Evening journal., 1921-12-01
TEACHERS TO Go
AFTER So FEE
State Board of Education
Agrees to Have Them
Take Adult Census
CONFERENUCE HELD
ON SCHOOL TAX LAW

w. r. Messick. representing the State
Tax Commission, conferred with the
State Board OF Education at a meet
ing in the City Building this morn
ing relative to making a census OF
all adults in the state. outside OF
Wilmington. to levy the filing fee Of
SO required under the new school tax
law. The subject was discussed for
nearly an hour, after which it was
decided by resolution to have the
school teachers OF the rural districts
make the census and in the special
school districts. outside this city.
members OF the District School Board
are 10 have charge OF the work.
In referring to the matter at the
meeting Senator Bennett said that
he had been unfortunate enough to
be In the Senate for three years
while various kinds OF State school
laws were being created or discussed.
AT the last session." he continued
Il worked hard to get a law that was
worth while and in order TO make
the present law operative It Is neces-
sary that we have money and a State
Tax Department was created which
is part OF the plan.
1T is true that the law as passed
contains errors and the success OF
the same depends on the success in
( collecting the taxes II the tax law
falls you may just as well throw
your education laws in the waste
basket Even today have been in
/ formed that there is a meeting be-
ing held in this State by body OF
people to redraft a new school law"
Senator Bennett, suggested that in
order to secure a complete list OF
the taxables OF the age OF 81 years
or over in the various school dis
tricts that the school teachers be
called on TO take the census. He
said that in Sussex county the teach
ers could do this work without
leaving their school buildings.
Ellwood Souder. the Wilmington
member Of the State Board, said h'
favored the paying or the teachers
for the work but IL was explained
that the State law did not provide
any extra money for this work
David a. Ward. superintendent o
the Wilmington public schools wh'
arrived at the meeting after the dis
cussion started urged that the teach
ers do the work but he afterward
said he thought the matter unde
discussion was that OF taking a cen
sus OF school children. This ez
PLANTATION on the part OF DR.. War
caused much laughter.
Following the adoption OF the res
olution ordering that the work h
done by the teachers or school boar
members, several Of the member
including DR.. II. V. Holloway. Stat
superintendent OF Education, sal
I they felt that the work was not OF
for the teachers to do. but that. q
Il was a service similar to that
the Red Cross. the teachers. hole
ing the important position they d.
should do the work.
Another tax matter that was dii
cussed at length by the member
was that OF collecting the 25-cei
school tax assessment on each SIC
worth Of real estate. p. W. Gree
e attorney for the New Castle Count
- Levy Court appeared as spokesma
n for the tax collectors OF this count
% who attended the meeting.
Il Mr.. Green explained that Will
IS the tax collectors were paid by N
!. county to collect county taxes, th
=. school laws compelled them to d
70 work for the State without comper
sation. Mr.. Green said that the co
;. lectors who formerly received 2 p'
9 cent. on the school taxes collect
by them felt that they should
= paid for the extra work. 1t was e.
planned that the collectors wei
/, bonded and were paid a salary base
on the collection OF county. poor an
(. dog taxes.
Mr.. Green said that he felt thi
it was up to the State. Board to co
!, lect the money but il for expedien,
y the collectors do It, they should
= padd. He said the collectors we
, elected before the State School La
: was passed.
a. John SchnTing. assistant TO d
/, Holloway. said that William S. Hill
had given an opinion to the effe
70 that when the State Legislatu
10 created laws providing for addition
- al burdens on officials then in O
70 fee. it was up to those officials
% serve.
Mr.. Green suggested that q
! Board make a mental note Of the IA
- that the present law was deficient
h that it did not provide for any p
"a for the extra work on the part
~ the collectors.
Prior to the discussion over {
taxes the School Board membe
a. suggested that the County Treasur
N of New Castle county he request
-, to bond in the sum Of 100000, IN
u. OF Kent county in the sum OF S2I
- 900 and Sussex county $4,000.
= ter this resolution had been pass
Il was discovered that the Tres
~ urers Of the three counties did r
~ handle any OF the school boa
A. money to be raised through the
, ing tax.
II was reported that the funds
u ceived from the various counties
X far under the new law we're as 4
es lows: New Castle county, S29
IS S35.41; Kent county, s52,310.76 a
d. Sussex county. $4,000, making
St total OF S45.146.17.
te The board also decided TO requ
the Laurel School Board to grs
by the State Board the use Of unus
furniture and a communication v
n received from the Dover sch,
in board approving the site for the n
on Negro school there to be erected
IN the State Board.