Arizona republican., 1922-04-21
MESA CITIZENS IN
MOVE FOR LOWERING
Of SCHOOL EXPENSE

MESA. April 20.--A move that it
| is hoped will tend to a lowering of
/ taxes in the county was put under
way at mass meeting held in the
Mesa union high school auditorium
! Wednesday night when a motion was
] passed instructing the joint boards
of the two districts here to request
| the county school superintendent to
call a meeting of all boards of trus-
| tees in Maricopa county when the re-
duction of school expenses may be
| discussed.
The mass meeting was called by the
boards of trustees of the grammar
| school district No. and of the high
school district to consider a petition
which had been presented to them a
week previous recommending certain
changes in the school administration
that will send to a lowering of ex-
| penses. The petition was said to
| bear the names of 325 taxpayers of
the district. About 500 people at
tended the mass meeting Wednesday
night.
G. W. Silverthorne, chairman of the
high school board. presided at the
meeting and called first upon c. Nj.
Paddock, secretary of the taxpayers
league, who read and explained the
petition circulated and presented to
the two boards. In part the petition
said:
I'VE, the citizens and taxpayers of
the Mesa districts respectfully ask
that the running expenses of the
schools be reduced at least % per
cent the coming year which we be-
lieve can be done without impairing
the efficiency of the schools in any
way, for the following reasons: "
Recommendation made included:
"A proposal that teachers of the
following special subjects be elirai-
mated: Physical education, truant Of
ficer art, physical education, home
economics and kindergarten. The
work of the truant officer to be
handled by the school nurse and any
OF the other necessary work elimi-
mated to be handled by the regular
class teachers.
'aThat the teachers drawing 10
months salary for 9 months work be
cut to 9 months salary to corre-
spond."
The petition set forth the following
suggestions for change in the high
school:
ssThe elimination OF all non essen
tial subjects and activities. That
parties, theatrieals, dances, ETC., be
very largely eliminated
'That at least % per cent reduc-
tion in maintenance cost be made.
That the students be encouraged to
devote their time and energies to the
solid subjects, as mathematics,
science. history and English. That
less time and less credits be given
the non essential subjects. That the
I'll, - .t~rt1
essary that student government be
eliminated. That children absent
bring bona fide excuses from their
parents explaining such absence"
Following Mr.. Paddock's reading
of the petition, Charles Peterson,
chairman of the Mesa branch of the
Maricopa County Taxpayers league,
took the floor long enough to ex-
plain the organization of the local
branch, its purpose and its desire in
presenting the petition to secure for
the farmers some relief from the
present burdensome taxes. Few
farmers have paid their taxes for the
last two years, the speaker declared,
and while education is essential and
it is not the intent to decrease the
present efficiency of the schools the
children must first be fed and clothed.
Many honest confessions of finan-
cial conditions and the tax situation
were made by those who took the
floor pro and con on the subject and
much valuable information was
brought out on both sides that those
in the large audience were surprised
and glad to learn.
Herman e. Hendrix, superintendent
of the Mesa schools, occupied the
floor for nearly AZ n1inufas dicnuSe-
ing the points at issue in the petit
ton, in many cases calling attention
to the incorrect statements therein.
and presenting the schools view of
the situation. He quoted tax rates
OF other districts in the county and
In the state and showed the Mesa
districts to be operating at a much
less expense than the average.
0. S. Stapley of the high school
board, W. r. Stewart of the gram
mar school board. George Halves Of
the Lehi school, board, ID. p. Jones,
local resident and representative in
the state legislature; w. X Bowen,
w. w. Mitchell and others spoke on
the subject.
Acknowledgment that some of the
statements in the petition were in
error was made by members of the
taxpayers league and in the words of
one speaker, they would much have
preferred to have merely presented
the petition praying for a reduction
in operating expenses. could the same
end have been obtained without of
fereing the several recommendations
A friendly spirit of cooperation
was manifested throughout in keep
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