The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-02-10

not De made 20 exceed 20 per cent on
the present assessments, which would
bring Us probably $3.50 more than We
are receiving IL this district. This
method cannot avail Us anything with
out an amendment Of the state con-
stItution.
So far as this district is concerned,
the second method meets with the
same objections we have stated 10 the
first. II is my opinion that an
amendment TO the state constitution
Is necessary before the subschool dis
tricts can issue bonds for the purpose
81 buildings. If the amount necessary
10 pay interest on the bonds and pro-
vide for q sinking fund must be raised
by making a levy which viii increase
the milIage beyond that we now have.
There will be submitted at the next
general election, which will be held in
November of this year, an amendment
to Article MI Of the state constitution.
which if adopted will empower the
legislature to authorize special tax
school districts Ito issue bonds for the
exclusive use Of public schools within
any such special tax school district.
whenever majority Of the qualified
electors thereof. who are freeholders,
snail FDAS iIl dFOT Oh the i1S udIcC u
such bonds" BY this method. at least,
if the amendment be adopted by the
electors of the state. we may hope for
relief. if not Immediately. then within
the next two years.
The third method suggested is for
the county school board to issue
county school warrants to be used for
the purpose of paying outstanding in
Il p DT ed0eSS and erepfiOcr modern
structure. There is a law upon the
statute books of the state which au-
thorizes county boards TO adopt this
method If this can be done, it re-
mains for us TO convince our county
board of the necessity and then per-
suade the members to issue warrants
sufficient TO build a modern structure.
The fourth method suggested is to
raise the amount needed by private
/ subscription. l do not consider it
feasible to raise the entire amount by
private subscription as we would want
not less than $4,000.
\ combination of the third and
fourth methods appeals TO me as the
most practicable means of raising the
required funds, if it be decided to be-
gin the campaign a 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, a. 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, l 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 if we revert
. ed to the old private school system.
! We have shown that the average cost
| is 1888 per pupil. giving a nine
months term. We could scarcely ex-
pect to secure tuition rate of less
than 50 per month. The present sys-
tenn means, therefore, a saving of at
least SO per pupil per school year. In
! this calculation we have not taken
I 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 the wealthy par
ents.
| The environment with which the
child is surrounded in early life large
~ determines the man woman into
which it will develop. They who sit
in darkness accustom their eyes to
the dark 1t 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 selfish. non-prOduc-
tive enjoyment of those pleasures pc
cu1iar to the trained mind, but a sys-
tenn supported entirely by the public
expects the beneficiaries of its 1argess
to return to it an hundred fold. If
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 if the ideas Of
civic duty they develop be governed
by what they may deem our standard
as embodied in the present high school
building.
7 have an abiding faith in the citi-
zenry of Ocala There lies dormant in
the men and women of this commun-
lily a civic force, which, when awak-
ened, will make Of our city, not only
the city beautiful bat the city useful
=
that force is being aroused and we are
coming to realize that it 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 Womans 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. It 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 it than you
Next to the home in the shaping oil
the child's life is the school: next &c
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, viii
not long remain a 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 a 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
, " taught. but the practical ones OF