Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1922-03-31
SITUATION OF
CITY SCHOOLS
is SERIOUS


pie the impossibiliy Of providing
properly for the conduct Of the
schools with the revenue available.
Propositions to increase the revenue
were twice submitted to the voters
by unanimous action of the board
at elections held in July and August
These propositions were defeated both
times.
A similar proposition is to be sub
mitted Saturday, April 8. The in
crease of school levy asked Is one and
one-fourth per cent, one per cent.
for educational purposes and one
fourth of one per cent. for building
purposes.
If this increase be granted, the
school tax rate will then be $500,
whereas thirty or forty cities of Hi
nois have higher rates extending even
to 1892
There is no intention on the part
of the board of education Of increas-
ing salary schedules. The levy asked
Will be sufficient only to remove in
debtedness, maintain present stands
ards and provide for necessary in
crease and improvement.
The comparatively small vote at
the elections last summer seemed TO
show that the voters did not recog-
nize the seriousness of the situation.
The following statement may make 1t
clearer:
During the past few years, it has
been impossible for the board of edu-
cation to perform its first duty of
providing good schools, without max
ing use of the permission of law to
use in advance a portion of the next
years taxes. The DEBT has increased
from year to year and must increase
further, if no relief be granted. More
over, the limit will soon be reached.
When no longer able to conduct
properly complete system of
schools, board of education, accord
ing to the ruling of the state supsrin-
tendent of public instruction, must
discontinue first the highest grades.
Pursuant to this opinion, it ap-
pears to the members of the board
that, within two years at the furthau,
1t Will become necessary to discon-
tinue at least the twelfth grade, the
last high school year, of the Cham
paign schools.
Immediately upon such discontinu-
ance, the territory of this district will
automatically become a part of the
non-high school district of the county.
In this case, the twelfth grade, or
senior, students may attend any 9TH
er recognized four-year high school
and have their tuition paid from the
non-high school district tax; while
this district may still maintain a
three-year high school and charge thu
total cost, except that for payments
for bonds and interest, to the non
high school district also.
There will thus be eight hundred or
more high school pupils added to the
present number whose tuition must
be paid from the non-high school tax,
and this will probably increase tho
non-high school levy three-fold. This
tax is paid by all territory in the
county not included in districts which
maintain recognized four-year high
schools. The Champaign district will
be added to this non-high school dis
trict if the high school course he
shortened.
The Champaign board of education
being relieved from nearly all high
school expenses, could devote the
present school revenue almost entire
ly to the grade schools and thus pro-
vide well for elementary education,
though at the expense of lowering
the standard of the high school.
The automatic progress just de-
scribed would increase the school tax
on the territory of the Champaign
district by the amount of the nom
high school tax, or more than one
half of the increase which is being
asked of the voters April eighth. The
saving would thus be small at last
and would salso doubtless be more
than offset by the expense and incon-
venlence of sending the senior high
school students elsewhere to gru6.
ate and by the great loss to the edu-
catlonal reputation of our city.
This plain report as to the conse-
quences of final refusal to provide
sufficient funds to maintain such
schools as the present reputation ID
Champaign requires is not '"bluff" but
is a statement of necessary logical
conclusions, somewhat reluctantly
made.
This is not an attempt to tell ,vot.
ers what they must do but is an effort
to make plain to the voters what their
board of education must do when il
becomes impossible to do better.
This statement is now made be.
cause the voters have right to know
the facts and might very Justly blame
the members of the board for moi
making them clear until after the
consequences had arrived.
All of the above is approved by
every member of the board of educa-
ton as in their judgment fair stats.
ment of the matters involved in the
questions about to be brought before
the people.