The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1920-12-23
Educational
Conference
3 In Denver

The Citizens Conference on Educa-
ton for the states of Colorado, New
Mexico and Wyoming was held in the
capitol building in Denver December
and 8. 1t was one of IL such con-
ferences which, together, are covering
the whole United States. 1t was called
by the Hon P. P. Claxton, United
States Commissioner of Education,
and who presided over the confer
ence in Denver.
Supt Eskridge of the Florence
schools and the writer were delegates
from Fermont county.
The conference discussed the su-
preme importance of education to the
state, the ned of increased revenues,
. more equable distribution of state
and federal funds, and possible
sources of increased revenues.
Much was said about higher stand
ard for teachers, especially in the ru-
raj districts, and a higher salary for
teachers who are well prepared.
However, Supt. Sexson Of Sterling,
Colo, advised that 1t was time for the
teaching profession to dig in" and
"hold what it already had" 1t is
proposed to try to obtain the enact
ment of minimum wage law for
teachers by the coming Legislature.
About the provisions of this proposed
law, the writer has, as yet, some men
tai reservations.
Concerning school finances, from re-
ports from the state of Wyoming and
the counties of Fremont and Arapa-
hoe in Colorado, and perhaps from
other places, it developed that the
burden of school taxation is most un-
equally distributed. In our own
county the tax levy varies from lilo
mills TO II mills on the dollar IN
Wyoming it varies from nothing at
all to % mills on the dollar Many
counties in Wyoming levy no school
tax because their schools are support
ed by royalties from oil wells situ-
ated on public lands. These coun-
Ties, with an abundant revenue, set
wage standard hard to maintain in 10
calities where there is no oil and
where taxable property has low val
uation Our difficulty here in FIRE.
mont county to maintain our schools
at the present wage standard, with
present revenue facilities, was ex-
planned. The resultant concensus of
opinion was that in the leyying OF
school tax the state should be the
unit of taxation.
Commissioner ClaXton said that N
the state of Alabama 3-mill school
tax is levied by the state to be dis
tributed among the counties accord
ing to the number of children of
school age. The sum SO distributed
oil yvith mill
county school tax, is distributed in
the school district according to the
number of children of school age.
Then, If this does not supply sufficient
revenue for the kind of school wanted,
the district may levy an additional g.
mills, making maximum school levy
of 9 mills.
1t is doubtful II this law applied TO
Colorado would provide sufficient rev.
enue for our needs. There is little
doubt, however, but that law SINH
lar to the one in Alabama made ade-
Quate to our needs, would reduce the
tax levy in counties like ours, when
property values are not commensur-
ate with the number of children to DE
educated.
Our present system of levying SO
many mills on each dollars worth of
property was pronounced crude. This
sentiment was based on the assump-
ton that circumstances often make
eproperty unremunerative and unable
to bear a pro rata tax. Much was
said in favor of an income tax for
school maintenance and the inheri-
tance tax had its supporters as an
auxiliary to the income tax.
On Wednesday evening Commits
sioner Claxton spoke to large audi
ence in the East Denver high school
building. He presented education
as the chief factor in the public
wealth and welfare. He maintained
that there are but three factors N
wealth. He makes a standing offer
of $50 to anyone who can mention a
fourth factor. These factors are.
FIRST: natural resources, as soil, for
ests, coal, iron, etc. Second: Ma
tive ability of the people. Third:
Acquired ability of the people. This
last is education. Suppose, said he, we
let equal the first factor, the sec
ond factor, the third factor and W
wealth, then x times times equals
wealth. Now, the first factor has a
1xed value. There is just SO muih
gold, silver, coal or iron in the depths
of the earth. 1t can not be increased
The second factor also has a fixed
value. The third factor only is var
liable. If we make no special effort
to maintain and to improve our
schools this factor will be of small
value. Suppose in that case we lei
the value of z be represented by the
flGura l. Let euual 2 and " enual