The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1955-04-08
Cost of Education

A survey announced the other day by ONO State
Universitys Bureau of Educational Research gives
some interesting data. The survey had to do with
per-pupil cost Of education in Ohio, with compar-
ison Of the costs in the large cities of the State
There was a substantial increase in all the large
cities with Columbus having the lowest rise IN
costs
Cleveland has the highest per-pupiI cost $500;
Cincinnati is next with s277 Others are; Ioungs'
town s272: Akron, 1886; Toledo s257: Canton, S256
DAYTON S25a and Columbus, 1919. The average per-
pupil operating expenses in the entire state of ONO
was s2S56t This includes all cities, villages ana
county school systems.
One cannot help but wonder how much TINS Dur,
den on the fax payers Of Ohio would be increased
IL all the children in Catholic and private schools
were to be added TO the public school enrolment
Students in Catholic schools alone throughout the
State not including colleges totaled 237,422 IN the
1953l954 school year. There is substantial IN
crease this year If this total were to be multiplied
by the overall state average perpup cost II would
give the staggering sum of S55.986 48l.82.
Or il one were TO take the schools OF Columbus
alone and multiply by the Columbus loWer'than-
atate.average cost, we would gel somelhlhg lot
Columbus taxpayers to mediate upon. For instance
there are two parish plants in the city which nave
elementary and high schools training an estimated
900 pupils each This means that each ot these
institutions save Columbus taxpayers close 10 o1oo-
900 annually What with building costs, shortage OF
well-trained teachers the situation could be still
more alarming than our public school authorities
now cry out that il is.
Could it, therefore, be reasonable to expect that
some of those who direct our-and they are ours
public school systems would be less ntranslgent
when il comes to the nontax-supported pubic
schools of the state? Some of them have given evl-
dence of spirit which is nothing short OF bigotry;
and sometimes there is the suspicion that 1t Is out
right hatred OF religion itself.
Meanwhile the public as whole is understand
Ing of the Catholic position; there are exceptions,
of course but the exceptions are stimulated by
nreiudced leaders This stubborn attitude toward
The Catholic schools is unreasonable that It even
denies Ia citizens who also pay taxes for such aids
as welfare and protection. A boy cannot ride IN
Rch0ol Ufsses iust because he attends a non-tax
supported school Once he starts out toward Ca
thoc school he beomes less subject OF the state
and therefore less entitled TO the protection OF the
state Surely minds only be distorted by Digot
nv that take such a stand We cry out about sup
posed but in reality disproyed persecution OF Prot
estants in Catholic countries like Italy and Colombia
but we think nothing of the manner IN which we
treat our Catholic neighbors right here IN these
free United States We refuse TO let them and LII
therans and Baptists and Methodsts and any others
have any tax aid in the training of their children
because they want il 10 be permeated with religion
Meantime we stand to defend those who insist that
religion cannot come into unsupported School
lest the principle" of separation OF Church ana
State be violated To such an extent do these people
60 who hate religion. There is no need mtnctng
words the influence back OF this position Is hatred
Of the Catholic Church And the persecution goes
right al home