The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-01-11

homes; and, last but not least, it
would add much to the selling value
of your property.
Most of the people of Oakland would
! appreciate good street lights. On the
dark nights of late the Oakland citi-
zen, who has dared to venture forth
at all, has been obliged to grope his
way about the town with the aid of
his trusty lantern. or else has run the
risk of frequently departing from the
straight and narrow path (walks).
How many Topeka people come down
into Oakland on any of its many dark
nights? Well. only a few and they do
not come back many times. Can you
blame them?
Question for the Women.
Neighbors, why should we endure
this, when by becoming a part of the
! city of Topeka we can secure street
lishts-and lower taxes along with
them-and also a chance to safely ven
ture forth any night in the year with
out the aid Of a lantern. Ladies of
Oakland this is matter that ought
To appeal to you even more than it
does to the men. Are you not tired of
staying at home of evenings just be-
cause it Is too dark along the streets
for a lady to safely venture forth
alone? Do you not think that your
girls. and boys too, would be better
protected from vice and harm than
they now are, if Oakland had electric
street lights?
Now for a few words regarding the
schools systems of the two cities. How
many out of the eight (S) years since
oakland was incorporated has It had a
lower school tax than Topeka? Well they
are hardly worth mentioning. Do YOU re-
aIize that the Oakland school district mas
been paying the highest tax of any dis
since away back before the flood? Those
are the facts in the case. 1t is also a
fact well worth bearing in mind. that the
Oakland school district tax rate for 1872
was Just twenty-nine (29) cents higher On
each $4,000 assessed valuation than that
of any other school district in Shawnee
county, and it was thirty-nine $3.50 cents
higher than the Topeka board of educa-
ton levy.
Comparison of School Systems.
What special Significance should the
foregoing facts and figures have for the
Oakland taxpayers, and more especially
for the patrons of the Oakland schools.
In the first place, and primarily at that,
they should mean that the Oakland school
system is better than is the Topeka school
system. Secondly, they should mean that
the Oakland school buildings are better
built and better equipped buildings than
are the Topeka school buildings. Thirdly,
they should mean that the Oakland
schools, because of the significance of
the first and second propositions, are
widely known and are held up by those
high in educational work as being the
models for the other cities of the state
to pattern after.
Did anyone ever whisper to you that
any one or all of the three foregoing pro-
positions Were true? Is it not a widely
recognized fact that just the opposite sit !
uation now prevails, and always has? |
Why then should Oakland property own |
erS all these years have paid a higher |
school tax than have Topeka property |
owners? That is an unsolved mystery to |
me. 1t must either be because of the |
thick medicines of majority of the |
Oakland citizens, or else because of their |
almost criminal disregard of the future |
welfare and happiness of thei< children. |
You Home Guards of Oakland who !
argue that the Oakland schools equip its |
scholars with a far better ''schooIin' - than |
you ever got do you realize that the Oek-
land scholar who goes forth into fhc |
present day business life to earn a living
for himself and for those who may be
dependent upon him, equipped with the
best education that the Oakland school
can give him, is not well equipped to
make a success in life as you were years
ago when you commenced to paddle your |
own canoe? Do you want your children
and grandchildren to be ditch diggers and
street corner loafers? If not, then why
not vote to give your children, and other
peoples children in Oakland. the advant-
ages of the splendid Topeka school sys-
tenn. |
Oakland voter. when you go to the polls
on January %, to vote the question of |
whether or not Oakland shall become a !
part of Topeka be sure to remember that
the best interests of yours and yot.r
nelghbors children are at stake Vote
for their best interests
H. V. CLAYTON