The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1920-11-26
CAN N. CAROLINA
AFFORD TO PAY!
DIR. Claxton Says She Can And
Presents Astounding Facts
To Prove 1t

The people of North Carolina
paid into the Federal Treasury
last year more than $162,OOO,OOO
in indirect taxes. The state of
North Carolina expended last
year only $8,157o31.63 cents for
public education in elementary
any secondary schools. North
Carolina has expended for all
public educational purposes only
S13O,O38,8o6 from the founding
of the first public school system
in 1910 down to the present date
A simple example in substraction
reveals the startling fact that
North Carolinians paid into the
Federal treasury in indirect tax
es last year over Is million dol
lar smore than they paid in tax
es for education in all the history
of the state.
The foregoing information, of vast
Importance to every one interested in
education is taken from a carefully pre-
pared statement of the educational sit
uation in this state by DR.. P. p. Claxton.
Z. S. Commissioner of Education. Dr.
Claxton says that North Carolina needs
to spend three or four times more mon
ey than she now spends on public ed
ucation. And being a practical man he
attempts to show that North Carolina
is able to do as much.
The records show, according to Com
missioner Claxton that for elementary
and secondary schools the total has been
little more than $107, 500, 600; for high
er education including universities, COL
leges of agriculture and mechanic arts.
normal schools, schools for the deaf and
the blind, a little less than $22,5OO,OOO
Allowing $5,OOO,OO0 for effectiveness in
cation has been lass than $135, 10000.
The people who pay taxes for other
purposes in these amounts can, without
disaster, and the comparatively small
amount needed for education.
How Money Could Be Raised
Commissioner Claxton further says
Last year the people of the United
States paid an average of $50 per cap
ita for tobacco, cigars, cigarettes, chew
ing tobacco and snuff. If North Caro-
lima is an average tobacco using State.
as I have reason to believe it is, ther
the people spent last year more than
S45, ,00O.0 for tobacco. If in some high
moment of enthusiastic devotion an6
self sacrifice they had agreed among
themselves to smoke two cigars instead
of three. burn two cigarettes instead O.
three. chew two chews instead of three
take two dips and leave, the third un-
dipped. and had put the money thus saw
ed into the school fund. they could have
paid all the teachers of the elementary
and high schools of the State three times
as much as they were paid. A small
fraction of the money spent for joy
riding saved for education would have
done the same.
Ear be it from me to suggest either
of these means for increasing the school
funds for the pay of teachers.
1t is not necessary to use either. :
people who can spend money in large
amounts for these other purposes as the
people of North Carolina do, can easily
pay also whatever may be necessary for
the education of their children to pre-
pare them for life, for citizenship and
for increasing the material wealth of the
State as can only be done through edu-
cation. I know the people Of North
Carolina well enough to believe they
will do so when once they fully under
stand the need.