The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1918-10-08
Mr.. BRINSON PITIES
OUR IGNORANCE

Editor Star: In your article of
yesterday afternoon you turn loose
upon the public column and half
of about the most refreshing ignor-
ance in regard to school matters that
could be condensed into that space.
| again say that / do not want to
be construed as opposing in the
slightest the subscription for the
dummy guns and have not questioned
the good intentions of the Star in
fostering the matter, but it surely is
inconsistent to oppose taxation for
needed school equipment and then
have to carry around subscription
paper for what is needed.
In the matter of the salary of the
superintendent, do you suppose
would have been drawing this salary
for nearly ten years without knowing
the limits of it? No, sir. You have
exhibited complete ignorance of both
the law and facts in the case and had
you called upon the office we would
lclNC DCCH Ahu ~ IioyC o6SSu yOA
from this exhibition.
The salary of the superintendent is
based upon the receipts of 100000
per annum for school purposes from
lall sources, making the minimum un-
der the law of sits per month and
this is the salary of the superintend-
net and he cannot claim more until
the receipts are as much as $12O, 900.
| know that our board would not levy
more than one more mill and am not
at all sure that they would do this
and one mill on the present valuation
| of Marion county, $7,213,239, would
would be $7.213 and all of the levey
| is never collected Seven mills last
year yielded US for the county gen.
eral fund but S45, 5,16794 and one mill
would under this yield us but $6,-
452.56. The exact income for the
school year ending June 80, 1918,
was $102,878 from all sources and you
see that it would require levy of the
full three mills ii entitle the superin-
tendent to any increase whatever.
Neither will it increase the per diem
and mileage of the members of the
county school board.
| You know that you make another
one of your utterly reckless state
ments when you say that the school
board would levy every mill if allow
ed to do so even were it twenty mills
Ask the members of the present
board or the members of the board as
it will be after the coming January 1
No, sir, it has not been the busi-
ness of the teachers to save the mon
ley of the people; it has been their
business to earn the money of the
people and they have earned every
dollar that they have gotten and
many more taken as a class. Some
of course have not earned what they
received but as body they have
been the poorest paid of the public
servants and they are the ones who
have performed the service of pre-
serving and advancing whatever OF
civilization and democracy that you
enjoy-this same educational autoc-
Iracy."
i Also, it has been the business OF
the boards and superintendents te
save the money of the people. They
were elected to spend the money OF
the people and to get dollars worth
of service or material for every dol.
lar spent just as nearly as possible
In this they as class or as body
have been faithful as is attested By
the long terms that the superintend
ents and board members of Marior
county have enjoyed and which have
been full of service to the interest:
Ientrusted to them.
| Again, / am sorry to have to cal
your attention to your ignorance Of