El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-05-31
SCHOOL FUNDS ARE
ALWAYS WISELY USED

APPROPRIATIONS Of millions. s5.oOoOOo for elementary
schools and s~fy50o,oOO for institutions Of higher edu-
cation, are being urged upon the Texas legislature BY the
state and county educational authorities, the school teach
ers, the boards Of control Of the various state institutions,
and citizens who have interested themselves IN the eduea-
The proposed APPROPRIATION for general school purposes
would be distributed, It has been suggested on a per capita
basis, being about So per child Of school age. This IS a
sIipshod and unvise method Of building up the schools,
and If such an appropriation be made, the method Of dis
trbution is q matter important enough to demand careful
study and planning.
liberal state funds for schools have not been an IN
mixed blessing. While cities and progressive counties have
used The annual per capita distribution to supplement their
already heavy tax lsv1es for the Denenu q te Schools ue
many mdeveloped and unprOgressive counties have ac-
cepted the state appropriation as simply exemptng them
from taxation within their own communities for schools
In many counties and rural communities the annual ex-
penditmes for schools have been limited practically to the
sum received from the state. This accounts for the miser
able condition Of schools in many counties and unorganiEed
communities. The state distribution should bear some re
Iaton to local school taxation
Cities and Independent school districts IN progressive
counties where the citizens have taxed themselves heavily
for schools and where the full responsibility is already &C
cspted, ought to receive the benefit Of 2 fair share Of any
state distribution. On the other hand, the state considered
as a whole, cannot afford to let part Of the counties remain
permanently in darkness. It is the states interest and the
states duty to see that every child receives an elementary
education. But merely turning over state money to the
backward communities does not serve this end Experience
has proved that It has the same effect as indiscriminate
charity.
precise needs Of the different communities and the best
ways to meet the special problems IN each II certain
communities deserve more than So per capita they ought
to have it, but there must be such effective supervision
that the taxpayers Of the state VIII have assurance that
their money is being spent to best Advantage, and is not
being used merely to enable backward communities TO AVOID
taxing themselves for school purposes.
There is no argument as to the need Of the higher N
stitutions for large capital additions to be spent IN build
ings and equipment. There is no argument over the neees-
sity Of raising salaries Of school teacher If the system IS
to be saved from utter ruin. But there is rOom for argu-
ment over the wisdom or uuvisdom Of sppropuating nil
lions Of dollars to be merely doed ont like aims without
due care TO insure that every dollar VIII be spent to best
advantage Of the school system as a whole.
wouldn't It be a joke to nominate q man who has not
spent a dollar Of his own OF anybody elses money TO win
the presidency?
No change IN personnel win prevent the chamber Of
commerce from going right ahead. This organization is
bigger than any one man or two
About all that can be said for a part Of the population
Of some cities is that it is just population
There is something familiar about that order Of the
Mexican government to get villa, dead OF alive.
Mexico win nov have to be content with secondary
place in the headlines for q couple Of weeks anyway.
With the prospect Of a change IN administration, al
deserving Democrats are nov strong advocates OF the
civil service.