Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1918-04-25
COUNTY SCHOOL NOTES
BY W. Clyde Johnson


It's time for you mothers and faith
ors of Audrain county who are inter-
e.ted in the education of your chill
dren (and what.one Of you is not?l to
rise I'D in righteous indignation and
denounce the high-handed autocratic
action of State Secretary Sullivan,
Treasurer Middlecamp and Attorney
General McAllister. No greater blow
has been struck at the education of
vour children. No greater injustice
could be done to them. How can
state advance when she fails to make
Droper provisions for the education of
her children?
Good teachers are scarce. Wages
have always been ridiculously low. A
$50 salary fifteen months ago was as
good as a s1OO salary now. Farm
hands, clerks and nearly all wage
earners get better salaries with less
expense for preparation. Hence our
hest teachers get into other lines of
work. If we want our teachers to be
continued, to stay permanently on the
lob. If we want our schools to make
steady progress, if we want our coun-
ty and our state to be leaders in the
nation, it is very important that our
teachers salaries be increased.
Salaries should at least be such as
10 make it possible for our teachers to
live decently, to advance their profess
sional qualifications and to lay by fol
the future. At prestnt they are not.
In order that district may provide
its children with clean and sanitary
buildings, heating plant, comforta-
bic desks, first class equipment, sucf
as tho law provides, (sce Section
1874 of the School Law), it will neet
each year at least 500 for incidenta
expenses. OF course, much Of thii
could be provided with q building fund
but that requires two-thirds major
ity which is often hard to get. The
il ought for the best interests of tn
community and Of the children hav
eight, months of school and pay tn
teacher not less than $50 per mont
or $3.50. $lOO plus $3.50, is $3.50
On the average the districts receiv
$3.50 from the public funds. To rails
The remaining $42O with 65c lev
requires levy of $4,000.
Hence, only those districts with
valuation of $4,000 or more have
good school. No school can maintai
its present high standard, or continu
toraise it with a levy of 65c. At leai
n thirty of our seventy-nine rur'
schools have q valuation according
the Sullivan, McAllister, Middlekam
combine Of less than $4,000, some
them have valuation as low as sSS
900. These can not have scho
worth while. These must strugg
for bare existence. Do the 81
children in these districts deserve
better?
According to your assessors valu
ton, which was approved by o.
County Board of Equalization and Il
payers generally, only one district
the county had valuation less thi
SlOsOOO-Payne with $9S,080. Wi
many of them between 100000 a
100000 it is very clear how easy
would be for the boards to levy enou
money to run the schools, even if tn
saw iit to pay their teachers SlOo
and why shouldn't they?
Had Mr. Gardner been able to car
through his plan Of taxation on
sessments, made according to the II
value Of property, y would h'
meant so much for the schools of I
& state and Of the county. 1t effe
the town schools moro seriously p
hapS than the rural. Mexico, Va
dalla, Farber and Laddonia are lie
ing the maximum. They can not
crease their teachers salaries
maintain their high standards uni
their valuation is increased.
But Sullivan, McAllister and MIDI
camp say that they shall not h
their valuation increased.
Is that just?
Is that noble?
Is that Democratic?