Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1922-03-02
SPLENDID BUT S t

How TO meet the expenses of maintaining highly standard
lied education with a decreasing income, Is the problem facing
the larger part of the various school districts OF the state y the
present time. The decrease in the state apporuonment is only one
item, and a comparatively small one, in the various sources o. IN
come to the school districts. A much larger item comes from the
decrease in assessed valuation resulting from the attempts OF coDn-
~ officials to reduce taxation more or less equitably, and also from
the actual loss in valuation due to depressed conditions generally.
Montana schools are rated as the highest model OF efficiency
and completeness by eminent authority. This achievement was OBJ
tanned during the period of expansion, when everything was gong
ahead, with property increasing in value and great projects ana
industry in the stages of development. The future was drawn
upon lavishly by the floating of bonds, mortgag1ng poster1ty Tor
staggering sums while no one worried over the day OF settlement
Had MontanaMs destiny fulfilled the promises OF develop
ment continuously as warranted by the visible signs, and had there
been no world cataclysm to upset all calculations, things would no
doubt have been far different in our school affairs and they would
be still in the expansion stage, probably. However, the actual
conditions is the thing that must be faced and the method Oh soiu-
tin found. Distasteful as it is, the matter must eventually be
solved on the basis of income in dollars and cents. If it costs too
much to operate under the present methods in vogue, the inference
is plain that a change in standards is imperative. The vital ques-
ton is to determine the place to begin retrenchment.
Taking our local district as an example, 1t goes without say
ing that there must be no sacrifice in efficiency in. the grade
schools. These are the foundation of all education and should be
maintained at all costs. The High school has attained a high de-
gree of efficiency, has thousands of dollars invested in modern
equipment and always been q model in which the citizens have
taken q universal pride, but it remains the only point of attack
left for the Board of Education in which to devise methods of re-
trenchment. There are serious problems to consider in a curtall-
ment of some of these special courses of the High school that add
to the difficulties of the situation. The curtailment of even one or
more of the special courses means the discontinuance of a sub
stantiai part of the district income under the Smith Hughes act.
The shortening of the school year is another alternative that does
not arouse a great deal of enthusiasm either in the school board
or among the patrons of the school, neither does a general cut in
salaries promise much for the welfare of our educational system.
Altogether the problem of raising more revenue for our
schools or the consequent reduction of standards presents a puzzle;
extremely difficult to solve. The individual business man gets the
looks as though much the same methods are applicable to the
present situation In our public schools.