The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1913-12-18
THE COUNTY
SHOULD PAY
FOR HIGH SCHOOL PRIVILEGES
Is Contention Of Two Contributions in
Answer to High School
Question

Editor Glacier: In your last weeks
issue Tax Payer" tells us that Hood
River school district is carrying out.
side high school pupils at a consider
able loss and concludes with the ques-
tion. who should pay the cost?"
| believe it is fact that there are
some families who really live in the
country, move Into the city principally
for school advantages. II they move
in before November rs. their children,
over four and under 20 years of age.
are enumerated in the town district
and consequently this district draws
the public school funds, amounting an
nually to little more than SO. Some
of these pay no taxes in the city dis.
trict at all, and the district is taking
care of them at very heavy loss.
TAX Payer did not comment on these
Then there are those who move in and
pay the $50 tuition, which is also at
considerable loss to the district, and in
addition to these there are few who
come that are unable to pay any tut
tion.
There are three ways by which this
could be overcome and the item of
expense equalized. am not, at the
present time. going to say which is the
best plan, but briefly outline each and
see II We can get together on some-
thing that will be better.
One method would be the creation of
a county high school fund, another by
forming union high school and still
another by uniting all the school dis
tricts oPthe Lower Valley into one dis
triet for all purposes.
In order to create a county high
school fund 1t would be necessary
for the county court TO submit to the
voters of the county at general elec-
tlon. or special election called for
that purpose, the question of creating
a county high school ofund and allow
them to vote upon it. If favorable
vote resulted then the fund would be
under control of board composed of
the county court. the county treasurer
and the county superintendent. This
board would have power to contract
with any high school in the county for
the attendance of any and all high
school pupils in the county. The board
must, annually, furnish the. county
court an estimate of the necessary ex-
penses for the purpose of carrying on
the work and the court make the nec-
essary levy. The county high SCHOOL
fund may be discontinued in the same
manner as it is created.
A union high school may be created
by uniting two or more districts for
high school purposes. This is done by
a petition from each district to the
district boundary0board nd the bound
aryo board citing the various districts
to ballot upon the question. The board
of control is made up OF a member se-
lected by each district. The board has
authority to levy tax upon all the
taxable property Of the union district
to be collected in the same manner as
other taxes.
Under the last named plan, the dis.
trict boundary board could unite the
several districts into one, upon the pc
tition of voters presented to that body.
This would unite them for all purposes
and would be under board OF five di-
rectors elected by the voters. In other
words, it would make district of the
first class. giving several privileges
not given to other districts.
G. ID. Thompson,
County Supt.