St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1913-08-02
Communication.
st. Landry Clarion:

School Board of this parish from
this ward, and in view of certain
criticism regarding the action of
the School Board in calling an
election on August 14th. 1913,
asking the people to vote a par
ish wide three mill tax for school
maintenance purposes; | feel it
my duty to explain my position
in the premises.
The total anticipated revenues
of the School Board from all
sources, Parish and State as will
be noted from the published re-
port of the Finance Committee
of the School Board, and from
the published budget adopted by
the School Board and furnished
by the Finance Committee, after
eliminating many expenses
which the Board had last session
will only be sufficient to run all
the Schools of the Parish for a
term of seven months.
The attendance at our schools
has increased wonderfully in the
past few years, and the standard
prescribed by the State Board of
Education which the Superin-
tendent has to follow in the en-
ployment of teachers has increas-
ed the cost of our School System
to a considerable extent; teach
ers who hold certificates as pre-
scribed by the State Board
necessarily command a salary
CONSTANT with their ability, and
the standard of our schools has
profited correspondingly.
While many of our local teach
ers from this parish have fitted
themselves for work in our
schools and command respectable
salaries they have been put to
some expense In obtaining GER
tificates by attending the several
Normal Summer Schools located
throughout the State. While
there are quite a number who
have done this there is not a
sufficient number to fill our
schools, and il is for this reason
that the Superintendent has to
60 away from home to supply
strange teachers for our schools.
It is very regretable that this
condition exists for there is no
question that a home teacher
properly qualified can accomplish
much more in our rural schools
in every way than a teacher
from our Northern States.
Another reason why our young
women should teach our schools
is that their religious views are
more in accord with our people
than those Of strangers.
While the Superintendent and
the Board has been criticised in
the selection of teachers, | per-
sonally know that it is not de-
served. The Superintendent has
given the preference in every
case to our home and Louisiana
teachers where the ability and
experience of the teacher en-
ployed warranted.
While | appreciate local con-
ditlons that our ward is heavily
laden with taxation, the only
solution to the matter of a full
nine months school term is
more funds, and the only source
by which more funds were to be
obtained was by more taxes.
The Police Jury Of the Parish
can do no more for the School
Board than they are now doing, /
and there is no hope for increas-
ed State aid, SO the only remedy
to the situation is the voting of a
tax for school maintenance pur-
posed. Some parishes in the
State have already done this,
and two wards in our Parish
have also done this, but it may
be that conditions are different
than in our ward.
This question of this additional
tax was not advocated by School
Board members from the First
Ward, but more so from our
Country ward members.
The City of 0pelousas has al
responded nobly in supply
the necessary funds for con-
tinuing our High School a full
term, thereby emitting our High
School to the State appropriation
for High Schools. Several Of
our other towns in the Parish
where a High School is located
have done the same.
The School Board members of
the First Ward are not against
this movement but were content
TO vote with their colleagues for
the election, and if the people of
their ward and the Parish see fit
TO vote this tax at this time it'll
will enable them to more proper
y carry out the work that they
nave undertaken in behalf of the
PEOPLE who have elected them to
represent them in this work. !,
But as a member elected to
'erve six years I would to see
he Board have the nrnner fnan-