Mexico weekly ledger., 1917-05-17
SCHOOL NOTES
By ". CLYDE
County School SupL

E[-Ns@A o @@eE NA@-@ - a
the Inheritance tax bill by referendum
70 a vote Of the people. Of course,
the people will approve the bin, but If
will hold it up for two years. And
what viii the state do for revenue in
the meantime? Mr.. Gardner is a
business man, and is running the bust
ness Of the state in a business like
way. Revenues Of s1,5O0,O 900 have
been provided for by the inheritanse
tax. II this is held up, it means that
the money must be got in some other
way that will affect SO directly those
who are 50 active in circulating these
pe&tions. But how about you, Mr..
Signer ? You will not only have 70
meet this deficiency, but the costs Of
court proceedings, Investigations and
a special session Of the Legislature.
For Governor Gardner must have and
will have the money necessary to meet
the necessary running expenses Of the
State. Read his letter. You will find
it in n Of your recent papers under
the title, Statement from Governor
Gardner. ="
Then, too, you are SO interested in
your local school that when anyone
attempts to injure it you are ready to
fight for it. And right you are. The
State does not help yet, as much as
It should, the rural school. But this
Inheritance tax viii help to the extent
Of 100000. Do you want to sign
away your right to that? If not, keep
your name off the petition. If it is
already on it, write the Secretary of
State to scratch it off.
A few days ago l heard a bit of very
good news. | know that you will en-
JOY it, too. C. W. Wilson, Clerk of
Payne District, reported that at the
annual school meeting they had voted
so cents for school purposes, and be-
sides this 25 cents for a building fund.
However, the board are good business
men, and they got to studying the mat
ter over and decided that it was good
BUSINESS to vote a 65-cent levy and
get the State to assist them 5000 and
have an eight month schools with a
$50 or $50 teacher instead Of a seven
month school with a $40 teacher such
as they had been compelled to do here
tofore. A special election was called
and the levy carried without a dissent
ing vote. So Payne has a 90-cent
levy, more than Martinsburg or Ben
ton City or any other rural district in
the county, viii put a solid foundation
under the house, and replace the old
windows with new ones. They have
hired Miss Eugenia Smith. sister Of
an excellent teacher, Miss Grace
Smith, and a very promising young
prospect. Now watch this school take
new life and see how much it pays to
invest your money in a good school.
Have you ever heard the story Of the
meanest man in Audrain county?
How he gave his boy a nickel each
night for carrying in the wood and
coal, and then after the boy had nut
his money in the bank on the shelf
and had gone TO bed, this unnatural
father had sneaked it out and put II
back into his pocket? But | won
der how much meaner he was than is
the man who is always on hand on the
day Of the school election whenever
there is a chance to vote against an
increase in the school levy? At the
same time that Payne was unani-
mously voting for a 9O-cent levy, in
another part Of the county where for
several years they had for a teacher
n who lives in the community and
is one Of the best in the country:
where they had the experience 7of cut
ting down the levy, the term and the
price to such a degree that this teacher
went elsewhere one year and they
learned the difference between $40
and a $50 teacher; in spite Of these
conditions they refused to vote a g.
cent levy for a seven month school at
500, when their teacher could easily
get sos elsewhere. But the directors
and patrons are determined TO have
the school even If they must 20 down
INTO their pockets and put up 800 to
do it.
But is it fair that one district must
vote 65 or 80 cents all the law will al
low in order to have a short term with
poor equipment and a $40 teacher,
while other schools in the same coun-
ty, maybe in adjoining districts, have
best that money affords for even a
lO-cent levy, Is that democratic? Is
that best for our children, for our
county, for our State, for our Ma
ion? Is there no way TO remedy It?
it possible TO have a uniform
rate for the whole county, which will
an eight month school, good
equipment, and good teachers? Then
I a locality wants something better
han that, let them levy a special 10.
al tax for that purpose. Isn't that
rue democracy?