Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1924-10-25
PRESIDENT UPSHUR
DEFENDS PROPOSED
100000 issue
Shows Clearly Cost To Taxpayers
Greater In Defeating Measure
Than In Passing 1t
BOARD OF EDUCATION
ENDORSES THE BILL

To the Voters of Worcester County:
There is no question challenging
the serious thought Of the men and
women of this county, of more i'm
portance than the proposed school
bond issue which is to be voted on at
the election on November A.
You are an intelligent and earnest
body of citizens, and as your chief
servant in the County connected with
your school system, I feel it my duty
to give you the benefit Of my views
as to the facts and as to what l re-
gard as the wise course for you to
pursue.
The only fair way to build schools,
is through bond issue. 1t is certain
ly fitting that public building Of a
permanent character, designed to last
at least one hundred years, should
have the payment for it's erection
spread over a period Of half that time.
That the need for the proposed
buildings is on us, and is pressing
now, il mot open to question by any
one who will take five minutes to in
quire as to the true condition of the
crowded schools. In the endeavor to
meet the requirements of this situa-
tion, We must, at the same time, in
this period of business depression in
an agricultural community such as
ours,give imperative thought to econo-
my to the taxpayers as well as to the
needs of our very rapidly growing
community of school children, and a.
dopt that method which would seem to
meet the requirements in the most
economical way.
In the first place, the proposed
bond issue, as embodied in the law
passed at the last legislature, is so ar
ranged as to payments, that during
the first four years, interest alone at
per cent. will be paid each year a.
mounting to $4,000 year; the fifth
year, that same amount of interest
and $4,000 on the principal will make
the payment $4,000, and then on to
the end Of the period of fifty years,
the highest payment in any one year
being $17,500, and the payments will
vary between that and $4,000 pei
year.
If this method is not adopted, then
we must ask ourselves, "What situa-
ton confronts us?" 1t does not an
swer the question to say stop bringing
the children in from the country
schools and put them back into the
old country schools again, because
these country schools with the eXcep
ton of two, have become practically
uninhabitable and must be replaced il
the old system prevails, and to replace
these country schools b temporary
structures, payable out of he tax levy
as they are built, will Il more pei
year than the amount Mentioned a
bove for paying off thu bond issue
Further than that, the adoption of thu
bus system of bringing the children
into the towns has created saving
by doing away with the services Of
the teachers in the country schools
and the fuel and repair bills connected
Herewith, of from $500 to $4,000 ;
year, almost enough to run the bone
issue plan.
Figure out for yourself exactl!
what it will mean to your pocketbool
in the way of actual additional taxes
paid by you for the bond issue thai
would be paid if nothing at all wer
done. A person who pays taxes OF
$1,000 worth of property would pa,
not quite $1.00 more per year for tn
bond issue payments, but don't los
sight of the fact that if the bond is
sue plan is not adopted, you will no
get out of paying that $1.00 more, be
cause as l have said already the ta
rate will have to be raised more t
take care of the temporary make
shifts than it would to take care o
the permanent improvements, an
you would be spending more than
additional if you do not adopt tn
bond issue plan.
Therefore, from every point Of view
it is my judgment as your servan
having studied this question in you
interest, that the bond issue pla
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