EDITORIAL 



Aid on Basis of Need 



ILLINOIS citizens long ago adopted a policy whereby 

 each school is largely dependent for its financial sup- 

 port upon the taxes on real estate and personal property 

 in the district. The citizens have recognized, however, 

 that many school districts do not have sufficient financial 

 resources to provide adequately for their schools. There- 

 fore, the state provides additional money to each district 

 to supplement locally raised funds. Approximately 35 

 million dollars was appropriated for this purpose for the 

 two year period ending next June 30. The principal part 

 of this large sum is being raised by the sales tax. 



It would be reasonable to expect state school funds 

 to be distributed with care and justice. It would seem 

 reasonable and proper that the larger part of this money 

 should be allocated to the districts least able to support 

 their own schools. The fact is, however, that over two- 

 thirds of the fund is given to school districts on a basis of 

 a fixed amount per pupil without regard to the needs of the 

 school or the ability of the district to finance its own pro- 

 gram. 



While millions of dollars of state funds are being 

 given to the wealthier districts, children in many hundreds 

 of other districts are not getting an equal educational op- 

 portunity. In these districts the state aid received, together 

 with the limited local resources, does not permit the pay- 

 ment of adequate salaries to teachers and the maintenance 

 of a satisfactory educational program. 



The Illinois Agricultural Association believes that if 

 the state is to discharge its responsibilities, as authorized 

 by the state constitution, to assure every child of the state 

 a reasonable and equal opportunity to secure a good com- 

 mon school education it will be necessary for the state to 

 revise policies having to do with the distribution of moneys 

 now available from the state for school purposes. The 

 Illinois Agricultural Association believes that the fund 

 provided by the state to assist in the operation of schools 

 should be largely distributed to the various districts of the 

 state on the basis of need, rather than upon a basis of flat 

 grants regardless of need. The Association hopes that the 

 state legislature, which is in session during the first half 

 of this year, will give serious attention to this important 

 school problem. 



Farm Income 



ALTHOUGH farm income has more than doubled dur- 

 ing the war years farmers are not getting an undue 

 share of national wartime income, according to Asher 

 Hobson, agricultural economist with the University of Wis- 

 consin, writing in the National Live Stock Producer. 



Hobson points out that with farm prices below parity 

 levels for a period of 20 years, farm purchasing power 

 stood at 76 or 24 per cent below parity at the outbreak of 

 the war in 1939. 



""It wasn't until three years later that farm purchasing 

 power reached sea level," Hobson declares. "As of Sep- 

 tember 1944 farm purchasing power stood at 113. It is 

 not generally understood that while farm income in 1942 



was 5 per cent more than in 1919, farmers produced 36 

 per cent more food in 1942. An increase of 36 per cent 

 more goods for 5 per cent more money is far from a profit- 

 eer's wage. In 1943 farmers gave this nation and the 

 world 42 per cent more food than in 1919." 



These facts as presented by Hobson are well known 

 to agricultural producers, but are often overlooked by other 

 groups. These are facts that organized agriculture must 

 get before the public in order that farmers may have a fair 

 hearing in the court of public opinion. 



It is likewise of equal importance that the public rec- 

 ognizes that full and continuous national prosperity cannot 

 be maintained without a prosperous agriculture. Agricul- 

 ture is the largest single buyer of the products of mills, 

 factories and mines and of the services of railroads and 

 many other industries serving agriculture. If our national 

 income is to be stabilized at a high level in the postwar 

 period this fact must be given the fullest consideration by 

 all groups. 



Young Americans 



RECORDS of achievement by 4-H boys and girls during 

 these critical days give reassuring indications that the 

 agriculture of future years will not be lacking in 

 leadership. Each year as farm boys and girls from all over 

 the country gather for the National 4-H Club Congress, 

 the city dweller as well as the farm folks at home receive 

 new inspiration in readmg of the accomplishment of these 

 clean, industrious and forward-looking Americans. 



Today there are many former 4-H youths serving in 

 all branches of the armed services and from time to time 

 the press reports some outstanding deed of heroism per- 

 formed by a former club member. Similarly on the home 

 front, in a somewhat less spectacular manner, 4-H club 

 members are carrying on projects to back up the men on 

 the battlefront. 



Recently the U. S. Maritime Commission recognized 

 the outstanding contributions of Illinois 4-H clubs by per- 

 mitting them to name a new Liberty ship. In 1944, 4-H 

 clubs in Illinois produced 10 million pounds of pork and 

 3 1/2 million pounds of beef, raised 3500 dairy calves and 

 heifers, made or remodeled 19,000 garments, and worked 

 more than 3 million hours in victory service projects. 

 Enough food was produced and conserved by 4-H mem- 

 bers in one year to feed 16,000 fighting men for one year. 

 Other 1944 accomplishments of Illinois 4-H club members 

 included the collection of 5 million pounds of scrap ma- 

 terial, and sales of $500,000 in War Bonds. 



These are a few of the contributions that can be 

 recorded in round figures, but there are other less tangible 

 contributions of the 4-H club program which are more 

 difficult to tabulate. These are to be found in the 4-H 

 program of building and developing character, le^adership, 

 patriotism, independence, and love of home, community 

 and church. Four-H boys and girls enrolled in such a pro- 

 gram represent the nation's best safeguard in the preserva- 

 tion of the American way of life. May their efforts con- 

 tinue to succeed during the perilous days ahead. 



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