256 THE FISCAL PROBLEM IN MISSOURI 
ment in Missouri. The soundest development whether in 
educational or other fields is usually evolutionary in nature. 
Almost any change that can be said to be revolutionary in 
nature involves a large number of readjustments, and the 
results of the readjustments may not always be desirable. 
The adoption of the proposed plan would mean a complete 
change in the entire system of public school finance in Mis- 
souri, and the change would be made without an opportunity 
to obtain a check of desirable or undesirable results until 
some time after the plan went into effect. For example, the 
effect on local initiative in school matters could not be im- 
mediately observed. It is possible that the plan might do 
more harm than good to the rural school districts. Once 
adopted, it would be much more difficult to eliminate any 
objectionable features that might develop than to follow a 
definite plan providing for a gradual change, adjusting the 
plan as the necessity arises. 
An ApproacH To THE ProBLEM oF PusLic 
ScuooL FINANCE 
An approach to the problem of public school finance in 
Missouri should take into consideration at least six major 
factors: (1) the difference in the economic status of the 
several sections of the state; (2) the shift in population from 
the rural sections of the state; (3) the one-room rural district; 
(4) the value of local initiative in school affairs; (5) the 
difficulty of using assessed valuation as a basis for the 
equalization of educational opportunities; and (6) the de- 
sirability of approaching the problem from the standpoint of 
need. 
The marked difference in the economic status of the several 
sections of the state is an important factor in public school 
finance. There is a decided contrast between many of the 
counties in northern and northwestern Missouri and counties 
in the southern part of the state. The agricultural lands of 
the state vary greatly in productiveness, and the existing 
differences cause variations in the ability to finance public 
functions satisfactorily. In some sections of the state the 
public schools can hardly be financed entirely by local levies,