Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1916-09-30
INEQUALITIES IN
HEEDUCAT|ONAL
funds ALLEGED
State Board of Education
Points Out Defects in the
Taxation System for Edu-
cational Purposes.

Gros~ Inequalities in the educational
funds of counties and school districts
and in their expenditure for school pur-
poses, showing extravaganza and waste
in some places and poverty and desti-
tuition in others, while over go per cent
Of the total burden is borne by district
levies. is called to the attention of the
public in the bulletin issued by the
state department Of education for pub
LEGATION. This bulletin takes up the
report of DIR. e. o. Sisson, commits
sioner OF education, showing the bulk
of the load is carried by the school dis
trict making the smallest and most I'M
even tax unit in the educational sys-
tenn.
Some of the most striking defects
are these; says the report:
THE amount OF taxable property In
a rural district with one teacher ranges
from a maximum of $2.829,O91 down to
q minimum of less than $1,000. The
average amount Of taxable property
per child OF school age in the counties
varies from over $1,000 to under $1,000.
The annual expenditure for a one-room
rural school varies from $2700, which
Is surely too much, to S157, which Is
certainly too little.
Many districts levy the full legal
maximum from 10 to IA mills and are
still hard up; others have too much
when they levy half a mill. Under
the present laws many districts, in
GLIDING some with hundreds of pupils,
are compelled to break the law; they
must either (D default on the legal
minimum term OF school, or (2) exceed
the legal limit of school tax. or go in
cur illegal deficiencies.
This Is in the very briefest form the
problem which the state board of edu-
cation, and others interested in schools,
are trying to solve. The board is ear
nestly seeking a plan of relief for these
conditions. They are considering in
particular the method of meeting part
of the cost of schools by state levy.
The matter will be dealt with further
at the November meeting.
1.-THE state department Of education
has for many months been promoting
a. movement for the study Of Idaho his
tory in the schools. Glasses in Idaho
history were conducted In all of the
state summer schools this year and
aroused great interest. Many of the
leading men and women of the state
are encouraging the movement. The
state board of education decided at this
meeting upon the use Of a school his
tory of Idaho as soon as a suitable one
can be obtained.
PROVISION FOR Predetermined.
This problem Is as yet unsolved IN
Idaho. Feeble minded and defective
children and adults are scattered
throughout the state-in homes, the
schools, and on the streets; the worst
cases are usually consigned to the in
sane hospitals, where of course, they
do not belong. A certain proportion
get into the state industrial training
school. The most serious fact is that
feeble mindedness and related defects
are strongly hereditary, and the de-
fectives, when left at large, are terri
bly, prolific Thus constant stream OF
the socially unfit is kept up. The de-
partment of education receives many
calls for help in this matter. but can
not offer anything effective.
THE state boari of education deter
mined at this meeting to urge the legis-
lature at the coming session to make
provision for the care OF the feeble
minded, and in particular to plan the
institution in such a way as to pre-
vent further propagation of the men,
tally defective.
INSURANCE.
Last February an increase OF ap.
proximately 40 per cent in the fire in
surance rates on the state education
al institution properties was arbitrar-
lily made by the board of fire under
writer's of the Pacific.
Being determined to get the formei
favorable rates established the state
board of education, during a periot
when little insurance was expiring
discontinued renewing its policies; a
the same time making a number o
minor improvements in fire protection
"As a result of these actions and tn,
negotiations conducted by the business
agent with the board of fire underwrit
ers, a new and better form Of covering
with rates per cent lower than th'
most favorable previous rates, wa
agreed upon at the last meeting of thu
state board of education. BY this ar
rangement large saving is made II
the total cost of insurance, 10000 ad
ditional insurance is secured, and ap
proximately 100000 greater protection
is provided by reason of the re-distri
button so that no property is over-in
sured.