The Monett times., 1922-11-03

be cut Dy the people Oh the Souhtl
so that they could not maintain their
present standard. The third reason
lis one which the Rural districts should
be especially glad of. Between eighty
and ninety per cent of the bonded
Indebtedness of the school districts
in the State of Missouri is on the
first class High school districts. II
they were put under the jurisdiction
of this law, it would mean that the
Rural districts would have to retire
these bonds and in that way would
work real injustice upon them. As
there are only three first class High
schools in Barry County, the whole
county with the exception of Monet,
Cassville and Wheaton would come
under the jurisdiction of the County
Unit Law. According to estimates
on Barry County a levy Of fifty-five
cents on the hundred dollars valuation
would BE- sufficient to establish and
maintain good rural school districts
and high school districts wherever
needed. That would mean then that
every district in Barry County which
is now ievying more than fifty-five
cents on, the hundred dollars valuation
would have reduced taxes while those
which are voting under fifty-five
cents would probably have their taxes
increased. That would mean that not
more than eighteen or twenty districts
would have increased taxes and that
at least ninety five or possibly a
hundred would have their taxes low
cred.
The question will of course arise
how we can maintain better schools
with less money. You can readily
answer that question for yourself
however if you would think of Mo-
nett with thirty school houses, thirty
teachers, thirty different heating
systems, thirty sets of books, thirty
different school boards, and 30 sets of
equipment. With each of those school
houses controlled by one teacher try
ing to teach twelve years of school
work you can easily see what an en-
ormous waste of time and money
such condition would necessarily en-
tail. The County Unit will simply
! give a city system to the rural dis
trictS of the County with the city
efficiency.
! This of course would force the
County Superintendent to be well
qualified and an efficient man as his
part of the work would mean great
deal in the County education. Some
of our officials offer great deal of
opposition to the County Unit as they
are afraid of losing their jobs. How
ever, we do have several in the. State
who are big enough to realize the
Importance of the measure for the
future Missouri. | am glad to note
that on Page 147 of the State Super
intendent's last report w. f. Hankins
Superintendent of Barry County has
placed himself on record as favoring
County administration and the County
Superintendent being appointed by
the County Board.
In spite of the fact that many peo-
pie say that the County Unit is a
political issue, such is not the case.
The movement was first started in
1912 and has gradually grown from
that time until during Governor
Gardner's administration measure
was first put into the Legislature.
However, it was defeated in Commit
tee but it has been sponsored by such
men as former State Superintendents
Darlington, Gass, Lampkins and
Evans, two Democrats and two Re-
publicans. In 1920 practically all of
the candidates for state offices and
many for the Legislature approved
and indorsed the County Unit Bill.
The Democrat candidates for Cover
nor John NJ. Atkinson, for Lieut.. Gov.
! C. NJ. Buford, for Att. Gen. Willis H.
Meredith endorsed it. 1t was also
endorsed by all of the Republican
officials Arthur NJ. Hyde, Hiram
Lloyd, and Jesse w. Barrett. ltwas
passed in the lower House by vote
of 81 to 43 and in the Senate "a to Z.
1t had decided majority in both
houses and it would have become q
law had it not been held up by the
referendum. The man who has fought
the hardest for the law was re-
publican. The man who has fought
the hardest against the law was re-
publican. The man who accomplished
much against the law was demo
crat. The man who is doing as much
as can possibly be done as Chairman
of the Committee to secure the pas
sage of the law at the coming election
l.. ahcolrltalN mi