Arizona republican., 1920-12-29
GOVERNOR URGES
 BETTER SCHOOL. FINANCE POLICY
Advocates System to Gen. tralize Handling Funds Is Chief Speaker at Teach CTS Meeting-For County Unit Rural Plan.

A system to centralize the handling of school funds was advocated by Gov. Thomas E. Campbell in an address be- fore members of the Arizona State Teachers association in the high school auditorium last night.
 What position will we be in if the state takes entire charge of the as sessing and expending of funds for all its schools?" he asked. and left the question to the consideration of his audience with the admonition that the coming legislative body of the state was expecting the teachers to be ready with advice and statistics to point the way toward placing the educational system of the state upon a sound busi- ness basis.
 At the present there is too much discrepancy in the per capita cost of educating children in different schools of the state" the governor declared, and gave figures to emphasize the as sertion. He showed that last year S cost per capita for educating F pupils in the high school at Flagstaff was | $409S2, while the same number of pupils were educated in the high school at Metcalf at a per capita cost of $S12.63.
 Need Better Financial System Figures show that where the bur- den of taxation falls upon a small group there is a greater proportionate | expenditure upon school maintenance was the governors comment. He gave 1 figures from grade schools from all parts of the state as well as the high l 1chool statistics which proved that far greater sums were expended yearly for | the maintenance of schools in sections where there were mining interests or l big corporations to bear the greater part of the taxation than in the agri- cultural districts. This uneven bal ance, he pointed out, was not a good | business proposition. He drew upon l the fact that in some poor districts the i schools reflected the community by a dearth of facilities. while in some min l ing districts there was a surplus oi equipment.
 Referring to the fact that only per cent of school children attend the rural schools, the governor said:
 ITO the casual observer we would appear to be progressing by the fact that the number attending the rura schools has been reduced during the past year from II to per cent of the states total school attendance. But 1 the fact of the matter is that our rura schools are for the most part in sucf i condition that those who have te edu- condition that those who have the edu- cation of their children at heart arc school and sending them elsewhere"
 Favors County Unit Plan
 As a remedy for the condition of tho rural school today the governor sait lthe only plan he had in mind at pres. ent which he considered practical wal the county unit plan.
 ''I believe that system will brins I about the best results in rural schOo teaching he said.
 Touching briefly upon vocationa training the governor cited that onl, 4 SIS per cent of school children wh' attend the grade schools enter higl school.
 vocational training is necessary, the governor declared Tt is of grea benefit to those who find it impossible to master an academic course But ", must be cautious lest we emphasiz vocational training to the extent tha we submerge the man who is .capabl of rising above the mass of those wh , labor for a daily wage
 The governor paid a tribute to tn
 teachers by saying: Your responsibili ties are greater than mine. Your worl
 will be reflected In the young man an' , young woman Of tomorrow : The Rev. George s. Sloan. pastor o the community cnuTCu at NhldIlls gay , an interesting discourse on "Commo 9 Clay"
 'sYou teachers are holders of com . mon clay" he said. If you want t 5 achieve the best results you must pu 7 your heart into your work. Love an ] sympathy awakens the common cla . into animated interest"
 l Welcomes Delegates g On behalf of Mayor Plunkett, Judg
 E. E. Sloan delivered the address ( Q welcome to the delegates at the open = ing session Of the convention yesteT day morning, to which response wa
 made by President R. B. von Kleir
 Smid of the University of Arizona.
 Music was furnished by the Phoeni
 union high school orchestra. YeStel
 days session included programs in u
 elementary school section, high seho . section. high school and vocationi
 section home economies sectio