The Pascagoula democrat-star., 1911-09-01
oessd OF Trustees Calls Attsn.
lion To Existing Conditions
Az To the finances.
SEVEN MONTHS Of SCHOOL
MAY BE Tine ALTERNATIVE
Petition Put In Circulation For
Signatures By Tsxpsysrs-
Il Does Not Mean In
creased Taxation.

within the limits OF The city " Pas.
cagoula Is directed b. resolution
adopted on Wednesday, August 23rd,
oy the board OF trustees of the public
schools Of the city, and IL is desired
by the board that all shall have a
clear understanding of the situation
when they shall be called upon TO act
In the matter as proposed.
The expense OF maintainiug our free
public school system is met by funds
derived from three sources: The state
distribution Of the school fund to each
county and thus to each separate dis.
trict within the county according to
the number OF educable children; the
poll taxes collected 10 the city, and a
direct ad valorem levy within the
city. The city levy is supposed to
make up the deficit left after the
exhaustion Of the other two funds.
But The law provides that this levy
by the city authorities shall not ex.
coed three mills except by the consent
Of a majority Of the taxpayers OF the
city, and as no provision IL made for
an election this consent Is obtai ined
BY petition signed by the taxpayers.
The three mill levy fs not sufficient
here and has not been for some years,
and is not suflicient anywhere where
9 high school ls maintained entirely
free and affiliated with the State Uni
versity on the high standard OF our
school. The expense OF our school
system has not been increased over
last year and is being conducted as
cheaply as possible for nine months
session without impairing It's Ell.
cheney, and, by the use OF home
teachers, nearly all the money spent
ie kept at home.
SCHOOL DEFICIT.
For several years this deficit has
been made up by the board OF alder
men out OF the general fund OF the
city, secured by six mill levy, leaving
this fund depleted to the extent OF
about one mill or little more, so
that the general expenses OF the city
government we're really paid BY sum
equal to only about ave mills. For
several years the trustees have called
this matter to the attention OF the
city authorities, insisting on q separa.
tion Of these funds, but 1t has not
been thought heretofore that the
time was quite ripe for asking the
taxpayers to authorize an Increase ol
the school levy. But the trustees
have now been notified by the board
of aldermen that action must be
taken, and unless consent for this
increase to four mills is given by the
taxpayers Of the city, expenses will
have to be reduced or the term cut
down to seven months. This petition
will be circulated at once and II The
consent is not thus given by the re-
quIred majority the result will be q
seven months school. a lowered stand
ard, loss OF recognition by the state
colleges, and an incalculablc loss u
the community.
We are assured by the board oil
aldermen that IL is not their purpose
to increase taxation, and this actiOt
for authorizing an increase Of th(
school levy Will not furnish any ex
cuee for an increase OF the total levy
OF taxes for all purposes OF the city
government, as then q i've mill lew
for general purposes With four mil
levy for school purposes, iustead b
six mills for one and three for tn'
IOther, will leave the same sum o.
money for b8th purposes as hereto
fore BY the method OF supplementins
SIGN PETITION.
The trustees have secured teacher
and arrsuged for nine months ves
sion &C sbOut The same expense - las
session. The schools Of the city YanI
llrst class aud that at ~ little n 90
less expense than the average sCllOC
system 10 the stste per capita d
| pupils. A fslso step here BY the tai
|. | payers would at Onpo reduce th
standard end ef1clency or The school
that would be sadly out OF prOpOrtlO
! / 70 the small esvIpg or money 70 taxi
tlou and plece q eDttrely out OF CON
, | pssls0n With The standafds Or nelgt
boring cItlGs and citlco OF 1iko III
J aud conditions ID the stats, 70 III
IIOoo oe our children 10 ochO0I "a yanI
] sges and 0f The pIestlGe OF our clt
a6d people for infslligence ~ ents
~ bo9rd 81 trustees therefor
: kearnostjy ofgee that every taxpayl
!. Iglvo cUnsent for the addition OF Of
mill V ne school fund ley - pr
y authority q tbe board: