The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1920-04-22
BILL PROVIDES FUND
FOR EDUCATION

On the ballot at the May primaries
VIII appear measure that was re-
ferred to the people by the legislature.
The bill provides for an annual tax of
two mills on all taxable property of the
state for the support and maintenance
OF the public elementary schools.
The measure has been fostered by
the Oregon State Teachers Association
and all citizens interested in education.
The following is a statement made by
the teachers
At time when the very foundations
OF our democracy are shaking. our
schools are facing the greatest crisis in
their history. There is today short
age of 100, 900 teachers in the United
States, 500 in Oregon including those
temporarily employed who are not
wholly unfit; and the supply of new
teachers required each year. about
/, 200 in Oregon, is appallingly made
quate both IN number and in quality.
The highest authorities agree that no
other factor compares in Importance
with the school in unifying and Ameri-
canizing our miscellaneous population.
The school is a veritable "melting
p11. With fourteen millions foreign
born, tens of thousands living in col
onies under old world conditions, the
school is the one American institution
in a position to teach them the princi-
Piles of our democracy. ~
At time when strong men and wo-
men are needed as teachers as never
before, many who have invested years
of their lives in service they love and
IN which they have proven their worth
a 10 nf1f 10
living. Under such conditions it is
not strange that the average young
man and woman Of ability are refusing
to enter upon a course of training for
an occupation with 30 little promise.
Relief must come speedily, for the
right of children, into whose hands the
present generation must place the des-
tinies of the republic. are imperiled.
Our schools must have teachers of
superior ability and character, who
have had adequate training for their
tremendous responsibilities and whose
trancendant function in society is fully |
appreciated both by themselves and by
the public. Underpaid, unappreciated,
discontented teachers, smarting under |
a sense of injustice, can not be expect
ed to keep up their morale even in |
ture is most like that of parenthood. |
The majority of elementary teachers in
Oregon is not making a living wage |
even for self. suppot and many have
dependents.
Teachers wages have long been far
below a scale commensurate with their
services and the Importance of their
work.
In addition to roowa xnona,, 20. taaoh
ers' wages, the schools must pay more
for maintenance. repairs, building, etc.
Many school districts have reached the [
limit of special. local taxation and can
not do more, however willing, under
the present school laws. The proposed
two-mill state tax will bring relief to
such districts and to others deserving
more revenue but unwilling TO levy
higher special taxes.
Were there no emergency today in
the schools, this measure is timely for
the reason that Oregon is one of only
seven states which do not provide state
revenue, in addition to interest received
from the irreducible school fund, in
support of schools. Among the eleven
far western states only one. Idaho,
raises greater percentage of total
school revenue through local taxation
than does Oregon. The percentage of
school revenue provided from state
sources in Oregon is 5.5; from county,
26 S from district. 6S. If the proposed
two mill tax is approved, it will raise
Oregon's percentage of state school
tax to 28, based on last year 5 revenues.
But there is. however, a great emer.
gency in education both in the country
at large and in Oregon. If we con.
tinue to lag behind our neighboring
states, they will continue to draw upon
us for our stronger teachers and give
Us those who are not good enough for
them. Also within the state, those
districts with greater sources of taxa.
ton will continue to draw teachers
from those with fewer.