SMC Databases Online: School Records 1

Redwood City School 
Courtesy San Mateo County History Museum 

Funding (or lack thereof) of schools and teachers is not a new problem.  In 1907 the following petition was filed.....

To the Honorable Board of Supervisors of the County of San Mateo.

Gentlemen:

The Undersigned respectfully represent that they are citizens and taxpayers of and within San Mateo County; that the salaries paid the teachers in the grammar schools of San Mateo County are less than the average salaries paid in corresponding  counties in the State of California; that as your Board is well aware, the expenses of living have increased twenty-five per cent. And over, and there has been a corresponding increase in wages paid laborers and other employed persons; that the salaries of teachers in the grammar grades have not increased except in rare instances and that the salaries paid such teachers are disproportionately low when compared to other occupations.

Your Board is in a position to grant a measure of relief by increasing the County School tax XXXXX which tax at the present time is below the average school tax in the State of California.

WHEREFORE your petitioners respectfully pray that your Board increase the rate of school taxes to be levied by your Board on the third Monday in September, next, five (5) six (6) cents above the rate levied last year, for the purpose of providing funds for bringing the salaries of teachers up to the average paid in this State.

Respectfully submitted, -

Dated August 29, 1907

Included in the records found in Drawer 31 in the SMC Record Repositories are signatures from 391 individuals living in San Mateo, Burlingame, Pigeon Point, Pescadero, Redwood City, Jefferson, and San Bruno districts.  List of Signers

In 1920 the trustees of the school districts signed the following petition

To the County Superintendent of Schools, San Mateo County, Cal.,

Dear Sir, -

In order that our schools may have sufficient funds to pay fair salaries and to provide for proper maintenance, we the trustees of the following School Districts respectfully request that you ask a sufficient tax rate to cover all expenses. The tax rate for the past year was inadequate.

List of signers