The Raymer enterprise., 1918-05-02
SCHOOL AFFAIRS IN
DISTRICT NO. 81


portanee. but never more 40 than
this year.
The Enterprise has not given -
much publicity to school matters a.
1t would like to have done. In spite
OF belief to the contrary. newspaper
publicity Is likely to convey more OF
truth than gossip. and where publicity
Of the right kind is lacking, gossip
and rumor supply the lack by getting
many reports before the public that
are not correct.
1t goes without saying that the
writer feels that great deal has
been done for Raymer Schools and
that the course pursued In the past
> has been with the sole purpose of
building up the schools and making
them efficient We are willing to-
plead guilty TO some errors OF judge
ment, but we will not admit to any
intention OF imparing In any way the
service that the schools could render
10 all the people Of all Of the school
district
The object OF this article will be to
furnish information about the schools
and their conduct during the past
year. and not 10 color or distr0y any
facts. be they damaging or otherwise
to the actions OF the board. That we
may fail OF this object. will be because
we may look through the glasses OF
prejudice that is always partial t0I
the writer's own judgement.
We will frankly admit that the
central school idea is not without
criticism: and any method Of Sc
curing efficient schools In a sparsely
settled community will meet with
difficulties that are difficult to over
come. We do not claim that the plan
is perfect but we do claim that II
presents best solution Of the school
problem for district No. 81 that We
have yet discovered. We do claim
that Raymer schools are giving the
people reasonable ssrvtse ct % rason-
able cost as could be expected.
It Is true that expenses the past
year have outrun estimates by con-
siderable but what other business man
does not encounter the same state OF
affairs when he comes to count the
cost OF business operation the past
YEAR,
We assume that there Ia some crit
icism Of matters In general. but with
those matters we will not deal at
this time, but take up the sole mat
ter Of the expence Of the consolidated
school as compared with the old
method Of maintaining q school In
each neighborhood.
The cost of hauling the pupils for
drivers. gasoline, etc. Is In round
figures at the present time a little
under 100000. The last months
salary will be paid this week, which
will bring the total up to about
s5,SO0.00. The above allows for re-
pairs on school trucks and all money |
paid out for that item. but does not
allow for wear and depreciation on
the trucks belonging TO the district. |
On fgureing income tax reports. al
lowance Is made for Is percent de- |
probation each year
At least twelve school houses would
have to be maintained to give school
houses in the same proportion that
we had before the centralized plan |
was adopted. In fact that policy
could not be made to work salts |
factorily without some Transports |
tion being provided or two schools
In addition to the above estimate.
With twelve schools maintained
BE months at the minimum wage, |
- cost Of teachers alone would just
aDbut equal what It has cost to haul
the pupils. leaving out the dsprecia- |
tion OF the school trucks. The single
school plan would besides call for fuel
repairs. ETC., which would be lees
than $500. per year for each school. |
or 100000 an amount which will
more than cover the depreciation on |
school trucks.
An examination Of the above ag-
ures should convince any candid per-
son that from abandoning the plan
already adopted and going back to |
the old system. II would bs Q step |
backward. would rstard our school
developement and the chances are
that It would raise the taxes instead
OF lowering them. The only way to |
lower our school tax ID to abandon
the position now hold 70 schoo!
town,
It 10 assumed by some that We
could cut down the teaching force