Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1920-10-29
The Three School Amendments

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Three amendments to the State
Constitution Of the greatest import
anee to the development of the pub
lie school system will be voted on at
the general election in November.
When the Constitution was adopted
in 1901 not only were certain gener.
al principles set forth, but in addi-
ton number of details were stipu-
lated. The public school system has
clearly outgrown the limitation OF
these details and its future develop
ment must depend primarily on :heir
elimination. A favorable vote on
these amendments will mean that The
public school system can be organized
on a safer financial basis which will
guarantee reasonable salaries for
competent teachers, and can be add
ministered in accordance with plan
which Is simpler and more direct
than the method Of local admtnlstra-
ton now in vogue.
These amendments have passed two
assemblies Of Virginia. Practically
all of the republican members OF the
Assembly voted faYorably on the prep
ositions, and the democratic party,
in It's platform adopted at the Roa-
noke CONVEX ton, heartily endorses
the amendments, and urges favora-
BILE vote upon them in November. The
amendments, therefore, are in no
sense political, but essentially social,
educational and economic In their In
lfuence. Practically every impor-
Itant organization in the State, which
has given consideration to the amend
lments, has voted resolutions in favor
Iof their adoption. Hundreds of tax
payers, a very large number of school
leagues, innumerable citizens meet
|ings and the great educational organ
|izations in the State are squarly be-
hind the proposed amendments.
The first amendments is TO Section
I13s of article 9 of the Constitution,
which now provides that in each
school district there shall be three
trustees. The proposed amendment
provides that In each school district
there shall be not more than three
trustees, and that men and women
may serve. While this change seems
insignificant enough, yet it is neces-
1sary to be made in order to give some
latitude in the Assembly of Virginia
lin adopting, if 1t seem wise, a simp-
Ter and more direct and more respon-
Isible scheme of local administration.
FOO much cannot be said Of the earn
estness and patriotism Of hundreds
of trustees of the State Of Virginia
who have given their time apd. ener-
Icy to the development Of local school
conditions. They have labored. how
ever under an organization Tn CHI il
complex and awkard. If this amend
|ment passes, the Assembly may, in
hts discretion, provide for the county
as a unite Of operation rathei than
have, as now, the State chopped ZIP
into about seven hundred small
school districts, each one of which is
an independent corporation. Under
the county unit plan the district will
still be preserved as a baa..' Of repre-
sentation on the county school board,
and particularly rs the basis Of locsl
taxation, in order lhlt each district
may provide funds requisite for ils
peculiar needs. Under This plan also
incorporated towns MAY constitute
separate school districts just rs I'M
der the present lazy, A.'>
The second amendment. Section
1876 article 8, refar5 10 the aggregate
local school tax. The present Com
istitution provides that the maxnun,
district and county tax for school
purposes shall not exceed fifty cents
on the hundred dollars The amend
ment provides that the aggregate
county and district tax shall not ex-
coed maximum 10 be fixed by law.
The rural school system has impera-
tive ana immediate demands far IN
excess of the funds which can be rails
ed under the preseD: limitations lhe
amount for teachers salaries raised