Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-07-12

One of the fundamentally important measures
now before the Legislature is the bill looking to
the establishment of Statewide system OF county
taxation to supplement the general fund for the sup
mort of public schools. If competent counsel and
the teachings of experience prevail this policy will
be enacted into law with the least possible delay
It has been warmly commended by Governor
Dorsey in his recent annual message to the General
Assembly, has been Endorsed unanimously by the
school superintendent and teachers of Georgia and
has been adopted by virtually every other State In
the Union. 1t is the policy, moreover, which
has justified itself in practice means OF hnan-
cling the public school system.
The pending bill, be it noted at the outset, does
not contemplate any curtailment whatsoever in the
school funds now drawn from the State treasury.
Touching this point Superintendent Britain of the
State Department of Education, emphatically de-
clares: ''Our efforts for local tax have never for
moment looked to anything but the continuance or
all the aid possible from the State treasury. To
fight the unanimous appeal Of the school authorities
longer and better schools on false DreteXt
is unjustifable and the counties and towns already
experimenting State support as well the others
keenly desiring TO do so, know that this correctly
represents their position" What the pending bill
does propose is that each county shall supplement
its school fund received from the State by levying
a local tax of at least one mill, and not than
five
This plan already has been adopted by ffty-six
Georgia counties and by some five hundred dis
tricts, including ali the towns and cities, in the
remainder of the State. In those fty-six counties
the common schools moving steadily forward;
they have longer terms, better buildings, better
paid teachers and educational facilities in every
way superior-incomparably superior-to those of
communities depending for their school funds en-
~,~s1
ton is by no manner of means parsimonious. 1t
represents two and quarter mills of the Constitu-
tional tax limit of five mills and amounted in the
year 1917 to two million seven hundred thousand
dollars Only ten States contribute a larger public
school fund from the central treasury. But this
appropriation becomes pitiaby thin by the time it
is spread one hundred and ffty-four counties.
It should be increased from time to time the
resources of the Commonwealth permit but the
most that such increases probable within the
next ten years can do will be to add few days to
the distressingly short school term of the average
rural district and few dollars to the dsgracefully
low salaries of the teachers
There is but one means of adequate relief, and
that is the means employed by ffty-six Georgia
counties and by almost every State in the Union
a local school tax to supplement the State appro-
priation 1t is the lack of this system that keeps
Georgia educationaIly behind many States whose
wealth and resources cannot compare with hers.
Although she stands eleventh among the States in
point school funds contributed from the treasury,
she stands thirty-ffth in point of funds derived
from local taxation. Thus it is that while young
Western States spend from eight to ten dollars
capita for common schools, Georgia spends only
about two dollars Give a county school tax
throughout this fertile Commonwealth and it will
not be many years before shall reach the
guard of the nations public school progress.
The General Assembly render the people
no higher or more substantial service than to pass
the pending bill to this effect The ultimate de-
cision on the measure must be left to the voters
because it involves a Constitutional amendment
But there is little doubt of the thoughtful
citizens of Georgia ratifying the proposal if it is
submitted to them. At least, give them the oppor-
tunity. Enable them to declare in a Statewide
election what tens of thousands of them already
have declared in county elections, that believing in
public schools palladium of democracy and
great inspirer of material and moral progress they
willing to pay local tax in order that their
community and their children may have a fairer
measure of those priceless blessings.
AS long there is a hospital ship to be sunk
Won Capelle argues that the German submarine