The log cabin Democrat. [volume] (Conway, Ark.) 1908-current, 1916-01-07
Will PAY EXTRA
TAX Of 5 MILLS
MASS MEETING IS HELD
BY UNANIMOUS VOTE TAX.
PAYERS COME TO RELIEF
OF SCHOOL.

NiliHehS VI conway VIII meet with
characteristic liberality and patrio-
tIsm the emergency arising in the
financial condition of her school
system if the spirit of mass meet
! ing held at the public school auditori
um last night is a true index to the
sentiment of the whole people.
BY unanimous vote, on which
everyone present rose to his feet, it
was decided last night to pay an ad-
dltlonal voluntary tax of five mills on
the dollar of assessed valuation of
property in the district in order to
prevent the closing or Gripping of
the school.
Despite an incessant rain "a repre-
sentative audience of about 100 citi-
izens, including some of the largest as
well as some of the smallest tax
payers was present at last night S
meeting, which was called by the
board of directors to consider the
pressing financial problem with which
the school was confronted.
After the emeting had been called
to order by President d. O. Harton of
the school board and an invocation by
Dr.. F. S. H. Johnston, r. w. Robins,
secretary of the board, presented a
statement of the finances of the dis
trict, and stated that the point had
been reached where the banks would
not longer carry the warrants for
teachers salaries and other expenses
unless additional revenue could be
provided, The figures presented by
Mr.. Robins have already been pub
lished in the Log Cabin Democrat,
with the exception that a more care
full inspection of the county tax
books made yesterday afternoon,
showed that the decrease in assess
ment for 1915 was not nearly so
great as was at first estimated, GER
tain property having been omitted
from the tentative statement given
out when the assessment was COM
pleted last summer. The total as
sessed value of real and personal
property in the district, according to
figures compiled by County Clerk j..
A. Lea yesterday, is $1,132,42S for
1915, as compared with $1,151,38 in
1914, loss of $19,906, and at seven
mills on the dollar, loss of only
$132.72 to the district this year.
The boards statement, however,
showed that it would be impossible to
operate the schools as they are now
o,r,,,;,oJ and c,,br,;++oJ +h,+ - would
be necessary either to make drastic
cuts in the grades and length of
term close the school altogether for
at least one year or raise additional
revenue.
State Superintendent George B..
Cook was called on for a talk and he
stated that the condition of the Con-
way district was not at all unusual
in this state, but was the rule rather
than the exception He urged the
schools, but to rise to the emergency
and raise funds to continue them at
their present efficiency
Superintendent D.. l.. Paisley of
Argenta, the first superintendent of
the Conway schools, said that love
for Conway mad prompted him with
out invitation, upon learning of the
dilemma of the local district, to come
and see if he could be of service. He
said there was no indication of eX-
travagance in the management of the
Conway system, but on the contrary
the teachers were nearly all receiv
ing from $50 to $35 per month less
than they could obtain elsewhere.
He expressed confidence in the people
of Conway and urged that nothing
be done to impair the splendid sys-
tenn organized here.
Scouting the suggestion that Con-
way people would permit their public
schools to oe crippled or closed for
the need of comparatively small
sum of money, DR.. j. H. Reynolds
said that the only question before the
meeting was what means should be
adopted to raise the necessary money.
81 believe the extra five mills tax will
be the best plan,' DR.. Reynolds said,
"and to adopt it will be the biggest
boost Conway has ever had-and she
has had some big ones"
County Judge j. w. Holt was loud
ly applauded when he declared that
Conway people, almost without ex-
ception, would be willing to pay the
extra tax rather than hurt their