Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1922-12-01
SCHOOL LEVY.


ton of tie State provides that the
Legislature shall provide for rails
ing in each county or district. by
the authority of the people thereof.
such proportion of the amount re-
quircd for the support of free
schools therein as should be pro-
vidcd by general laws. The gcnci
al LAW provides that the school levy
shall be voted for Wien county
superintendent are elected. In
some districts in some cOuntic, the
levy was not voted on at all and in
such districts the Boards of Educa-
ton have no authority to Law the
school levy III 1923. ~. 25.and 20
unless there be special election
ordered by petition Of 80 per cent
oil lhc voters of such districts.
- IN Mercer county there appears
to be only one district in which the
levy received amy votes.
In Grccnbricr county VIC have not
access TO tn" vote for and against
the levy but taking the couny as n
whole there were 1927 votes cast
for the levy and 1906 against it.
Our advice is that no single district
in the county failed to vote for the
levy. The 1906 votes cast in the
county were votes cast against the
public school system. for that is
what 4 vote against the levy"
means. We take it that not one of
these 1905 votes were Intentional.
but for lack of information. II
would seem that this antiquatcd
law which has been in force in one
form or other since 1872 >lould be
amended so Il final vote of authority
could be given for the lew for
school purposes and to thus climi-
nate its being up for an authority
from The people evd'y time a
County Superintendent is elected.
Provision could be made that ut any
time a district or any other unit in
case it be a county, desired to do
away with public schools, a vote
could be had on proper petition.
A petition Of this kind is hardly
conceivable Much money is being
spent in West Virginia for public
education: Perhaps much OF it is
not bringing the results it should.
This is not the fault of the public
school sysem it is the way it is adj
ministered in some instances. In
some ii is the lack Of qualific cation
OF the teachers but in most instances
II is the lack OF cooperation on
the part OF the parents and pupils
While West Virginia spends a
great deal of money for public edu-
cation yet she does not spend as
much as many other State.
1t has seemed necessary in West
Virginia. as in many other States,
to pass compulsory attendance laws
and truant officers to see that the
boys and girls are kept in school
Conditions may make this ncccS-
sary. 1t is an added expense to the
tax payers. The necessity for this
should be eliminated by each com
munity creating such a great cnth,l-
.SiaSm for education that all chill
drcn OF school age would be CON
Stantly in school. That West Nir-
ginia CT any other Stale must have
a compulsory school system is no
credit to them. 1t shows that there
is a screw lose somewhere in intel
iigcnt, energetic citizenship.
Take the cri me wave and the
trouble between employer and en-
pioycc and ninc-tcnthS of it can be
placed at the foot stool of ignorance
and MISUNDERSTANDING occasioned
BY ignorance and lack OF intclli-
igcnt cooperation. There is only
one way in which country con-
$titutcd as ours, can be run and that
is on real intelligence and coop
Grafton. 1t may be that at the pres
emf time we are passing through a
transition period form ignorance
TO higher intelligence and amid
that transition. in the climbing to
higher ground, many mistakes are
being made.
However this may be there in one
way to eliminate many laws and
much expense and that is by every
citizen doing his or her best as a
citizen TO meet the duties of ciiZcn-
ship without Il law telling them
what to do. II is the lack of this
very thing which has demanded so
many laws and so much expense.
III seems, at times, none OF us use
TO an advantage the intelligence and
information We have. True .cdu-
cation and insight and intelligent
e energy would eliminate much en-
Dcnsc and many laws. 1t would be
fulfilling by living. That is just
what q country such AS ours must
have.
nou,v n, Az