The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1921-02-11
ANOTHER VERSION
Of COUNTY UNIT
FRANK +. KELSEY BELIEVES
COUNTY UNIT WOULD BE
A DETRlMENT

As there are always two sides to
every question, and as only the fa.
vorable one has been disseminated
through the columns Of the Exami-
ner concerning the County Unit Law
as pertaining to the public schools,
it is only fair that the negative or
adverse side be given equal public.
ity.
At the recent meeting of the
Broadus Chamber of Commerce,
Frank \. Kelsey delivered an address
strongly opposing the adoption of
County Unit by Powder River coun-
ty and for the information of the
people his address IS herewith print
ed in full.
The BrOadus Chamber of Com
merce has had County Unit up for
discussion at recent meetings but has
taken no definite action as yet. How
ever a committee was appointed to
render a report at the next meeting
as to how County Unit would work
in this county.
In his address, opposing County
Unit, Mr.. Kelsey spoke as follows:
Mr.. President. ladies and Gentle
men. Members of the Broadus Chamber
Of Commerce.:
1t is indeed a pleasure tc be with
you this evening. and to participate
again In your deliberations. Please do
not think that | am giving you the
customary brand Of blarney- when l
say that ] have never worked with as
small Il group of men and women that
who would sacrifice their own inter
ests more for the common good. or
work for the nipbuilding of the entire
county. Sometimes you make mistakes
sometimes you are misunderstood ana
l very much fear that you are liable
tc, make a mistake in a matter which
Is now up for consideration, and II
YOU do make this mistake You will as
surely be misunderstood. The matter
!! speak of is the movement now on
foot in the county to create the rural
school district commonly known as
the County Unit system. l feel ! owe
county to relate part Ct the history
Of this legislation in the past two reg
ular sessions of the state legislature.
ago. this matter was up for discus
sion but did not become a law. as the
bin raising the eennty lsyy erSm ,nn fSyr s1
teenth session. two years ago: the bill
as first introduced took practically all
controi o: the schools out of the har Is
cf the local school boards. but as H.
nally amended and passed does not
disturb anything but the financial CON
troll. yet finances is the controlling
for that reason the directors Of the
rural school district (Ccunty Unit)
will he absolute dictators of the activ-
tsS N ra racn Ho viii take un Some of
the most important sections and dis
cuss them separately.
Section s empowers the rural schcol
board tand keep in mind that this
means the county rural school board
and that all third class districts are
known as sub-districts) to revise,
mand made by the sub-district board
That is, the pee pie of the sub-district
through their elected directors can
only suggest what they want but must
accept just what the county board de-
cides to give them. This means that
through control of funds the county
employed in each sub-district: length
cf term. what kind Of supplies and
equipment are furnished. They may
ana men n d,sc.nn has ni,dr HoSs nana sma seno"
distant point.
They use only their own judgment
as to the amount Of funds supplied to
any sub-district without any relaticn
whatsoever to the number of children
Of school age or the taxable wealth Of
the suE-district
tire county district to build school
houses or for any purpose. that third
class districts can now be bonded;
provided IT ts ratified by vote OF the
entire county.
New let us pass tc Section 6, anF
then come back and consider this last
fact. in the light of their influence.
Section 6 provides. first. funds now In
the third class districts be transferred d
to the county district. Second. that
nd n W a M n I ~ a
ferred to the county district. All prop.
erty Ct the present districts is trans,
ferred to the county district; Now let
some districts they have built good
school houses, taxed themselves and
paid fer them and have considerable
must turn in their property without
remuneration. Others have built the
school houses but bonded themselves
schools. These people hand the Coun-
iebi, account This is an absolute in.
fGr IN hfases ahose whs
Their policy has been to keep down
taxes tx at at the nep present time and let az
land would bear an equal share OF
school improvements. In other districts
they paid as they went along and taxed
welt as our state constitution guaran
tees the protection CT ownership OF
property to individuals. associations
this provision of this law tc be uncon-
stituttonaL Let US follow this a little
farther.
Section provides for the creation
Of second class districts out Ct the
county district, and also provides that
the new district must pay for ali
school property within the boundary
Of the proposed district. that 1t assume
it's proportion Of the indebtedness OF
the county district in proportion to tbs
each district. There is no provisior
made for division OF surplus funds
TN Thu; -, dtstrlet Sa a that had built ana paie
into giving them tc. the county district
would Il they aggregated themselves a
district Of the second class. have tc
assume indebtedness which would per.
haps be far in excess of the value Of
the property they received. and would
At least have to buy their own prop.
(Continued On Page Three.