Mexico weekly ledger., 1913-05-22
NEW SCHOOL LAWS PASSED
nAk AcH EGIcI ATlIR

BY LAST LEGISLATURE.
The last (Forty.seventh) General
Assembly passed a large number
of important school laws. These laws
in five or six years will make great
Improvement in the public schools of
Missouri. These laws were aimed
mainly to help the rural schools.
which are admitted to be the most
neglected part Of our system. Some
of the defects in rural schools can
not be remedied by legislation. Two
hundred and fifty Of the largest
towns and cities in Missouri pay a
Ia ate that averages $1.13 on the
500 assessed valuation for school
purposes while the average rate
in the rural schools is only SO cents
on the $10O valuation. AS property
is assessed at lower per cent Of
its actual value in the country than
in the cities, the difference is much
greater than 1t appears to be. If
the rate of taxes were based on the
actual value of the property, the
city rate for school purposes would
be fully three times the country
rate. That is, the citis are doing
locally three times as much for the
education OF their children as the
country. Under the new laws the
State itself would be doing more for
the country schools than for the city
schools, were it not for the fact that
tie Constitution places the maximum
rate OF levy for school purposes in
the country at 65 cents on the 500
assessed valuation. and thus handi-
caps these schools in their local sup
port.
! one Of the most important laws
passed was the Carter-Brydon Law
which guarantees to every rural
school an 8 months term Of school
provided it levies the constitutions
limit for school purposes and sends
its children regularly to school. This
law is destined to help several hun
dred schools. 1t grants $f0O specta
aid to each district, If needed t
have s months of school. Th'
aid under this law can be secured
this year, If the application is mad
on or before June s0th.
The WiIson-McRob High Schoo
Aid Law grants from 5000 to $500 +
weak high schools. This law reache
the struggling high schools in tn
small towns. 1t will this year hel
from 200 to 800 high schools.
, The Crossley- -Snodgrass Law PR
vides for Teacher-Training Course
in high schools to prepare teacher
= for the rural schools and grants $50
state aid to schools that do thi
work. This law will reach from rs
i, 100 schools.
Another good law is the Bufor'
CoIley Law on Consolidation and Ru
al High Schools. This law will
!, few years take high school inf
: every community in the state. II
State aids in the maintenance of Il
: country high schools and in the ere
!, tion of the buildings. Many regal
!, this as the most important scho
. law passed.
The Crossley-orr Free Textbo'
: Law empowers each school ) distri
to own its textbooks and furnisl
!. them free to pupils. 1t grants
= school districts SO doing their ?
rata of the county foreign insl
!, ance tax moneys. which will abe
\ maintain free textbook system
ter the initial cost has been met.
Another good law is the II
= lor Law, providing for an Annual Q
vention of the school directors and
:. ficers in each county.
The Kinney School Age Limit l.
- is of great value to the large cit
that desire to establish kindergartt
and evening schools. It does ]
affect the country districts and
small towns and does not affect
ny enumeration of school children