Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-07-11
The Key to Our School Problem

The Key to Our School Problem.
The broadest and soundest plan yet advanced for
meeting Georgia's educational needs is the pro-
posed Constitutional amendment requiring each
county to levy local for the support of local
schools and also setting apart, for common school
fund.- fixed percentage of the general taxes of
the State. This plan goes to the heart of our
school problems in that it offers just and ade-
quate system of school finance. The present lack
of such a system is the gravesJ handicap to Geor
gas educational progress. Our urgent need of
schools, better school and longer school
terms, of more teachers and fairer salaries for
Them of free text books and compulsory attend
ance all point to the stubbornly practical question
how can we get the money to provide them?
North Dakota spends 1892 per capita for the
support of the common schools; Minnesota, 1888;
Nebraska, $50; Oregon, $3.50. Georgia spends
only $1.9S How can account for this discred-
liable showing on the part of a Commonwealth
that is so blest with resources and prosperity?
The explanation lies mainly in the fact that while
for the country at large nearly eighty per cent OF
the school fund is raised by local taxation, in
Georgia. less than forty per cent is thus raised In
recent years seventy-two counties of this State
have received from State appropriations for school
purposes than they paid into the State
have adopted a system of local taxation for the
maintenance of their schools. Seven counties &C
cording to the 1914 report, contributed more than
one-third of the entire State school fund. Not
until this condition is changed, not until each
county meets it's school obligations by supplement-
ing State aid with sef-help, can Georgia deal
Justly with its seven hundred thousand school
children and take due rank in the nations educa-
tional advance.
ell fbo heir
duty in this respect Georgias school fund would
be amply sufficient to establish excellent schools
throughout the State, to lengthen the average
school term to seven nine months where it is
now only hundred and forty days, amply sufi-
cient to pay the teachers promptly and well, amply
sufficient to see that there a desk for every
child and a child for every desk. Our State fund
for the common schools is comparatively liberal.
Ranked by this standard, Georgia stands eleventh
among all the States. But in county funds for
school maintenance it stands thirty-1fth; and in
its percentage of local funds to State funds forty
sixth Little wonder are far behind other
and poorer States in per capita expenditure for
education.
DR.. Joseph S. Stewart, of the University of
Georgia who is an eminent authority on this sub
ject, aptly observes:
Elsewhere the responsibility of the
school is placed primarily upon the local area,
mented by the State funds. In one hundred
and sixteen Georgia counties the burden is
largely upon the State, with the exception of
the towns and a few districts in the counties
The other States say the local area "shall'
levy a school tax. Georgia says the local
area "may," if two-thirds of the qualified
voters vote for it. Most of the others make
it compulsory; Georgia puts hindrances in its
way We have reversed the usual custom,
and have demonstrated the folly of our PLAN
The idea that the counties cannot afford local
school tax is entirely falacious. AS DR.. Stewart
points out, the counties spend vast amount
of money for other things, and by judicious man
agement they can raise adequate school funds
with a slight increase in taxes.
1T is not a question of their ability to
support Schools" he adds; lit is simply a
question of their attitude toward education.
If in almost every other State the local areas
can run courts, provide for criminals, con-
victs and the poor and still aid in the sup
port of their schools, cannot Georgia counties
do it?"
We can never have adequate schools until we
have an adequate system of school finance and
the only way to secure such system is through
a Constitutional amendment enabling and requir-'
ing each county to supplement by local taxation
its share of the State school fund. 1t is impor-
tant moreover that the State school fund be freed
from all political uncertainty and strife. That
be accomplished by setting apart for educational
uses a definite and permanent percentage of the
States tax income.
The bill to this end introduced by Senator Per-
sons is among the most important and praiseworthy
measures the Legislature was ever called upon to
consider 1t is in the interest of Georgias deepest
need and highest wel-being 1t merits the support
of all men who wish the Commonwealth to grow in
freedom and strength.
Think of the ovation the sun will get once 1T
does show itself.
There are two sides to every question, but one
should try to select one of them.