The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1914-09-17
EDUCATIONAL.
(By G. W. Meisnest.)

The follwing is letter from the L.
S. Commissioner Of Education, Mr.. T..
=. Claxton and gives new thought
for taxation for all schools, big and
little:
In view of the present great inter-
est in the adoption of the county as a
unit for the administration of the rur-
al schools, am inclosing as the first
rural letter of the new school year, an
outline Of the essentials of the County
Unit" plan. 1t seems to be the con-
sensus Of opinion on the part of lead
ing authorities in the administration
of school affairs that in all States
where the county is the unit of local
government in civil affairs it should
be also the unit of management and
support in school affairs, and that in
no State in school affairs should dis
trlct smaller than the county Or
township be recognized as an
administration unit. The preference
seems to be for the county. There are
l3 States now organized on this basis,
and from reports coming to this office
in at least 10 Others the State legisla-
lures will be asked at their next ses-
sions to adopt the county unit.
THE COUNTY UNIT.
The United States Bureau of Educa-
tion suggests the following essentials
of the COUNTY UNIT BASIS OF OR.
CARNATIONS for the admi nistra-
tion of rural schools. They result
from studies of the various regulations
in the States now organized on that
basis:
| The county the unit of taxation
and administration Of schools Except
that in administration Independent
city districts employing superin-
tendent would not be included.)
> A county school tax levie,. on all
taxable property in the county, covered
between the independent city districts
and the rest of the county on a basis of
the school population,
3 The county school funds, includ-
ing those raised by taxation and those
received from the State, expended in
such way as would as nearly as possi-
Bile insure equal educational opportun-
tiles in all parts of the county, regard
less of the amount raised in any parti-
cular part. ANY subdistrict should be
permitted to raise, by taxation Or
otherwise, additional funds TO supple
ment the county funds, provided the
subiistrict desired better school
plant, additional equipment, or more
efficient teaching force than could be
provided from the county funds,)
4 A county board of education in
which is vested the administration of
the public schools Of the county Except
those in independent city districts),
composed of from . to 9 persons, elect
ed or appointed from the county at
large; the board to be nonparusan; the
term of Office to be at least five years,
and the terms arranged SO that not
more than one-iifth would expire in
any one year.
$ A county superintendent of schools
professional educator, selected by the
county board of education, from within
or without the county or State, for a
long term lat least two years., who
shall serve as the secretary and eXecu-
tive officer of the county board and as
such be the recognized head of the
public schools in the county Except
those in independent city districts.l
& District trustees H. each subdis-
trict of the county, one or more per-
sons, elected by the voters of the dis
trct or selected by the county board;
to be custodians Of the school property
and to serve in an advisory capacity to
the county board. The expenditures
OF local FUNDS raised by the subdistrict
would rest with the trustees subject to
the approval of the county board.