The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1921-01-20

commission that drew up the code
at the request of the governor, this
week offers the following explana-
tions regarding it:
The present district plan is inner
emily weak because of the unfair ba-
sis provided for distributing the
state school funds, because of the un-
equal tax burdens ON the various
districts within the several counties,
and because of the resulting Unequal
tiles in the equipment of the different
schools. Education becomes costly
because the administration has not
worked out the most harmonious way
of governing the schools on an equit-
able basis. In scme places money is
wantonly wasted: in other places the
bare necessities can:,ot be provided.
The Code Commission is not ask
fer different plan of raising the
money so that the tax will fail equit-
able upon all the taxable wealth. II
has proposed that :he money raised
shall be distributed in a manner to
provide equal educational facilities
and advantages for all the children.
The plan rrcro,oG for the admin
istration OF Tie county unit is Of
p osed by the ate superintendent on
the ground that 1t strikes at TIE very
heart of our demo-, ratio government.
common plan where educational eff
cheney is sought. The city long ago
abandoned the ward school plan I'M
der which = separate school board
was elected in each ward of the city,
because under it there existed as i'll
our counties today, glaring Unequal.
tiles of taxation and educational Op-
portunity. Every city school thru
out the country is governed by a CEN
trail board of education elected by
the people of the entire city and col
lecting its funds for the support of
the schools from the entire city upon
uniform basis of taxation-a plan
which has increased many fold the
efficiency of the city school admin
istration and supervision.
A similar plan of supervision and
administration is now proposed for a
county district in order that the mon
ey raised on an equal tax basis may
be distributed and administered
equally for all the children living
in rural communities. Rural educa-
ton as it is now represented by the
multiplied district system offers all
kind of inequalities. and provides no
means of careful and thoughtful SUI
pervision for the children of the
widely scattered districts. The COM
missions plan makes it mandatory
that these schools be as carefully SUI
pervised and as carefully directed
that they have as we'll qualified
teachers, and that all in all they Of
Ter educational opportunity equal.
to that given to the children of the
city. If the wealth on the farm must
contribute it's portion of school rev.
enue for free education, then the
children on the farm ought not to be
denied the educational opportunity
now afforded the city children.
The district control of our schools
will remain with the people because
the County Board of Directors will
be elected directly by the people
With the enlarged school facilities
and improved administration which
are sure to obtain under the plan
proposed by the Commission. the
people will surely take renewed in
terest in this scheme of education
which offers a square deal to every
child regardless OF where it may live.
The question may we'll be asked
whether or not the very heart of
democracy" does not, and should not