The journal. (Caldwell, Ohio) 1934-1961, 1958-10-23

where they should be. In the
event people in some school dis
tricts do not recognize their
responsibility and provide ade-
quate schools, then the State
Department of Education can
take certain steps that will force
the people to do so. I'm sure we
do not want this to happen in
any Of our school districts. I
believe we recognize our obliga-
ton and will make every effort
to provide adequate schools.
Consideration has been given
to tax valuations. number of
students, state school require
ments, ETC. This can be summed
up as the ability to provide ade
quate schools for all the children,
not just some of the children or
one school district. Studies have
been made by local school
boards, citizens committees, and
the State Board of Education;
and as the result, consolidation
is on the ballot for you to vote
on November 4.
Many local citizens, who have
studied the school problems, local
school boards, and the State
Board of Education believe the
proposed consolidation is the best
answer. First, it takes into con-
sideration all the children
Second, it will make school
district with sufficient tax
valuation and a large enough
number of students to efficiently
and economically provide ade-
quate schools Third, the purpose
of consolidation is to build new
consolidated high school, and
this will answer the increased
enrollmentS, provide better
education facilities, answer the
problem of both elementary
schools and high schools in all
school districts involved And
fourth, a very important fact, 1t
will do all this at lower cost
than any other way. No one has
come up with a better answer;
nor, as a matter of fact, has any
other answer been proposed.
Many people say, 81 am against
the proposed consolidation" But
when you ask them, What is
your answer to the problem?'
they reply, ooh, l don't know
enough about it. / haven't studied
the problem" This shows COM
plete lack of interest; they don't
care about the schools.
Others say, Il am against the
proposed consolidation because il
will cost too much" Let's look
at cost. 1t will require approx
mately an average 5 mill taH
levy to build a consolidated high
school. This amounts to S. pei
$1,000 of property valuation.
asked a resident of one of the
school districts who said it vii
cost too much what the ta1
valuation on his property was
The answer $1,000. In other word:
it would cost him S. year. How
much is too much? A check o
property valuation at the court
house shows it will cost th'
average property owner in al
school districts involved abou
SIS year for consolidated higl
school. | believe every propert,
owner can afford SIS year.
The fact is that the average
property owner will pay a yer.
small part of the cost Of nev
school building. Public utilitie
and private businesses will pa,
approximately 500 of the tota
cost of the new school.
Others say, Il am against tn
consolidation because student
will be on buses too long" Thi
is a misunderstanding, becaus
studies show that many student
will not be on buses as long a
they are at present. And eve
if it were true, what is best TO
the children? Deprive them c
adequate school facilities an
essential education? Or hav
them ride the bus if it is neces
sary? Do you refuse to Civ
them medicine when it is nece!
sary because il costs too niue
or tastes bad?
Still others say, Il am oppose
to consolidation because It wi
cost too much for school buse
etc" The fact is that it will NJ
require any more school buse
than we presently have, and tn
cost of transportation could (
less due TO more efficient use {
present buses.
Still others say, Il am again
consolidation because | don
want my children to go to scho
with children from one Of tt
otl er school districts" How pr
jut iced can we be? Is there ar
difference in people just becau
they don't live in particul;
school district? I say, "No.'
The question we are trying
answer is not whether it is R
publican or Democratic, not Il
right to work, not schools f
the parents, not what / want +