The Dolores star., 1924-04-04
Some Facts Regarding the Benefits
of the Public Schools.
Editor of the Star

Editor of the STAR
have been requested by citizens of
Dolores to write the following article.
As you know, the School Board have
had nothing to do with this request, 50
hope you will see fit to print it, also
hope it fulfills the wishes of the per.
sons making the request. 1t is too bad
it could not appear earlier.
There are two sides to every question.
and, in order to form just decision
both sides must be know. The persons
requesting the following wanted both
sides of subject receiving much at
tention lust now. You have heard one
side, now hear small part of the
other.
1t cost the district S25, 43l.48 to
maintain the school and pay interest
on bonds the year ending June 1928.
1t cost from $50 to 500 per month to
send pupil away to High School or
college. That pays tuition. board and
i books, no clothes We will take the
$50 per month for an estimation, please.
At the present time there are "a boys
lin tn High School, at $50 per month
for nine months it would cost Sl296O.
There are sc girls at the same rate that
would be Sl9440,
i We have graduated 20 pupils. At
the same rate it amounts to SAG, 200 for
the same thing they have received in
the Dolores, school, Then there are arr
months and months credit for the
pupils in the advance grades at the
present time.
This money would have gone out of
I the locality if all these children had
been sent away to school. To be sure,
many of them would not have gone. /
know some of you don't care about
your neighbor's children, for you have
said so, but your children play with
them and some of those same children
may be future husbands or wives in
your family.
You people who are holding the
dollars so close to your eyes that you
are letting the rest of the world go by.
What do you think of the above bal
lance?
4 The dollar is only small factor in
the equation. There has been rapid
growth for the better in all parts of
the community. To illustrate-Our
l in basketball. Don't dare to tell me
this won't help them to play a clean
game in life. They have learned to be
courteous to strangers through these
same games. This is so pronounced
that their opponents remark about the
splendid treatment they have received
in Dolores. Can you estimate that in
dollars and cents? Is that of any
value to the individual Immediately
concerned or to the community as a
whole? If you have attended any of
these games, you know the attitude of
the spectators toward fair play.
Another thing in favor of the game
About half Of the boys in the high
aschool today would not be there if it
4were not for the athletics. Again,
8perhaps you don't know that the pupils
taking part in these games must have
"a passing mark in all their studies.
u There is another improvement that
}should be mentioned. You know and l
know that there has been times when
Teachers were afraid to go on the streets
after dark because of the questionable
element in our community. We also
know that parents of this community
have laughed and even Dragged about
the contemplate tricks their children
have done. l also know and you can
\ find out by asking that it has cost the
4 district many a dollar to make good
4 Sdamage done by those same parties
!, While not ideal, conditions are now
normal.
Who is responsible for all this? The
very persons you claim have not earned
their money. The ones who have been
aoverpaid, you say. What one of you
could have done as much? Which one
of you have made the same sacrifice
I in order to better the community about
you? 1t has cost at least thousand
B dollars a year to obtain the four years
Y preparation necessary to teach in our
4 Dolores high school. The law says any
7teacher teaching in an accredited schoo
must have that much preparation; also,
Il the law sets the minimum salary to be
4paid. Then public opinion says: They
must dress well, they must take edu-
cational papers and attend summer
school to be progressive, they must at
tend and contribute to all social affairs
Df the community, they simply must
be perfection, yet you do not want to
give them the means to do this. Did
you ever see teacher sporting lashy
diamonds and other things associated
with affiuence?
VI The sacrifice does not end with the
money question. They give up home
Ind educated friends to help prepare
your children for a future which will
Remand much more than the present.
This is sacrifice beyond the compre-
hension Of any one who has not tried
1t. Vacation comes as happy release;
yet you criticise them If they take the