The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1911-05-12
The School T ak.

pi'jp ''y s$S-NPs'J 49, ~
tricta Of this parish will vote upon
the important question as to-
whether or not the special 5-mills
school tax. which expired in
th"se districts with last year,
will be authorized for another
period Of five years. In two
othar districts, elections are to
lie held to determine as to wheth-
cr or not the the tax shall be
I,viad for the first time. The
people in wards 4, 6, 8, 10 have
lad the school tax for the past
five years. The proposition in
these wards is simply to extend
the tax for five years more, and
it is the opinion Of those who are
in position to know the sentiment
Of the people in those wards that
tae tax will be almost unanl-
,noualy carried. The people in
these wards have tried the tax,
and the fact that they are willing
to nave it continued is good evil
dance that it is the most success
FIJI method of raising funds with
which to carry on public eduea-
t;on. In some parishes, they are
voting 10, Is and 20-mills special
school taxes. We ought, in this
parish, to have a special 5-miils
to cover the entire parish, and if
the tax carries In all of the cleo
tons ordered for next Tuesday,
it will cover the entire parish. II
will not be a "parish-wide" tax,
however, but will be voted sepa-
,.,.tely and by wards, each ward
FEetting its special fund.
Five years ago, before the tax
was voted, the school finances Of
this parish. were in poor shape.
Poor teachers had tobe employed
and the term throughout the
parish averaged little more than
three months. Most schools now
run from six to nine months each
year. Where second and third
grade teachers were formerly
employed, frst-grade teachers
are now placed. During the past
year there were more first grade
teachers employed than there
we're second and third grade
teachers together.
A tax for school purposes is
the best investment the people
can make. 4 boy or girl Who
starts into life now without the
advantages of a good education
is handicapped snd must strug-
gle with Odds that are over
Ewhelming,. The one thing that a
parent can leave to his child that
can never be taken from him is
an educarior. All good citizens
realize this fact.
A special tax of five mills fer
school purposes fall heavily on no
one person, and yet will yield a
considerable revenue for an en-
tire ward. Divide the assessed
value Of your phoperty by 200
and you will have the number of
dollars you will have to pay each
'yaar for schools and public edu-
cation. There is not a man in
the parish who cannot afford to
pay this small amount into an
institution which is the backbone
Of our American civilization. If
d man has no children to edu-
cate, if he hasno grandchildren in
the public schools, he must sure.
~ be interested in the future
welfare of his neighbors children
and in the progress of his state
and nation. Besides this, the
value Of his property is increased
ii there is a good school within
reach. What is a community
without a school? It behooves
our people to assert their indy,
ing belief in the public school as
our most valuable institution by
voting solidly and unanimously in
favor sof the school tax.
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