"Would
it
not be advisable to fix the
expense of popular education at a certain limited sum and
for the
excess thereof over the public moneys, levy a town tax -
pay the same
into the town treasury and draw therefrom for the payment
of
educational expenses?"
A
special
committee was appointed by the town
meeting to investigate the proposal, and they confirmed the
wisdom of
the visitors' suggestions.
Information taken from the Report of
the
Connecticut
Board of. Education Annual Reports, for the years 1762 and
1871, show
the changes which took place in school funding during those
nine years.
Amount of money received from the school
fund:
1762:
$347
1771
: $ 282
Amount received from the Town Deposit Fund:
1762:
$155
1771
" $ 145.66
Amount received from local funds:
1762: $
23
1771
: none.
Amount received from town tax:
1762:
$172
1771
: $2067.24
Amount received from district tax:
1762:
none
1771:
none.
The Annual Report of the School
Visitors in
1869 shows that the school system had improved, and it
contains the
most optimistic view of the local schools.
"Gentlemen -- In presenting our
annual
report we have cause for congratulation on the general
prosperity of
our schools. In each of the 13 districts schools have been
taught for
periods varying from 6 to 8 1/2 months each, averaging
nearly 30 weeks
as is now required by law.
"At its last annual meeting the town
made
an appropriation of 3 mills on its Grand List for the use
of schools
& this raised with what we received from the School
Fund, Town
Deposit Fund and Local, a sum total of $2026.54 for the
support of our
schools. After giving each district its $50 requirement,
the remainder
was divided according to the average attendance of
scholars the
preceding year.
Wilcoxson then listed the districts and
their
allotments, and continued:
"There is no appreciable difference
of
income and expense unless otherwise provided for save in
the 6th and
10th districts. In the Pines Bridge district the weather
and the
blockaded state of the roads in winter made an unusually
small school
smaller and by the rule of distribution adopted it was the
recipient of
much less than their requirements and less by considerable
than a
district assessment would have given them. We advise an
appropriation
for that district sufficient to put them on an equal
footing with the
rest. In like manner, the 10th District are in arrears
being regarded
by us as a joint district with Seymour, and a distribution
allowed only
on the average attendance from Oxford. Some way also
should be devised
for their relief.
