The Record-courier. [volume] (Gardnerville, Nev.) 1904-current, 1924-09-26
BY c. W. Shumway, Phi. D.
Principal of the Douglas County
High School

AiiSh DSuOOi
There has recently come to hand
the September, 1924, issue of "The
Nevada Tax Review" which is pub
lished by the Nevada Public Econo-
my league, with headquarters at Re-
no. Among other suggestive articles
is found one entitled Increasing Cost
of Schools" and a considerable part of
the statistical matter in the present
issue seems designed to support the
conclusion that our schools are cost
ing the taxpayers good deal more
than they should. While this is stat
ed in an article as being true of the
country as a whole, its writer wishes
the people of Nevada to know that
whereas the average daily cost per
pupil throughout the country is some
thing like 34c, in Nevada the cost
runs to something like 68c. The front
cover of this issue bears graph
which shows that in 1923 Nevada
spent nearly 45c out of every dollar
received in taxes for educational pur-
poses. This figure appears to be at
variance with data given on page 5,
where the average percentage of tax
income for all the counties of the
state for the same year is shown as
31.5. Without looking up the sources,
one wonders which figures to accept.
The writer of the article referred to
makes some valuable points and Of
fers few worthwhile suggestions.
They are certainly not new, having
been the common property of those
interested in these problems for sew
eral years. No claim for originality
is made on the part of the gentleman
whose article we are reviewing. He
knows, or ought to know, that there
is now an association of national
scope whose business it is to study
methods of economizing time and ef-
fort in education. This association
has for many years published year
book and the series of year-books Is
extensively used in our normal
schools. The men and women who
compose this association give their
time and strength freely to their
work, and not a cent of their expenses
are paid by taxpayers. Surely il
the work of the elementary grades
formerly called the "g am m r
grades") can be shortened by elem
mating Unnecessary material, or by a
better system of promotions, educa-
tors generally can be depended upon
to take steps in that direction just as
fast as public opinion will support
them. European precedent favors
such a scheme and, although Euro
pean schools are quite different from
ours, we may learn something from
them. Educators generally favor
such a shortening of the time spent
in school. Educational leaders are
strongly in favor of it, and the tax
payers can be assured that just as
soon as possible progressive steps
will be taken in that direction. AS
a matter of fact, a good deal has al
ready been accomplished in that di-
rection in those centers where edu-
cational progress is easiest.
Is it true that Nevada's per capita
cost is so much higher than that of
other states? If so, there is at least
one reason which ought to serve as a
basis of congratulation to the state.
Nevada does not share its financial
burden in the matter of education
with the large number of parochial
and private schools to be found else
where. In California, for example,
many thousands of children receive
their elementary education, not to
speak of thousands who get their sec
ondary work, in church supported
schools. California counties can be
named where an astonishing percent
age of the children go through from
the kindergarten to the college with
out costing the taxpayers single
penny. AT least three denominations
are actively interested in taking their
children out of the public schools and
in giving them a training more suited
to denominational ends. In other
states similar conditions prevail, and
those more interested in ecclesiastical
training than in that of the public
schools are relieving the taxpayers
of very noticeable part of the ex-
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