The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1946-12-06
Who Shall Have Control OfPublic-

board will have authority over al
pupils in his district. That means he
will have supervision over the rura
schools now served by the county
superintendent. A definite clash OF
authority looms here. Many people
now question the thoroughness OF
supervision city superintendent car
give to rural schools. On this matter
commission members pointed out that
with increased money available for
the schools the city superintendent
could hire an expert on rural educa.
ton to handle the rural educational
problems. Unless there is greater as
surance for enough money for the
schools, such specialization will not be
possible. The usual development will
be for the city superintendent to favor
bringing rural children into the city
schools for reasons of economy and on
the plea of better supervision Many
already large city school systems
would grow larger. It would seem that
the commissions proposal If enacted
into law would make the county super
intendent's office useless and there
fore slated for eventual elimination.
No Recommendation On Teacher
Salaries
While one of the urgent problems in
Montana education today is teacher
salaries, nothing definite is said about
raising teacher salaries in the thirty
recommendations It would seem that
salaries are one of the problems that
will work themselves OUT as the
expression often went on other prob
lens raised in the county superintend-
ents' meeting.
Tax Evasion For Big Business
In 1915 elementary and secondary
education cost Montana taxpayers
about II million dollars with the state
furnishing about 20% and the local
and county units furnishing 500 To
run the schools properly it is estimat-
ed that to million dollars more
will be needed, or IS or 10 million
dollars altogether Commission men,
bers say that the district and county
property tax levies should furnish
about 60 per cent of the money need
ed by the schools or about IL or IL
million dollars. The state then should
furnish the remainder, 40 per cent or
about seven or eight million dollars.
With tax levies being reduced by the
eight, seventeen and three mill provi-
sions in the commission report, the
difference between what this will
bring and the demands of the Founda-
ton Program at $145 per pupil will
be furnished by the state. The COM
mission is leaving the source of the
states share of the burden up to the
legislature How much will the utili-
ties, railroads, mining interests and
large merchandising outfits be reliev-
ed by the proposals? Who will pay the
additional millions needed? Is a loop
hole being arranged through which a
sales tax or other inequitous tax can
be slipped at an opportune moment?
There won't be much gained by throw
ing the greatest burden of school ex-
pense on those least able to pay.
Drift To Cities Accelerated?
A study of a chart of number of
pupils per school under the present |
system as revealed in an MEA bulle- |
lin shows that at least 5000 element |
lry children and 500 high school stu |
tents will be definitely concerned if |
he proposed redistricting takes place. |
Those uOup Oct ORG ono y,,ro1 obiIdran
An important problem in Montana is
to make rural and small community
life more attractive. Will radical re-
help or hinder? From a
sociological viewpoint not much is
gained by accelerating the drift to-
ward the cities. The cities already
lave their problems, even in Montana.
Certainly education for democracy
must help people find wholesome liv-
ng on the land.
Faith In People Needed
Improvements in the Montana edu-
ational system are long over due. 1t
would seem that a more gradual pro-
ram of redistricting needs to be es-
ophohSu JuIOuSH proper l6SlSldIlOu
70 that wishes of local communities
will operate to a greater extent. Not
My number of school children and !
mount of taxable property, but trad
ng areas and geographical lines
hould be considered in the revisions. I
'hus far a lot of faith has been placed t
4 high appointive officials and not 9
nough faith in the people in local +
I
Whose Politics?
Raising the qualifications and pay =
{ the state superintendent office is e
Important, but there is little reason to
elieve removing it from politics" =
ill help. The politics" of the govern =
r who is in office at the time of the r
ppointment would certainly be a I
lctor in such an action since he also h
Dpoints the members of the board of h
iucation. After a bitter election fight T
ould a democratic governor feel well
sposed to keeping friends of his re-
lblican predecessor in office when =
cir appointive terms expire? Increas- =
9 control from the top is another
ep in the direction of scuttling demo- 81
attic processes. We need to streng- q
en- the ties between the people and OF
cir governmental units. ia