The Mena weekly star., 1921-09-22
SCEoolM0TES
BY W H MoRDEN

By W. IT MOkIEN-
 County Superintendent schools.
 The best news item for the week is the announcement of the apportion- ment of school funds, The county Board of Education in regular quar- terly session this week made the ap- portionment. For the benefit of those who may not know about these funds we will mention each item sep, arately. These are the only school funds we get except the local tax that each district votes annually at the school meeting, and some very small amounts that come in occasionally.
 The state apportionment was S2.6l for each child of school age. There are 6.482 in Polk county. This brought to our county S16,91S.02. This amount is derived from the state three mill school tax, and the income from the permanent school fund The per- manent school fund is fund that can not be used. We get the benefit of the interest only. \ permanent school fund is the best thing for a state to have to support the public school. Some states have tax on such natural products as oil, gas, coal, timber, etc. The tax to go to a per- manent school fund, only the income on it to be used. If Arkansas had had such a tax for the past 20 years we could have been able now to have schools like we want with very little taxation. It is not too late yet. The last legislature made an attempt at il. but did no pass it.
 In this apportionment we also got $2295 from the Forest Reserve Fund. This comes from the federal govern ment to the state, and from there to the various counties that contain the reservations. Counties get the income according to the income from the forests. Some counties do not have reservations, and do not participate in the income. Scott is the only county in the state that gets as much in this way as does Polk.
 The next largest item in the appor- tionment is the poll tax. This amount ed to $32657S, and is apportioned with the other funds for the entire county according to school enumera- tion.
 Other sources of income are, in- terest on all county, road, and school funds. The banks pay per cent in- terest on the daily balance for all funds. This brings around $200 a months and all goes to the general school fund Each applicant for teachers license or the renewal of li- cense, pays a fee of S2. This also goes to the general school fund. Ev- cry transfer from one district to an- other pays a fee of seventy-fve cents into the general school fund. The last two sources bring about $500 a year. aa
 The only items of expense from the general school fund are for the sal ary, and expenses of the county sup erintendent, around $2400 year, and the treasurer's commission of 2 per cent.
 After all funds were added together there was enough to apportion $3.60 for every child, leaving a balance of a little more than $500. Last year the amount was $3.S5. The main reasons for the difference were that the banks paid a higher rate of interest last year, the poll tax was about S400 less than last year, and the forest reserve was about S400 less.
 Any one who cares to know just how much this brought to any par ticular district may ask the directors how much was the enumeration and , multiply that by $3.60.