The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-05-27
IN0RKING 0U7 NEW SYSTEM Of :
SCHOOL FINANCING FOR STATE

CHARLESTON, w. Va. Mary %
I.ndcr tho present System or financing
the schools Of West Virginia the orop-
crty owner living in Jumping hrancn
district. summers county. mus pa!
thirty times as much on carh Sl"" Va
,,,ua,ion as the citizen of Cass dis
trjct Moncngalia county. TO give MS
child equal educational advantages. MS
&c rbouo in q series Of tables covering
tho financial conditions and resources OF
The several counties and districts OF lhe
eto,r nreparrd by l.. J. fIanifan. sccre-
tar, of tho state school code comnlis'
sion, fer III. use Of the commission III
working Cd. a new system oil SCHOOL
financing in the state.
II 10 shown that in Jumping Srancn
district the property valuations on
which the school lcvics arc laid amount
10 only 1881 per enumerated chiIu'
while in lass district the valuations on
which the lavies arc laid amount 10
$4,000 per enumerated child.
These arc the two extremes in the
state. though there are said to be only
81 out of n total Of 39T districts fully
able to support their schools under ths
present law from their own revenues.
In II districts the valuatio are only
5000 TO $1,000 per child: IN ~ districts
81 MN to $500: in ~ districts. Sl.""e
Ia 1000: in 55 districts, S2.a"o To S2.o0p'
in 80 districts.' sc.i"H to $500: in 50
districts sS.0un to $4,000: in 81 dis
,ricts. S4nnh tn 5000: in !? districts.
5000 tn $500: in l. districts. S6,0h9
~ 5000: ill.,. two districts. $I'9"o 10
SIS 600; In districts. SS.noh I" E?.V"9;
in districts. $4,000 Ia $4,000: III l
dist rCt. Sln.126.
. The npinl made by the comparisons Is
that there should hc some system for
missing money for school purposes that
would c1ualizc'thc burden Of the citizens
Of tho several districts. especially since
ths state law now provides for mimi
mum term Of SIX months. and perscriocs
minimum salaries for teachers. II is
even advocated Ivy some that the MINI
mum term should IT. raised I" seven
months and most persons believe the
minimum salary should be $4c. 20"
and $50.
AS A matter Of fact. however. Jump
ing Branch district. tho poorest III the
state, WAS able 10 maintain its schools
for a term OF only ~ days. paying it's
% teachers minimum salaries of s"o. ~"
and $50. depending on thr grade OF Ger
tl6catc held To do this the board Of
education had TO lay a levy Of 81 cents
on tho 500 on its total valuation Of
s5f2.6Io. and she received S2,SQQ state
aid into the bargain. Her enumeration
Inst year WAS tl,n5?.
Wilderness district. in Nicholas county
with property valuation Of N.2o0 per
child, and without state aid. was anlc
to maintain term of six months and
nay her - teachers minimum salaries,
hnr rat" Of levy being 81 cents and her
numcrations TG6.
Tlv another table il waS shown that
ST districts In the state were abb" Il"
maintain lrss than minimum terms only,
many Of them even with all the state
aid available; l61 districts had barely
tn" minimum term: ~ districts had
seven months term: 80 districts had
eight months term. and only - districts
had as much as nine months.
In 1913 districts thr maximum salaries
are $50: districts pay $50 Ia SIS: II
districts pay s55 rs tho highest: III"
best in three districts IL So TO $50;
while 81 districts pay maximum Of
$50: 10 q maximum Of Sos and dis
tricts reached q maximum nf $In.
Five districts lay levics of less than
IN cents on the s1on: districts from
10 TO Is cents: 81 districts. Is TO 20