The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1912-02-16


sufficient to build modern structure.
The fourth method suggested Is 20
raise the amount needed by private
subscription. do not consider n
feasible to raise the entire amount by
private subscription as we would want
mot less than $4,000.
A combination OF the third and
fourth methods appeals to me as the
most practicable means OF raising the
required funds. II 1t be decided TO be-
gin the campaign at once. 1t may be
possible to persuade the county school
board to issue warrants in a sum equal
to twice the amount raised by private
subscription. 1t will be very little
trouble to negotiate the warrants at
par, as they would bear interest at not
less than six per cent.
To those OF our citizens who COM
plain that our school funds are not be-
ing economically administered, want
to call attention to the fact that the
average cost per pupil in Marion
county is less under our public school
system than it would be IL we revert
ed to the old private school system.
We have shown that the average cost
is sS.3S per pupil. giving a nine
months term. We could scarcely ex-
pect to secure a tuition rate OF less
than So per month. The present sys-
tenn means, therefore, a saving OF at
least $40 per pupil per school year. In
this calculation we have not taken
into consideration the vast number OF
parents who could not educate their
children under the tuition system. but
who, under the public school system.
can avail themselves of the benefits
in like manner as the wealthy par
ents.
The environment with which the
child is surrounded in early life large
ly determines the man or woman into
which 1t will develop. They who sit
in darkness accustom their eyes to
the dark It is not the purpose of our
public educational system to educate
men and women that they may make
their bread merely, or that they may
acquire a degree of culture to enable
them to secure a selfish, non-produc-
tive enjoyment of those pleasures pc
culiar to the trained mind, but a sys-
tenn supported entirely by the public
expects the benefciaries of its largess
to return to it an hundred-fold. II
we house the children of our commun-
ity in an inadequate building. not in
keeping with the other public build
ings and out of harmony with the
other improvements in the city, we
must not be surprised IL the ideas OF
civic duty they develop be governed
by what they may deem our standard
as embodied in the present high school
building.
I have an abiding faith in the citi-
zenry Of Ocala. There lies dormant in
the men and women of this commun-
ity civic force, which, when awak-
ened, will make of our city. not only
the city beautiful but the city useful.
Of this great state. In some OF US
that force is being aroused and we are
coming to realize that 1t is not all OF
life to labor for our own selfish ends.
unmindful Of our fellows and the
larger good. At the present time.
there is only one real live, energetic
civic organization in Ocala and that
is your Woman's Club. Much that has
been accomplished for the city's good
since your club was organized has
been directly due to your efforts and
much yet to be accomplished depends
upon you. 1t is through you that
your fathers, husbands. brothers and
sons are to be aroused. The task Is
ready at hand and I know OF none
more able to grapple with 1t than you.
Next to the home in the shaping OF
the child's life is the school: next to
the mothers influence Is the teachers.
A city of beautiful homes will not
long remain a city without beautiful
school buildings; a city whose pride
is its happy, comfortable homes, will
not long remain city without a mod
ern school structure. Dip with me
into the future, not far as human eye
can see, but scarce a score Of months.
and we will be defeating to the cause
of education modern building. ade-
quate to the needs of a growing and
prosperous city, capable of housing
comfortably the children OF a civic
awakened community. within whose
walls there will be taught not only
the cultural branches now so efficient
ly taught, but the practical ones OF
manual training and domestic science
Ia building at once the city's pride
and your glory. Il w. Duval.