The courier-index., 1920-11-26
LITTLE ROCK LETTER

Little Rock, Nov. 2Z.--Ihe cam
 paign was started last week fo
 the initiation of proposed amend
 ment to the constitution which ha
 for it's purpose the improvement O
 our educational institutions. Th'
 amendment was endorsed by tn,
 recent convention of Arkansas Ed
 ucational Association, which wa.
 in many respects the most remark
 able demonstration of statewide in
 terest ever witnessed in Arkansas
 This amendment provides that there
 shall be three administrative anC
 taxing units for school purposes state, county and district. It pro- vides that the General Assembly shall arrange for the maintenance of all the common schools of the state for period of at least six months annually. The most strik- ing change in the present law on the subject is that the limit is taken off of the amount of taxes that may be levied by district. It will be recalled that several years ago five mills was the max mum. This was increased to sew en, then to twelve and now it is proposed that the limit be remov- ed entirely and that each district be authorized to levy any amount that it may deem necessary.
 It is recognized by everybody that the schools of Arkansas never before faced so critical period in their existence as they do now. The entire state has been aroused as never before. Our public schools from the state university down to the humble one room rural school, 1 are threatened with disaster unless l some means is found whereby they | may be continued. In many dis tricts the patrons have been forced | to resort to the subtefuge of vol untary agreeing to an additional tax. In some districts the tax amounts to as much as 20 mills. The Little Rock district is endeav- bring to secure the consent of the taxpayers for tax of IS mills or 6 mills above the maximum pre- scribed by law. It is realized that this is subtefuge which should not be necessary and that the law should be sufficiently flexible to permit any district to carry out its program without resort to per- sonal pledges of support. When are such as now exist in certain localities, that tuition fee of $1.00 to S10.00 per month must be charged the pupils of a public school 1t Ceases to be free school and should be classified among the educational institutions which charge tuition for all pupils.
 Many schools, including some of the largest and most populous of | the state, announce that they will | be unable to continue for the full | term unless they have relief. All | costs of administration have been advanced and the largest item in | the increase is that of the increase | in salaries paid the teachers. This 1 had to be done if the teachers were to be retained in the profession | Hundreds of the best teachers, l both men and women, have been deserting the school room for other | vacations, because teaching offered | less compensation for effort and 1 time expended than almost any oth- l CT calling. 1t has not however l been wholly a question of salary 1 with the teachers, for the true teacher is devoted to the ministry of | the school room and many of them l prefer to follow this profession 1 rather than to go into another which offers greater emoluments.
 But, the public itself has awaken ed to sense of the injustice whicn 1 has been shown the teaching pro fession and thousands of our most the movement which has been in- augurated by the Arkansas Educa- tional Association to raise the standard of popular education to provide more thorough trained and equipped teaching force and to provide a public school training for every boy and girl in the state. The recent convention of the Arkansas Educational Association with near ly 1000 teachers and citizens en- rolled was one of the most striking demonstrations of the new educa- tional conscience that has ever been witnessed in Arkansas. Save our schools is the motto that is being deeply impressed upon the heart of every patriotic citizen of the state. Whatever the cost, whatever the sacrifice that must be made, what ever else fails, our public school system must be maintained and it's maximum efficiency increased or the state will lapse into a condi- tion Of ignorance that will become 8 breeding place for crime and poverty.
 During the next few weeks an effort will be made to secure at least 20,000 signatures to the pc tition hich is now being circulated for the new amendment. It is be- lieved there will be little or no op- position for it is recognized by all that unless the taxes are in creased for school purposes. the | public system is doomed to failure | The petitions are being circulated l under the direction of the county | superintendents and it is hoped that | every teacher and every citizen will l