The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1935-01-24


county unit system And the sponsors
Of the bill have been wise III that they
have attempted to remove the obiec-
tionable features of the plan and make
it fit in with conditions in Montana
That is real leadership and leadership
of high character. 1t is evident that they
have removed most of the Objectionable
features
The secretary writes that while the
exact form of the bill can not be given
at present. yet some of its chief char
acteristics should be pointed out He
says, in part
There will be county board of
education but there is also provision
for independent districts wherever the
population mot school population but
totaD is 500 or more. Such an independ-
ent district will elect its own trustees
who will employ their own superin-
tendent and teachers and manage the
internal affairs of the school. They will
make out the budget and submit it to
the county board of education. This
would possibly mean in your county
that you would have at least three such
independent districts SO organized SO
as to include the trading centers around
Troy, Libby and Eureka. There may
also be additional ones but these three
centers look logical to me based upon
my meager knowledge of your county.
There may be isolated rural schools
that could not be combined with any of
these three districts These isolated dis
tricts would then come directly under
the supervision of the county superin-
tendent and the county board of edu-
cation
Regarding choice of the membership
Of the proposed county board of edu-
cation, the secretary writes:
THE county board Of education is
not appointed but the members are
elected by the people from five diff
ferent districts in the county. You will
sec by this that there is quite differ
erfre between our plan and the one
recommended by some groups In fact,
our plan would make it possible to do
the very things that you are doing
in your consolidation program 1t is
true that many Of the smaller one
teacher school districts would be elm
mated and consolidated with larger
units"
The method Of financing the program
is highly important under the proposed
bill. Regarding this the secretary says:
Financing the school program under
our plan is that approximately so per
cent Of the school load will come from
state fund. This, of course, depends
upon what revenues can be directed
into the state fund The balance needed
to operate a standard program will be
made up by county levy. If board
wishes to expand a school program be-
yond the standard, the board will have
the authority to make an additional
levy to take care of this.
That feature touches another vita
question. Half of the school load is tc
come from state fund That money
can only come from taxation of some
sort Does this plan mean that there
is to be another burden added to tht
already heavy tax load? Is there to b.
built UP another state bureau to ca
up the taxpayers money?
If the new plan proposes TO remov,
part of the county tax load for schoo
purposes and place it in state fund
then well and good. But care should b
exercised that this innovation is no
permitted to result in what so oftei
happens in new legislation-added bur
dens for the taxpaying public
The new plan very evidently has !
mind the accomplishing Of at least on
highly praise worthy objective That
the providing of adequate school facili
ties for the children who are now be
ing taken care Of BY 'Wafffat is terme
the small one teacher schools. Becaus
a child happens to live in ali outlyir
rural district is no just reason why
should be deprived Of competer
schooling. If the new plan will do ava
u. a.. t u ii