Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1924-09-26

number OF children IN the puDlic
school. For instance, if there are
1900 children in the public school in
district, and $50 attending private
school in the same district, the pub
lie school now gets all of this allot-
ment, and if the private schools were
abolished, the public schools would
have to educate these children with
out receiving any larger allotment.
Private Schools Maintained at Pri-
v T,-t1ss
Not one cent Of public money goes
to the building or maintenance OF any
private school in the State Of Wash
ington, nor can any tax money ever
be appropriated for any church or
private school. This is prohibited
by the Constitution Of the State.
Pupils Affected
Only one-ffteenth Of the children
Of school age in the state OF wash
ington attend private schools. These
schools are maintained private IN
stitutions, or are established by re-
Hgious denominations, principally
the Protestant Episcopal. Catholic,
Methodist, Seventh Day Adventists'
Christian and Lutheran.
All Appreciate Public School System
ro,,lee CITY q Graham
Citizens who maintain such prl-
vate schools have no quarrel with the
state educational system. Many OF
them feel that the state system
while excellent in organization and
results, does not go far enough to
meet the approval of their consciences'
which-from their standpoint, at
least-require them to give a DEFINITE
training in religion and morality'
They feel that the liberty which they
and you enjoy as American citizens
should not be taken from them, az
long as their children are receiving
the same education on all subjects
as children in the public schools, and
as required by the general laws OF the
state. Present state laws require every
child Of school age to receive an ed
ucation equal to the standard estab-
lished for the public schools, and
pupils in private schools pass state
examinations.
No Such Restriction Of Individual
Liberty Ever Enforced IN Any
State in the United States
The American people have grown
great and strong under the principles
OF individual liberty. If this liberty
ever is undermined, it will not be
taken away all at once, but grad
ually. step by step. Shall the State
of Washington take step barkward'
and say that there shall no longer
be! liberty in the matter Of education:
Everyone admits that the state has
the right and the duty to provide
public schools, but the state has no
right to deprive the parent of his
right TO select the school for his child.
Once grant that, the state can say 10
a parent you must send your child
to this school and no other" then the
state can say to a parent, you must
dress your child thus and so. you
must send your child to this public
health, officer, and to-no other practi-.
toner,
Private schools have existed from
the foundation of this country, and
many Of the greatest Americans were
educated in them. Among these were
George Washington, Thomas Jeffer-
son, Patrick Henry, James Madison,
William Mckinley, Theodore Roose-
welt and Woodrow Wilson.
If you try to take from your neigh
Dor the liberty which all have enjoy
ed during the 1877. years of American
Constitutional Government in ore
particular, there is no reason why
your nkighbor, when some other
question shall arise, will not vote for
another measure which will deprive
you of some privilege which you now
possess and value. If we value our
own liberties, must concede to our
neighbor the same liberty.