The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1913-12-25
.FAVORS ABANDONMENT
OF HIGH SCHOOL
Declares 1t Necessary in Order
to Reduce Excessive
Tax Rate.

Editor Index:
In looking over my tax notice
find the total valuation to be S2887. SO
for taxation. My total taxes are
$81.93; out of this 1915 special road,
| $3l.76 to the state and county, and
the balance Of $40.42 went to the
Emmett schools.
1t seems to me that the state and
county taxes are exceedingly high,
beyond what they should be if the
affairs of the state and county were
conducted in as economical a manner
as they ought to be, and in this dis
cussion Of tax matters, we cannot
agree entirely with some state off
Gals that the local taxing boards are
the ones to blame. However, the mat
ter which we desire to discuss here
is the amount of money represented
in my tax that goes to the school,
namely $40.42, or nearly half of my
entire tax.
This seems heavy tax and while
we do not doubt but that this money
is used to the best advantage posi-
BILE by the board of education, yet it |
seems to me that there might be some
way of cutting down the expense, and |
the question naturally arises where
and how will this curtailing of ex-
penses be done?
We have made some inquiry and |
find that the expense cannot be made |
in lowering the teachers wages, for
they are already as low and, in fact,
lower than is paid generally through !
the state, lower than many of the
country districts in the vicinity pay
their teachers. Nor would it be pos
sible to reduce the number of teach
ers without impairing the efficiency
of the schools if it is desired to keep
them up to their present high stand
ard The only teachers who have not
a full number of children are the
teachers in the outside-of- town
and we are sure that we do
not want to do away with these
even though they are costing
us somewhat out of proportion to
the number of pupils in attendance
In equipment of our schools we are
not superior, or in fact the equal, of
most schools in the state with our
Here is not place of ex-
pense, anyway. The principal sources
IF expense are teachers wages, jan
tors, fuel, books and interest on
ponds. A small reduction might be
made in dispensing with a superin-
.endent, but school without guide
would be like a ship without rud-
Ter and likely to go upon the rocks.
Besides, a reduction like this would
lot be noticed in your tax receipt;
t wouldn't change it mill, and what
We are looking for is a reduction that
will reduce If you will look at the
bove sources of expenses you will
Iardly find place for making cut
hat will make an appreciable differ
nee in reducing the tax rate.
What then can be done? There
re two proposals that have been
made: First, reduce the school to
light months, and second, do away
nth the three upper grades in the
Iigh school. The first might have
ONE effect in reducing the expense,
ut not a great deal, as the teachers
-ould no doubt demand an increase
i wages to equal nine months
srm. However, we think this would
e an aid in the direction of lower
,g the taxes and might be recon-
lended to the board.
The second proposal, we feel sure,
ould reduce the expense some one
fth to one-fourth. The great ma
,rity of children do not go beyond
he Ninth grade and it hardly seems
,ir to tax the whole community for
lie few who enter High school and
,mplete the course. When an in
vidual finds that he can't afford
,ything, he gets along without it.
nd we think that we are at about
lat place-we can't afford it. What
, you think about it, Mr.. Taxpayer?
TAXPAYER.