Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1933-03-16
GUSTAFSON WRITES AGAIN

Editor Askov American:
Sorry to bother you, but Mr. r.
Stepan needs some more correcting,
and as he has again used my name
i'm connection with his sOcalled Will
low River school 'muddle,' ] shall
have to point out few more OF ms
errors. There is at least one good
reason for me to continue this rather
useless discussion and that is to make
use of an opportunity to inform hon
est folks regarding more of the facts.
We should have an active Parent
Teachers Association so that all i'm
portant school problems and questions
might be discussed and explained in
friendly way for the benefit of all.
AS we have here no such organization,
might suggest again that we have
a community meeting and public de-
bate at the school house on the ques-
ton Resolved that our Willow River
Consolidated school district No. 21-
Pine county-shOuld be dissolved and
the territory annexed to the Pine
county unorganized territory school
district under the control of the COun-
ty Board of Education" An accep-
lance of this proposed debate must
be posted in at least four public
places in Willow River Tor published
in the Askov American) at least one
week before the date suggested for
the debate. The Board of Education
shall of course appoint the proper
chairman of the meeting and see to
it that it is conducted in an educa-
tional. orderly, and fair way. Mr..
Stepan may import any person or per-
sons he wishes to assist him. am
sure we can easily convince a con-
scfentious audience, even if we can
not expect to convince him.
Before l "Sign off, l feel that l
should point out few of the errors
in his last article in the American:
1. I am glad that Mr.. Stepan has
admitted that the valuation was re-
duced which made our rate go up,
as our levy was less than the prev
fous year. The general run of taxes
are actually less this year in our
Willow River district than last year,
as real estate owners will find by
comparison. Figure 81 mills rate on
$15S,O00 valuation and estimate the
usual SO or 50 per cent delinquency
and the actual taxes collected for
next year will cover the $4,000 bond
that will be due and the interest on
the bonds with perhaps little to go
TENDER will take care of the operat-
ing expenses for the ensuing year,
if it isn't taken away from us and
spent elsewhere which the law per-
mits and provides, if we "gO into the
unorganized." Personally l think
some special arrangements could and
should be made with bond holders
to cut rate of interest and payments.
| would like to know how the un-
organized territory schools can oper-
ate next year on all cylinders with
| less state aids than Willow, low
| tax levy, and some townships paying
less than 7&o of taxes. Our state aids
would help them! The warrants in
the unorganized territory have al
ready been discounted. Will they be
| like Koochiching and Beltrami coun-
ties next year? Bankrupt?
l. l am very glad indeed to explain
why my salary for the next year has
apparently been raised. | am to re-
ceive an extra month of pay for my
work during the summer. Last Au-
gust l worked whole month for moth
ing. There is at least two months of
work necessary this summer to
straighten up the old office records.
Inspector Engum told the truth
when he admitted that the wonderful
unorganized experiment in Koochich-
ing county was bankrupt" And he
would not admit that this experiment
would be good for Willow River.