Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1913-09-11
course. temporarily cheaper.


course, temporarily cheaper.
In Harlem the average total tax,
including the school tax, is
about $37.75 on each 160 acres. Be-
fore consolidation the average to-
tai tax on the same acreage was
$3.50, thus making a yearly i'm
crease of $12.25 in taxes on each
quarter section due to increased
school expense. To balance this
increased tax the land has appre-
ciated in value about $40. an a.
ere since the school started and ad-
jacent to the building much great
er enhancement of value is record
ed. To prove these statements
dt is only necessary to state
that the total assessed yal-
uation of the district is now $10O,
600 more than when consolidation
was adopted.
In order to ascertain whether
the taxpayers considered the school
a burden an investigation was made
to see how we'll the school is pleas
ing it's patrons. In one single in
stance there was a hint of dissat-
isfaction, but practically all the or
iginal opposition has vanished. One
man who opposed the school vig-
orously during it's first year now
says his children would attend
school at Harlem night and day if
it were allowable. Sixteen men re-
fused to petition for the consoli-
dation in the beginning. Now
there may be found only possible
three who are opposed to the
Harlem school. The high-schooi pu-
pills are boosters for their school
and good reason they have for be-
ing SO. 1t was found upon inquiry
that for half OF them a high
school training would have been
impossible except for Harlem. They
were unanimous in preferring Har,
lem to the Rockford High School
When asked the reasons for this
preference some said that Harlem
was cheaper, Others that it sup.
piled better course of study fol
farm life, and still others that they
could stay at home all the time
Each member Of the class had al
some time attended the old district
eschcols and the verdict was laugh.
ingly given in favor Of Harlem, i'm
plying that really there was no ba
sis of comparison.
ITO the question, What do yor
the district sohool?" they an
swered: Athletic, manual training
agriculture, sewing, cooking. high
er mathematics, music, band prac
tice and social life"
..Such a school as Harlem Consol
idated cannot but have leavenina
effect on both young and old O
any community. Our problem of ru
raj education is not merely loca
and applicable to certain conditions
neither ds it peculiarly easy of SO
tuition in some few places and hope
4 less OF solution else where. Tht
problem of educating the countr.
child is nationwide and ma,
! be successfully worked out wher
ever the people are earnest in ed
uoaticnal matters and are willins
TO make a small temporary sacritic
of money to avoid a perman ent an,
appalling sacrifice of ife's perquis
i ites in TIE young.
4 When the cid order is cahnge'
completely in our various loealitte
and we see our boys and girls O
the country getting four-year
II I,ligh-school course not in "a cit
| school in tie country but in
country school in the country
when we see the enthusiasm, TIL
thoroughness the social matur
of the new way of consoli idation
when we clearly comprehend t.
educati onal debt we owe our farme
children-then, ! say. we shal
marvel at our tolerance of the oil
Il order Of education"