Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1916-03-30


T~rauernicht and Mrs. Frank Gierse,
Pennington; Mrs. Chas. Leggett,
Miss Lulu Leggett, Mr.. A. Block and
Mrs. AL. Tranernicht, Bismarck; Mrs.
F. Kaths and Miss Anna Kaths, Pilot
Knob; Mrs. F. P. AXE, Miss Mary
Saline AXE, Mr.. and Mrs. Anton
Roehry, Mrs. VIM. Rieke, Miss Olga
Rieke, Miss louise Rieke, Mr.. and
Mrs. VIM. ~Trauernicht, DR.. and Mrs.
+. W. Tr%auernicht, Miss Winfred
Trauernicht and Miss Augusta Trauer-
NIGHT, Ironton.
The REGISTER is opposed to laying
an increased burden Of s15, 900 upon
the people of this district, for two
reasons in particular: First, that it
would be oppressive, and, second,
that it is uncalled for in the light of
reason. This town now bears an in
debtedness of S 5000, and the school
district has not yet discharged the in
~debtedness assumed several years
ago. Notwithstanding glib talk of the
great taxable wealth of the Ironton
school district, every resident knows
that most of our belongings are not
productive in dollars and cents.
There is no big factory or other in
dustry in this valley employing a large
force of workmen with corresponding
payroll. In this town to-day there
are no less than twenty six empty
tenements and business houses. Ask
our merchants if they are growing
rich; if they do not have to "make
every edge cut" in order to have a
moderate balance on the credit side
of the ledger? Happily, the economy
called for is generally practiced, and
SO with the beginning of each fiscal
year we can all thank God and take
courage for the future. But if care
full economy is necessary to the indivi-
dual resident, ought it not also be fol-
lowed in public expenditures? "The
power to-tax is the power to Destroy
and excessive taxation will render of
no avail the utmost care of those who
are called upon to pay. And for what
are we called upon to take up this
new burden! Why, a High School.
A High School! A few years ago no
one advocated a High School to be
maintained by public taxation. 1t
was held that when the State provid-
ed the pupil with the means to obtain
a common education-to read and
write and cipher-it had done all that
in justice and reason it could be called
upon to do. Then after that, if The
c~apability and desire were in him, the
youth so far favored could and would
provide himself an advanced educa-
ton; that his progress coward and
upward" in the realms of erudition
would depend upon his own endeavor.
But now we waste untold sums in
vain effort to force upon the unwilling
or incapable a lot of educationa
furbeloWs of little or no practica
benefit to their future. And in doing
this the effectiveness of training ii
the ''Three Rs" is impaired; the
stress is laid upon the higher grades
Algebra, Latin, Drawing, Music
etc. But a very few years ago this dis
trict employed four teachers agains
the eight required now, with little
or no addition to the enumeration
Are the results more satisfactory nov
than they were, say, ten years ago
Let the parent answer. | lay no fault
upon the teacher, but the system il
abominable to right and reason. The
proposal to eXpend for the erection
of a High School building alone e
ly double as much as the cost incurred
for the housing of all the other de
partments, is indefensible. In con
clusion, stress is laid by the advocates
of the High School upon the fact tina
the taxes for school purposes here ART
not as high as in some other districts
That may be SO; I don't know or care
but l do know we are payig a highe:
rate than ever before. Again I ask
are results commensurate with thu
increased expenditures
Ladies' new Spring Goats. Skirt