The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1914-01-08
BUTLER COMMENTS
ON SCHOOL PROBLEMS
Hood River, Ore, Jan. 6. lsl4.

signed. "A Mother" in last weeks
paper struck responsive chord in me.
! was present at the annual school
meeting and had exactly the feeling
expressed by this mother when our
city superintendent asked one Of those
present to move from the middle of the
room on account of a weakened floor.
If there was the slightest reason for
this action on the part of Mr.. Nc
Laughlin, that floor should be repaired
and made perfectly safe for our chill
dren without days delay.
| also agree with this correspondent
that the Park street school should be
replaced by more modern building as
soon as possible. although we are as
sured by the directors of the district
that the defective furnaces which
caused the fires few months ago
have been replaced with new ones and
that other changes have been made,
rendering this building as safe from
flres as the average frame school
house.
| ON not, however. in full accord
with the unqualified endorsement
which this good mother gives to the
recent letter written by my friend. Mr..
l.. N. Blowervs, although Mr.. Blowers
does say some very good things. In
the first place, il is misleading to speak
of the building that was approved at
the school meeting as a gymnasium,
leaving the impression that the $40, 0O0
or as much thereof as the directors
may approve, be used solely for the
purpose of furnishing exercise and
amusment for the pupils of the high
school; when in fact il is proposed 10
erect and equip building suitable for
domestic science, manual training and
gymnasium purposes.
1t is well known that some of the
best results that are being obtained in
any Of the branches of present day
public school work are coming from
domestic science and manual training
departments in other cities where Il
has been found profitable to invest
large sums in this part Of the school
work.
| fear that some of US do not realize
that there are many mothers in this
district who would like for their
daughters to have training in the vari-
Gus lines that would make them capable
and efficient housewives and many
fathers who would gladly send their
sons into the world with fair knowl.
edge of some useful trade.
Now as to the taxes, the assessed
valuation of the property in school
district No. 3 is 81, 7S7, 1926 and the
bonded Indebtedness is about $40, 900.
Surely no one will seriously contend
that our indebtedness is so great that
we cannot do whatever is necessary
within reason to bring our school sys-
tenn up to such standard that it will
not suffer by comparison with other
cities in the eyes of any desirable fam
lilies that are seeking a home in the
northwest.
For example, if it should appear
that, say $43, 600 could be used to ad-
vantage in replacing Park school and
giving US other needed improvements,
the interest on this amount would cost
each of US rs cents a year for each
thousand dollars Of our assessed valua-
tion. The man and wife of limited
means whose property consists of lit
tie home worth say $500 and assessed
at $1,000, would have his taxes in
creased just SO cents a year for ten
years, after which he would have an
additional tax to retire the principal in
ten annual payments; but the addi-
tional tax should not be an unreason.
able burden for the reason that the
least optimistic of us are anticipating
some increase in our population in 10
years ana the obligation will be pro.
rated among the entire taxpaying pop
ulation at that time.
The point particularly want to
make clear is that the parents, of lin
tied means, when the tmatter is put
squarely before them, will willingly
pay the small amount necessary to
give their children the training they
should have to cope with present times
and conditions, so that no appeal for
sympathy for the small overburdened
taxpayer should enter into this dis
cussion.
The fact is that the objection will
probably come from larger taxpayers
and wish to leave with them this
thought. Unless we watch ourselves
very carefully whenever we 90 through
period OF depression or are seized
with a desire to economize, the first
thing we do is to cut down our church
subscriptions, reduce our allowance for
charity and benevolence, lose interest
in our efforts for schools and libraries
and in general to do those things which
will lower rather than raise our stand
ard OF citizenship. | do not wish to
advocate extravaganza or waste in any
line and all the traditions that sur
round my business point straight to
conservatism and economy, but would
it not be better for us to keep all the
lines of endeavor that tend to upbuild
the mental and moral fiber of the CON-
munity and retrench when necessary
along other lines?
Pardon this long letter. It's my
very first otfense and it will probably
be my last for long time.
Truman Butler.
P. S. In justice to Mr.. Mclaughlin
and the school board, | am pleased to
add that MIR. Mclaughlin now tells me
that the defective floor is having at
tention and that 1t will Immediately be
-.