St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1916-12-06

Plan of Redistribution.
1t was finally determined that for
the current year the fund should be
disposed Of as follows
/. The sum of $1.151.59 to be de-
Quoted and retained to meet EN- orgen-
cies, including a few unsettled claims.
2. The remainder, amounting to
s93,OO602, to be distributed among
the several cities and towns according
to the following plant
a. A sum amounting to $24,896.63
to he divided according to the eXpen-
ditures of the towns for new school
buildings and additions and repairs on
school properties.
b. The balance, amounting to $67,-
1901, to be distributed among the
towns according TO their expenditures
for current school expenses.
Towns Getting Money Back.
This distribution is now in progress.
OF the 246 cities and towns in the
state, over 200 will share in it. The
remainder will not because, in apply
ing the methods of distribution out
lined, the state board of education
took steps to insure that the recipi-
ents should be entitled to state aid by
reason of certain degrees of effort on
their own part. Thus with respect to
expenditures on school properties it
was provided that towns should re-
ceive back one-half of their OUTLAWS
between the sums of $500 and $500,
in excess of $500. A town expanding
5000 would receive 5000; one expend-
ing $500, $500. The maximum was
fixed in order to prevent large
amounts going to a few towns, thus
saving the fund for a more general
distribution. And with respect to ex-
pcnditures for current school expens-
es the division is limited to towns and
districts whose average tax rate for
this purpose for the past four years
has been 60 cents on the dollar or
more. Above so cents an ascending
scale was adopted; the higher the To-
cal tax, the larger the towns proper
tomato snare. 1t is practical applica-
ton of the maxim, God helps those
who help themselves" Towns that
made a visible effort to improve their
school properties and to maintain
their schools at a proper standard are
recognized by the state.
Aid for New School Buildings.
A word further regarding the aid
extended on account of new school
buildings and repairs. This is an in
noVation. An old law, now repealed.
permitted districts to iealiZe-in GER
tain cases large sums-for repairs or
improvements on existing school
buildings. To avail themselves of it,
districts have even made their archi-
tectural plans conform with some alb
normal results. The state board of
education feels that proper OUTLAWS for
the improvement of school plants
should be encouraged, and it takes
this way to incite as many towns as
possible, especially rural towns, to
make such outlays, atsleast to the ex-
tent of a few hundred dollars.
The reports made to the commits
sioner of education show that While
most towns have taken reasonable
care of their school buildings. and not
q few have taxed themselves heavily
for new buildings and improvements,
others have apparently been negligent
An essential factor in having good
schools is to have good school proper
ties. The state has little direct con-
troll over this matter. but through
such stimulus as may be given under
the distribution plan described it IS
hoped something desirable may be ac-
complished.