| from the treasurer's report
Take Fer instance the town OF st.
Johnsburv In 1909 that town con-
tributed S3.4S7S5 to the state by rea-
son Of. the 8 per cent state school tax
and drew back from the state from
the various distributions SS135.99,
making the tidy profit of $4.64s.14 for
st. Johnsbury in that year. This year
St. Johnsbury put S3.44772 into the
pot and took out s6.279.S5 a profit OF
$2,S8213. not quite so good as the
year before but still sum worth
looking after.
The town Of Lyndon, one of the
smaller towns Of the state. also under
stands the game for in 1909 she put
in $l.190.24 and got back sS.6O452, a
gain fof her of s2.4142S. In 1910 she
put in S1.19606 and got back SS659.65
a profit Of about the same as the year
before s2.456.99.
take the case Of Derby. In 1909
Derby cleaned IN s3.926 GO under the
benefcent school laws. putting in 81,
1896 and drawing back s5420.2S. In
1910 Derby contributed s1497.49 and
had returned to her $4,000 Ga. Barre
town in 1909 swapDed sl,47S.S7 for 81,
74SS4 and0n 1910 managed to make
her contribution OF s150112 bring her
back s5.53752
These are only typical instances
OF MANY OF the larger towns which
are beino aided nv the smaller ones,
but II e not All like that. In the
case OF 'ineton that city in 1909
mt in s." '9S56 and only got back
s5.375.42 and about the same in 1910
giving s194l1.03 and receiving So
1921
"Hov works in the smaller towns
is shown 'bv the following illustra-
tons: Somerset in 1909 had 10 paw
in so4.40 and in 1910 $50 AZ and did
not Get penny in return.
"Woodford in 1910 gave The state
s146 and received in return Se4 Gran
bv IN 1909 had 10 give Nm STA and
got back s6242 and IN 1910 got back
sGi IN return for soq93
"The wav IN which II Is done Is H.
Illustrated nv tho fgnres for 50. Johns
bury for the wear 1909 when that
town maintained 90 legal schools
From me snnortionment OF the eight
per cent. state school tax she receiv-
ed 81 Al 80 from the reserve fund
If $4,000 distributed 10 towns rails
inc tax OF az least 80 cents for
school purroses she rot Sl325 A., Her
share Of the anportionment OF the
interest from the permanent school
fund was si2t 90 and from the re-
serve ~ $4,000 in connection with
that fund she drew sf42l4 From the
state aid for hieher instruction the
Income was s2.7OS. 81 and for trans
nortatlon she raked IN S757.06 and
an even thousand dollars for super
vision
AS f natter of fact 81 Johnshnry
maintains no high school hut educates
hor children NJ 81 Iohnsburv acad.
envy. nrivate institution hut afford.
inc a better education than any high
school the town could afford TO main
tain.
"The way the came IS PLAYED in
these towns is TO keen down the val
uation. Of nropertv and have n hieh
tax rate q condition Of affairs that
will probably be changed II the state
ever has central tax commission
that will establish n uniform rate Of
valuation throughout the state.
AN attempt was made two years
AGO 10 correct this matter bv the in
PRODUCTION of House bill 32S. The
bill was passed by the House after
various amendments and passing
from one body to the other. but was
finally lost in the Senate and was new
er put upon its passage There are
those who do not hesitate 10 say that
the losing Of the bill was not acciden.
tai but It is pretty certain when the
present legislature has the matter
nut up TO Il, as 70 will be. there will
be change that will put the money
] L..