A program of educational development for Florence Union High School district
Item type text; Thesis-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Taylor, Robert Warren, 1899-
Publisher The University of Arizona.
Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.
Downloaded 10-May-2016 10:48:46
Link to item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/551960
by-
Robert W. Taylor
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the -■ • • ■ ■ ' ■ '• y •
requirements for the degree of
Master of Arts
in the Graduate College of the University of Arizona
1 9 3 5
I
Department of Education
Approved / 4 / r a e
Major advisor
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter Page
I. INTRODUCTION ... . 1
Importance Of Units Qf Organization And Administration .. .. ... The Problem ... Review Of Related Studies ... Method To Be Employed ... II. FLORENCE UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT .. Location ... A r e a .... ... Physical Features Population ... 9
Industries ... 11
Transportation Routes ...".. 11
History ... .12
Component Districts ... ►... 12
School Plant ... 14
Growth ©f Coolidge ... 16
III. TRENDS IN GROV.TH ... 18
Enrollment And Attendance At Florence Union High School ... 18
Residential Location Of Florence Union High School Students ... 20
Growth In Various Residential Areas .... 22
Probable Trends In Eloy ... 21
Probable Trends In Picacho ... 26
Probrble Trends In Red Rock ... 26
Probable Trends In Y/alker Butte ... 26
Probable Trends In Coolidge And Kenilworth ... 27
Probable Trends In Florence ... 27
Probable Trends In Remainder Of The District ... 28
Transportation Of Pupils .... 28
S u m m a r y ... 31
Questions Demanding Answers ... 31 ii
S O S 5 8 9
HM COCO^ UMO
IV. FINANCE 33
Population Centers And V a l u a t i o n ... 33
Method Of Valuing Railroad Property .... 39
Trends In Valuations During Four Year Period ... 39
Valuations Per P u p i l ... ... .. 41
Vital Questions ... 43
Outstanding Obligations Of Component Districts And Provisions For Reduction . 43 Florence Union High School Redemption F u n d .... ... ... 45
Trends In Tax Rates Of Over-lapping Political Sub - divisions ... . 47
Trends In Tax Rates In Florence Union High School ... 50
Florence Union High School Costs ... 52
Summary ... 55
V. POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS ... 56
Suggested Solutions ... 56
Plan I, Enlarging The Present Plant .... 58
. Plan II, Organizing A Junior-Senior High School ... . ‘ 59
Plan III, Dividing The District ... 62
Plan IV, Building A.Second Plant At Coolidge And Operating It V.'ith The Florence Plant ... 64
Basis Used For Calculations ... 65
Other Qualifying Factors ... 66
Comparative Summary Of The Plans ... 66
Comparative Tax Rates Under The Proposed Plans ... 63
Arguments For Having The '.'hole Plant . At Florence ... 70
Arguments Against Having The ’.'.hole Plant At Florence ... 70
Arguments For Organizing The Junior- Senior High S c h o o l ... 70
Arguments Against Organizing The Junior- Senior High S c h o o l ... 70
. Arguments For Dividing The District .... 71 Arguments Against Dividing The District. 71
ill
Second Plant At Coolidge ... 72
VI. EYALUATIOIT OF SOLUTIONS AID -HESULTIliG HEC C'.d.DIDAT I01T3 ... 73
Evaluation Of Solutions ... 73
Recommendations ... 75
BIBLIOGRAPHY ... 79
AFTERWARDS--ACTUAL DEVELOPMENT OF TtiE COOLIDGE UiJlOlI HIGH SCHOOL... 81
iv
TABLES
Humber Page
I. POPULATE)!? OF ELEHEUTAHY .DISTRICTS OF . FLO REECE UEIOE HIGH SCHOOL AS ESTE.IATED
QH BASIS OF SCHOOL ATTEEDAECE... 10 II. EEROLLLIEET iE?D ATTE!?DAECE- AT FLCREHCE'
UEIOE HIGH SCHOOL FBO" 1215-1316 TO
1334-1235 1ECLU51VE ... 19 111. RESIDENTIAL LOCATIOE OF STUDENTS OF TIE
FLOREECB UNION HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE YEARS
I92S-1227 TO 1334-1335 IECLU3I'/E ... 21 IV. TRENDS IE AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE' IE
ELEEEETARE SCHOOLS OE FIOREECE, UEIOE HIGH
SCHOOL 1925-1326 TO 1233-1334 INCLUSIVE .. 23 V. ELOY ELEHEETARY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE RECORD .
BY HONTHS FROH 1931 TO 1935 ... 25 VI. ASSESSED VALUATION OF VARIOUS SCHOOL
DISTRICTS COMPRISING FLORENCE UNION HIGH
SCHOOL FOR 1934 ... 36 VII. RAILROAD VALUATIONS IE FLORENCE UNION
HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT 1334 . ... 37 VIII. CHANGES IE ASSESSED VALUATIONS OF
C0L1F0EEET DISTRICTS DURING THE DEPRESSION..- 40 IX. VALUATIONS PER PUPIL IN AVERAGE DAILY
ATTENDANCE IN E1EHENTARY DISTRICTS OF
FLORENCE UNION HIGH SCHOOL 1934 ..'... 42 X. DEBT OBLIGATIONS OF COMPONENT DISTRICT OF
FLORENCE UNION HIGH SCHOOL LIAECH 1934 .... 44 XI. OUTSTANDING BONDS OF FLORENCE UNION HIGH
SCHOOL AND THE CONDITION OF ITS SINNING
FUND ... ... 46
v
XIV. TRE1IDS HI TIH RATES HID Vi\LUATI01T5 IH
FLORENCE UNION HIGH SCHOOL D I S T R I C T ... 51 XV. COST DATA OF FLORENCE UIIIOII HIGH SCHOOL .. ■ 54 XVI. SULHAEY OF PLANS INDICATING THE RELATIVE
FINANCIAL ASPECTS OF EACH ... 67 X'/II. . TOTAL SCHOOL TAX RATES -IN COI.IFONENT
DISTRICTS UNDER EACH OF THE PROPOSED PLANS USING ELEMENTARY TAX RATES FOR
1934 AS A BASIS... . 69
FIGURES -
Humber. Page
1. Pinal County Arizona and Florence -
Union High School D i s t r i c t ... 5 2. Improvement Districts v/ithin Florence
Union High School District .... . .. ... 8 3. Elementary School Districts of Florence
Union High School District ... 13 4 e Main Building of Florence Union High
School ... 15 5. Bus Routes of Florence Union High
School ... 30
6. Proposed Coolidge Union High School
District ... 78
vii
Importance of Units of School Organization and
Administration. The Importance of arranging for the proper units of school administration is well recognized. Accord
ing to Reeder'} education is not only the most important business of the state, but by facts and figures is also the largest business of the state. Approximately one person in every four in our nation now gives part of his working hours to study, teaching, administration, or some other phase of school work, and there are few homes that do not have at least one member regularly in school
either as a student or employee.
This importent, gigantic, and complex business cannot run itself, nor should the development of its various units be left to the vicissitudes of chance or to the promotional influence of Interested groups without a generally thorough knowledge of various factors involved. The administrative unit should be carefully conceived and provided for with the best interests of all interested parties firmly in mind and duly considered. • Before a new unit is organized or the boundaries of an existing one changed a careful and analytical study of pertinent factors should be made.
1% Reeder, Ward G., Fundamentals of Public School Administration.
2
The Problem. The problem of this thesis is occasioned by the rapid growth in the Florence-Casa Grande Valley
following the completion of the Coolidge Dam and San Carlos project, by which the desert of the valley has been supplied with a constant source of water for irrigation purposes.
Prior to the completion of the project, agricultural oper
ations were very limited because of the unreliable supply of water. The Gila River, being a very "flashy" stream, could not always be depended upon. -Hence, farming was a hazardous venture unless the farmer pumped his water, which is always an expensive proposition.
Therefore, while Florence is one of the oldest towns df the state, it and the surrounding country remained sparsely settled until about 1926, when adequate water seemed assured by the realization of the San Carlos project, the authorization for which had been"given by Congress two years earlier.
Elementary education had been made available through
out the valley by means of a number of district schools located at convenient points. Secondary education was provided by two union high schools located at Florence and Casa Grande, the one at Florence being established first and'designed to serve the educational needs of some eleven elementary districts embracing approximately 1,800 square miles of territory. It is with this union high school
district and the attendant problems of secondary education that this thesis will be most concerned. Definite action must be taken by the citizens of the district to care for the rapidly increasing high school population. The purpose of this thesis is' to study the problem analytically and to outline the most practical educational program.
Review of Related Studies. In studying the problem there seems to be little available information of related studies. A1mack says that while this same phenomenon has occurred a good many times in the history of this country a record of events has seldom been made. - •
Method to be Employed. In the study of the problem, the writer will briefly survey the situation as to history, geography, organization, social make-up of communities, economic character and distribution of wealth, physical equipment and topographical factors involved, costs of education, financial obligations of various units— both school and non-school, population trends, etc. Liberal use will be made of naps and tables to present these data.
Possible solutions will be presented and attendant aspects of each brought out and discussed. As far as possible, the whole study will be made objectively.
C H A P T E R II
FLORENCE UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT
Location. Florence Union High. School District No. 1, Pinal County, Arizona, or, as it is commonly known,
Florence Union High School, is located through the central part of Pinal County. It touches Llaricopa County on the
north and is bounded by Pima County on the south. The
mao on the following cage shows the location of the district. . . ^ with respect- to Final and surrounding counties.
6tqlt of NXi 1<S
Figure 1 Pinal County Arizona and Florence Union High School District. (Outlined in Red)
6.
; Area. Florence Union_High School district is
approximately fifty.miles long and thirty-five miles wide and has a total area of 1,750 square miles. As shown on the preceding map, this district is equal in size to approximately one third of Pinal County.. This is approx
imately twice a„s large as the average mid-western county in Kansas and Nebraska, and larger than some of the smaller counties in Arizona namely: Santa Cruz and Greenlee. It is nearly 75 percent larger than the state of Rhode. Island the area of which is 1,067 square miles and nearly as
large as Delaware with its area of 1,965 square miles.
Physical Features. Fully 85 percent of the district is desert or mountainous, the eastern southeastern, and north-eastern parts being particularly rough and unfit for farming. The greater part of the desert area is
comparatively smooth but also very dry and with no irriga
tion water available is unfit for successful farming.
However, these arid regions furnish quite a supply of range which supports many cattle. The altitude of the district varies from around 1,500 feet above sea level in the valley to around 5,000 in the higher desert areas.
The highest of the mountains are approximately 5,000 feet.
The rainfall is quite limited averaging from five to seven inches annually, hardly enough for successful dry farming. The desert regions are covered with quite a heavy growth of cactus, mesquite, iron-wood, and palo
verde trees and many varieties of shrubs and grasses which furnish an abundance of cattle feed during wet seasons. The tillable areas are along the Gila River starting at a point about six miles above Florence and gradually widening out down.the valley and in the Eloy district. Within the tillable areas we find very good
soil and drainage conditions for irrigation farming. There are a few alkali spots especially close to the river and along some of the larger washes, but their area is limited.
On the whole the soil is very good for farming.. A study of the following mao indicating imorovement districts shows the approximate limit of tillable areas.
8
7o
U N I O N H -U r* S C H O O L
D^r^itT N«. I
P
inal courri A M * *E I< vt»-1c*. I Figure 2. Improvement Districts within Florence
Union High School District.
& 0 C*rt0S Irnj*7iin
€ lxc.hr 1 | 11 *i
Population. While soil and drainage conditions in the desert regions are satisfactory for cultivation were they located in other areas the most certain improbability of water development precludes their consideration as
farming oossibilities in this arid climate. It is need-
; .... ...
less to say that the population areas correspond quite closely to the tillable land areas the remainder of the district being very sparsely populated by e. number of stock ranchers, health seekers and along the railroad property by maintenance employees and their families.
There are no accurate census data available for population of districts, but a fair average may be
estimated by multiplying the average daily attendance by 4.5. a figure generally used in computing population from
school attendance records. The following table shows elementary average daily attendance for 195."-1954 with correspondingly estimated population of the community.
TABLE I 1 l POPULATION OF ELEL3MTARY DISTRICTS OF FLORENCE UNION HIGH SCHOOL AS ESTIMATED ON
BASIS OF SCHOOL ATTENDANCE 1955-1954.
• •
Elementary A.D.A. : Estimated Mexican Estimated Per
District Population Enrollment centage Mexican
Population.
Florence No. 1 , 599 1796 260 65
Red Rock No. 5 22 , ... 99
Fuller N o . 1 0 Included in No. 1
Eloy No. 11 149 670 108 72
Coolidge No. 21 . 571 1669 82 22
Kenilworth N o . 28 119 555 45 56
Walker Butte No. 50 55 148
McDowell No. 41 44 198 4 9
Picacho N o . 55 '14 65 .
Owlhead N o . 4 2 7 , 52
'
TOTAL 1158 5210
* : ' ' : .
Population equals School Average Daily Attendance X 4.5
In the next to the last column Is shown the Mexican enrollment in the five largest elementary schools of the district. The estimated percentage of Mexican population is shown in the last column. The extremely high figure in Eloy includes a great number of transient vegetable workers which situation will be discussed later in connection with Eloy school trends.
Industries. The principal industry of the district is agriculture. Climatic and soil conditions are especially, suited to production of cotton. Other agricultural products are feed crops, grains, vegetables, some citrus fruits,
cantaloupes and wa.termelons. The Eloy district is
especially adapted to growth of vegetables such as lettuce, peas, and asparagus. Dairying is becoming more and more an important industry as the valley develops. Quite a few cattle ranches are found in the desert and mountain areas.
Transportation Routes. The' district is traversed by the main line of the Southern Pacific Railroad and two highways, Arizona No. 84 and U. S. No. 80. A well
developed county highway system serves the more populated sections. Arizona Highway No. 84 is oil surfaced through
out its length within the district, and U. S. No. 80 is oil surfaced from Florence north while the present program calls for similar treatment to the south within the next year. Florence and Coolidge are connected by an oil
surfaced highway maintained by the state.
12
History. Florence Union High School district was
organized in 1915, and a plant was, constructed at Florence.
The Board of Education at that time foresaw development of the valley and built in excess of the then existing needs. "The original plant consisted of one main building, a gymnasium and a swimming pool located on an eighteen acre tract at the edge of town of Florence. The cost of the building and grounds, v;as approximately $75,000 and was financed by the sale of six percent bonds maturing in 20 years with payment optional at ten years. These bonds were refunded in 1926 with an issue of five and one half;
percent serial bonds maturing over a twenty year period.
Component Districts'. The Florence Union High School District embraces some eleven elementary districts and
also includes some unorganized territory and small portions of two .elementary districts. The following map shows'
the district boundaries as they now exist..
FA
Ow/
i __L
U N I O N S C » » 6 U
DvSTMiCT Ho. I
P
inal coontI Amz#*
Figure 3. Elementary School Districts of Florence Union High School District.
14
School Plant. The original main building consisted of six class rooms,•two commercial rooms, two manual train
ing rooms, separate laboratories for home economics, physics and chemistry, and also a large auditorium and stage. In 1921 the manual training department was moved from the main building to occupy a new structure built of cement blocks
and corrugated iron. In 1926 a small corrugated iron addition was added to this to accommodate a class in agricultural
shop. The original gymnasium, 90 x 90, consisted of an open air basketball court with dirt floor 90 x 60, a
large grandstand with dressing rooms underneath the whole being under one roof. In 1929 the whole gymnasium was en
closed and a maple floor laid. Aside from interior
alterations and readjustment of room sizes, there have been no additions to the original building except those noted.
The grounds have been beautifully landscaped and
recently' a first class athletic field has been constructed including a baseball field, a turfed football field
equipped with lights for night playing, and surrounded by a concrete curbed quarter mile running track. A large part of this field was made possible through Civil Works
r
Administration and Emergency Relief Administration programs.
Hence, at the present time the school has one of the best athletic plants for schools of its size in the state. It has its own well and pump which are used to fill the swim
ming pool and to irrigate the grounds when gravity water is
not available.
The main building is of Spanish architecture end built in such tanner that it attracts attention for its beauty and uniqueness. However, from a utilitarian point of view it leaves much to be desired. There is too much waste floor a ace and too many outside openings inconven
iently placed. The reproduction below is a front view of the main building and gives a general impression of the apperrcuc of the building and grounds.
Figure 4. Main Building of Florence Union High School.
16
The original plant was designed for approximately 150 pupils. With additions and alterations that have been made, this limit has been raised somewhat. The altered plant has served its purpose satisfactorily up to the present. The time has come, however, when additions must be made of the educational offerings curtailed.
Growth of Coolidge. At this point it would be well to outline the development of the new town of Coolidge, for it is this development that brings this school problem to a head at this time. As before stated, the Coolidge Dam was started in 1926 which signalized the imminence of an assured water supply for the valley. At about the same time the Southern Pacific constructed some 200 miles of new railroad, traversing the heart of the valley and
designated the new route as its main line. The Florence- Casa Grande highway crossed this new railroad at a point ten miles west of Florence, near a lone farmhouse known as Seagoe place. An energetic young man erected a service station on the highway near the railway crossing. This was the first business house to be established in what was to be Coolidge.
Almost immediately real estate promoters became active and laid out three different town sites along the new railroad at intervals of about six miles. Of these only Coolidge prospered. It was named in honor of the then very popular president, Calvin Coolidge, under
whose administration the San Ca.rlos project came into existence. Under the stimulus of high prices and good times then existing, (1926-1928) the settlement enjoyed
phenomenal growth. It grew from a cotton field to a village of approximately 800 people within four years. The ‘
depression practically stopped its growth in 1930. But at about the same time the main highway between Phoenix arid Tucson was built through Coolidge, and this helped the
town out to'a certain extent. In spite of the depression, however, the town has gone steadily ahead, and after a
• temporary halt .from about 1950 to 1932, has continued to
• grow and build until today (1955) it has an estimated population of around 1,200 and rivals in size both
Florence and Casa Grande. It bids fair to far outstrip both of these in size within a few years.
This fast-growing and important community,‘of course, sends its high school children to Florence> but this
condition cannot much longer exist without dissatisfaction.
In the following chapter data will be presented to show x other conditions due to growth of the valley which the
district is now facing.
CHAPTER III . TRENDS IN GROWTH
Enrollment and Attendance at Florence Union High School. Table II showing attendance records of Florence Union High School from its beginning in 1915 "to the
present shows rather clearly the growth of the school.
5 ABLE II
" '
1 ENROLLilEMT AMD ATTENDANCE AT FLORENCE UNION HIGH SCHOOL FRO;.: 1915-1916 TO 1954-1955 INCLUSIVE.
Year : Enrollment :i ' Average Daily
; Attendance.
15-16 58 35
16-17 52 47
17-18 55 • 48
18-19 55 24
19-20 56 53
20-21 51 42
21-22 80 70
22-25 62 52
25-24 64 55
24-25 75 62
25-26 86 72
•if-
26-27
ioi
8827-28 110 102
28-29 142 114
29-50 148 121
50-31 161 137
51-52 189 160
52-55 211 180
55-54 259 206
54-55 254 219
^Previous figures are total year average daily attendance and average enrollment. Following are highest six months average daily attendance and total enrollment.
Data from Superintendent's office records.
so
Residential Location of Florence Union Hip;h School Students. To get an idea of the various sectional
contributions to Florence Union High School population we should consult residential records of Florence Union High School students compiled for years 1926-1935. This
shows significant trends which must be reckoned with in our study. In compiling this record, the writer has • attempted to place the pupils of this district in the community to which they most logically belong. This record was compiled from personal knowledge of every student who has attended Florence Union High School from 1934-25 to the present time.
TABLE 111
RESIDENTIAL LOCATION OF STUDENTS OF FLORENCE UNION HIGH SCHOOL FOR YEARS 1926-1927 TO 1954-1955.
COIiliUMITY
Year : Florence : Coolidge :: La Palma :: Eloy :
; Picacho :
: Totpl : Enrollment
26-27 75 20 8 101
27-28 78 19 10 5 . 110
28-29 99 28 10 5 142
29-50 X X X X X
50-51 111 55 14 5 161
51-52 115 50 22 2 189
52-55 114 69 20 5 211
55-54 157 74 19 5 259
54-55 126 78 15 9 228
*Freshmen:;54 27 5 4 88
*Sophomorc :50 18 4 . 1 55
*Junior :27 22 6 4 59
"Seniors :14 9 2 25
"Post
.Graduate : 1 2 5
TOTAL 228 **
x Data not available.
* Classified record as of October 16, 1954
Data from Superintendent's Office Records.
22
It will be noted that the number of students from Florence has practically doubled while the number from Coolidge has quadrupled. The La Palma and Floy districts have also grown proportionally, but the numbers involved - are much smaller.
Growth in Various Residential Areas. Another approach to this matter of pupil population will be to study trends in average" daily attendance for "elementary schools of
Florence Union High School district from 1925, to 1954.
TABLE IV
TRENDS IN AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE IN ELEMENTARY
SCHOOLS OF FLORENCE UNION HIGH SCHOOL 1985-1926 to 1955-1954
Number of : Name of : 1925:
District : District : 1926:
1927: 1929: 1931:
1928: 1930: 1952:
1955 1954
1 Florence 261: 276 :283 : 345 : 599
5 Red Rock 12: 26 : 27 : 22 : 22
10 Fuller Transported to Florence No. 1
11 Ramirez (Eloy) l 17 : 28 : 107 : 149 21 Coolldge 59 : 41 :244' : 278 : 571 28 Kenilworth 56 : 42 : 79 : 120 : 110 50 Walker Butte 20 : 17 : 35 : 32 : 35
35 Picacho 17 : 16 : 18 : 16 : 14
55 McClellan 9 : 15 : 20 :*pivided be- tween 21,41 41 :: MacDowell :
La Palma
: 20 : 14 : 33 : 40 : 44
TOTALS 414 : 461 : 765 : 960 : 1151
Data, from Biennial Reports of State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
24
It will be seen that the elementary growth has been most pronounced in the Coolidge and Kenilworth districts.
Another great increase is noted in 51o y .
. Probable Trends i n .Sloy. Sloy presents a peculiar situation. This community embraces some 10,000 acres, much of it being a very rich, black silt land especially adapted to growth of vegetables.
Practically all of this land is now under cultivation and in control of large operators which precludes the
prospect of any large number of small farmers.
The school population here is very irregular and made up for the great majority of children of transient
vegetable workers, mostly Mexicans and foreigners. This is illustrated in Table V, showing Eloy attendance trends by months for three and a half years. -. ..
\
TABLE V
ELOY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE RECORDS BY MONTHS
FROM 1 9 5 1 - 1 9 5 5 . ' ' ...
Months : 1 : 2 : 5 . : 4 : 5 6 . : 7 : 8 : 9
51-32 : 82 : 112 : 113 : 121 : 126 : 120 : 108 : 105 : 82 52-55 : 97 : 149 : 170 : 174 : 134 : 116 : 97 : 90 : 53-54 : 91 : 131 : 162 : 176 : 170 : 139 : 119 : 110 : 98 54-35 :13l : 156 : 197 : 245 : 212
•
Data from County Superintendent's Office.
26
It is significant that during the past four years only two graduates of the Eloy eighth grade have attended Florence Union High School. Undoubtedly this number will increase somewhat,-but not greatly,since the major portion of the school population's in the lover grades. Few are advanced.
Probable Trends in Picacho. On the other hand the small neighboring community of Picacho (two and one-half miles distant) sends eight students to Florence Union High School. Picacho is a. railroad and highway junction point with no immediate prospect of material agricultural and industrial development and growth. Therefore, for the purposes of" our study, the present status of these two communities may be considered n.s more or less permanent.
Probable Trends In Red Rock. Red Rock is situated so far from the valley proper it is doubtful that its students will ever attend high school in the valley. It is much closer to llarana'in Pima' County and equally as close to Tucson as to Florence. In fact Red Rock pupils have in the past and at present do attend the high schools in Llarana and Tucson.
Probable Trends in Walker Butte. Walker Butte, ten miles from Florence, on the north side of the river has not grown materially during this last decade and probably will not in the. future ^ Its tillable area is quite
limited. However, it will continue to send its pupils to Florence in any event because of the location of the bridge across the G-ila at Florence.
Probable Trends in Coolidize and Kenilworth. According to 0. H. Southworth, Engineer of the San Carlos project, there are yet some 10,000 acres of land to be brought under cultivation when the project is completed. In addition, more is to be developed when cheaper power is made
available. This program is already in process of develop
ment. The greater part of this land is located in the vicinity of Florence and Coolidge, particularly Coolidge.
Then there is considerable land already under cultivation that will be subdivided into smaller acreages. Project Engineer 0. J . Lloody of the United States Indian Service, in charge of the development of the whole project, estimates that the number of farms will double within the next decade.
This will, of course, greatly increase the rural population of the Coolidge-Kenilworth section which will in turn
support a larger population in Coolidge. In view of tills and also because of its more favorable location, Coolidge is destined to become the main town of the valley. It is more nearly in the center of the valley and is on the main line of the Southern Pacific Railroad.
Probable Trends in Florence. Some of the growth in rural population just mentioned.will be in the vicinity of Florence and a consequent substantial growth in
28
population of the community is to be expected. As Florence is the County Seat'of Pinal County, we may expect it to continue as an important center of activity. Also the State Prison, located nearby, requires the residence of a number of state employees as guards and officials. The growing importance of Florence as a health center will undoubtedly be stressed and exploited in the near future.
Probable Trends in Remainder of District. At the present time there is no indication of any considerable
change in status of the remaining portions of the district.
Unless some new industry develops or some unforeseen project is undertaken, there is small likelihood of much
change in population. At the present time there seems to be a possibility of construction of a $6 ,000,000 dam about fourteen miles above Florence on the Gila. If this
materializes it would bring in many people during the con
struction period, but it would not greatly affect
population centers as a permanent factor. Large dams are operated by very small forces of men.
Transportation of Pupils. At this point it will be well to analyze the transportation map of the district
showing roads, present bus routes, and population
distribution. Five busses are in operation, three being district owned and serving the territory south and west of Florence. These are modern, well equipped, and com
fortable busses, carrying respectively 53, 38, and 50
pupils. Two contract busses serve the territory north and east of Florence .transporting approximately 25 pupils
• ' "V ‘
together. The latter two a r e .operated in conjunction with the Florence Grammar School, and they carry mostly grammar
• school pupils.,.
i i
Summary. From a perusal of these data the following facts are obvious.
(1) The population of Florence Union High School District will greatly increase in the next decade.
(2 ) The greatest part of this increase will be in the vicinity of Coolidge with lesser increases in Florence and other communities.
(5) Additional school facilities will very soon be needed.
(4) The present plant will be adequate for the Florence community needs for the next ten years, but hardly more.
Questions Demanding Answers. Realization of these facts results in the raising of these questions:
(1) Should the present plant at Florence be enlarged to care for these growing needs?
(2 ) Should the primary aim of the district be financial economy, accessibility, or educational efficiency?
(5) Should the district be divided? If so what is the most logical division?
(4) If not divided should a second plant be built at Coolidge?
(5) Can the outlying territory of the district especially the southern part with its valuable railroad property, be kept in the district in an
expansion or subdivision program?
(6 ) Would a different type of school organization e.g. 6-5-5 plan be advisable?
(7) What is the financial ability of the various communities and of the district?
52
(8 ) Are the needs of elementary education In various communities adequately
provided for nov/, or are these districts already facing housing problems?
Before formulating an answer to the above questions it is necessary to consider the financial ability of various component communities along with their needs.
Population Centers and Valuations. In the preceding
) • .
chapter the problem of school population v/as presented and the question of future policy and procedure was raised.
Before an attempt is made to suggest an answer it will be necessary to study the financial aspects involved. W e have found that the present center of population and
probable greatest future development to be in the Florence Coolidge section nearer to Coolidge. Me now find that due to the location of railroad property the area of greatest population does not correspond to the area of greatest valuation. The following table shows valuations by districts of the Florence Union High School District.
These are segregated as to railroad and non-railroad property.
34
In this table it will be noted that the non-railroad valuations.of■ several districts.are estimated. This
should be explained in order , that greater reliance can be placed in these figures. Unless a school district requires a special tax levy either for debt, service or for
maintenance, the county assessor's office will not value the district. as, a-, unit. For the year 1954 districts Red Rock No. 5, Fuller No. 10, Picacho No. 55, McDowell No. 41 and Owl Head No. 42 had no special levy; hence no valuation was tabulated for these by the assessor.
The State Tax Commission, however, valued all the rail
road property in each school district through which it passed, a.nd this was available for our use. Therefore by adding all valuations of the tabulated (by assessor)
districts to the total of all railroad valuations and subtracting this sum from $5,242,956 the total valuation of the district, a difference of $504,542 was found.
This figure represents the total non-rail valuations of Red Rock No. 5, Fuller No. 10, Picacho No. 55, McDowell No. 41, and Owlhead Mo. 42. This valuation then was distributed among these districts arbitrarily by the writer, but following certain definite standards. Of these districts McDowell No. 41 contains by far the best and most farming land. It therefore would have a greater proportion of this valuation. In 1951 this district was.
/Valued by the County Assessor at $523,476. From 1951 to
1934 the total, valuation of Florence Union High School District Ho. 1 decreased 40 percent. (See table VIII) It is logical to assume', therefore, that McDowell No. 41 would experience a somewhat similar decrease. Assuming that percentage a.s a standard, $150,000 was assigned to McDowell No. 41 giving it a total valuation of $312,792.
The remaining $154,542 was distributed among the remaining territory strictly according to area a.s expressed in square miles.' While the figures cannot be vouched for by the
writer to be absolutely accurate, the discrepancy is small and hardly of importance for the purposes of this study.
Upon an unofficial appraisal, the County assessor gave his approval of these estimates.
I
TABLE VI
ASSESSED VALUATION OF VARIOUS ELEMENTARY DISTRICTS COMPRISING FLORENCE UNION HIGH SCHOOL 1954.
District Area in Sq. h i .
Population Railroad Valuation
Non-Railroad Valuation
Total ■ Valuation , oer squari
Nile'
1 596 1796 760,851 746,478 1,507,529 5,750
5 226 99 576.852 * 40,000 *416.852 *1.840
10 504 (a) 97,792 ■ * 40,000 *157,792 :: *275
11 140 670 418,816 275,245 694,061 4.880
21 50 1669 245,616 . .629,410 . . 875,026 29.167
28 56 555 101 184 592.852 495 056 15,690
50 : 25 148 152,964 81.766 254,750 .9,590
55 70 65 496,796 * 40,000 , . *556,796 *7,668
41 50 198 162.792 *150,000 *512,792 4*10 426
42 180 52 0 *21,240 *21.240 118
Portion of 9 Portion
21
: 0 :: *15,502 :; *15,502 :: 118 of 2
.No
District
56 54
- .
Combined value of districts
not valued above. :_____ :_______;________ 0 :(z)o04,542 :1,485,754 : Total Union
High School 1,750 : 5,210 : 2,815,645 : 2,429,295 :5,242,956 : $5,000 Number 1______ ;__________ ’_____:__________■ • • • ' • ... - ' - • ' _____
^Starred figures are estimates based on (z). All other valuations are from Pinal.- County Assessor's Office and State Tax Commission,, (a) included in Florence district estimate.
TABLE VII
RAILROAD VALUATIONS-IN FLORENCE'UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT. PINAL COUNTY, ARIZONA 1954. *
Elementary District :
Miles : Valuation : Rail-road : per mile : Valuation :
: Total
1 24.08 $24,200 $651,156 $760,851
1 .67 14,500 9,715
1 *8.00 15,000 120,000-
10 1.92 51,200 97,792
418,816
97,792
11 8.18 51,200 . 418,816
21 6.02 40,800 245,616 245,616
28 2.48 40,800 101,184 101,184
50 ■ 5.44 14,500 78,880 - 152,964
50 5.02 24,200 75,084
55 4.6 44,500 204,700 496,796
55 . 5.41 51,200 .174,592
55 2.88 40,800 117,504
41 5.99 40,800 162,792 162,792
TOTAL RAILROAD TOTAL NON-RAILROAD
#2,815,645 2,429,295
TOTAL DISTRICT VALUATION 5,242,956
*Magma and Arizona, all other. Southern Pacific
Data from State Tax Commission's letter of instructions to Pinal County Assessor.
58
Returning to the relative valuations of the districts we note the differences between valuation areas and V
population areas. Three districts, Red Rock No. 5, Eloy No. 11, and Picacho No. 55 have a combined valuation equal to nearly a third of the total. But these same
three districts have but one eighth of the.population. Nor does the m a j o r portion of the valuation of the Florence district No. 1 lie within the populated areas. As a. result only one half ($2 ,062,062) of the valuation is found in the real population area, that is the Florence, Kenilworth, Coolidge, La Palma and Walker Butte districts. But these districts have a combined population of 4 .546 or 85 percent of total. Of all the districts having railroad property in only Coolidge and Kenilworth does the non-rail valuation exceed the rail. As Coolidge is an unincorporated town, no figures are available as to its town valuation, but a larger part of the valuation of Coolidge district is made up of town property and improved farming land. The major portion of the Kenilworth valuation is made up of im
proved farming land.
A great amount of desert land is found in many of these districts. According to the County Assessor, the average valuation for strictly desert, unimproved land,
considering state and federally owned land, is approximately
$100 per square mile, while patented improved land varies
from $1,280 to $12,800 per. square mile. With these figures in mind then, a study of the valuations per square mile of Table VI along v/ith the railroad valuations' will reveal in general the property make-up of the various districts.
Method Used in Valuing Rail-Road Property. Table VII is a portion;of the report of the State Tax Commission setting up railroad valuations for the year 1934. This report was used in making the previous table. (Table VI)
Trends in Valuations During 4 Year Period. Table VIII shows the reduction in assessed valuation of districts
from 1931 to.1934.
It is of interest chiefly in showing the more or less consistent decrease among the districts. That is particu
larly true in the Florence, Kenilworth and Coolidge districts whose decreases are respectively 36,.40 and 45 percent
while that of the Florence Union High School district as a whole is 40 percent.
40
TABLE VIII
CHANGES IN ASSESSED VALUATION OF COMPONENT DISTRICTS OF FLORENCE UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT, PINAL COUNTY, ARIZONA DURING THE DEPRESSION.
Elementary District
"Valuation 51-52 Valuation 54-55 :
■ • ■ ;
; Percentage
; decrease : 1931-1934
1 2,359,765 . 1,507,529 . 36
5 Z ‘ *416,823
10
z
*137-79211 1,006,769 694,061 30
21 1,546,952. 875,026 43
28 827,386 495,056 40
50 558,031 254,730 35
oo * •• • 856,125 *556,796 37
41 42
Remaining areas not : included
523,476 .
z
*512,792*21,24040
above ; 1,412,428 : *13,302
TOTALS : 8,870,891 :; 5,242,956 : 40
^Estimated. See basis.
Z No valuation available.
Data from Pinal County Assessor's Office, except estimations
If assessed-valuation is ■ to be- taken as a criterion, this indicates that these districts have retained
approximately the same relative economic status during the depression years. It should be noted here that real
estate valuations have been lowered more than have rail
road valuations"during the depression years. This fact therefore no doubt offsets the seven percent differential between reductions in Coolidge and Florence valuations and still permits our premise :to stand that Coolidge is growing faster than Florence as was brought out in previous figures.
Valuations per pupil.- Table" IX shows financial ability of the various districts as measured by valuation per
average daily attendance in elementary schools." While we are primarily interested in a secondary school problem, this table will enable us to get a picture of general school needs and abilities in various districts.
42
T A B L E I X
VALUATION PER PUPIL IN AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE IN ELEMENTARY - SCHOOLS OF FLORENCE UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT.
Elementary : Valuation : Area in : Average rValuation District : : square miles: Daily :per A'.D.'-A.
: : : Attendance :: *
1 $1,507,529 596 599 :: $ 5,769
5 416,852 226 22 : 19,041
10 137,792 • 504 Transported to Florence
11 694,061 140 149 4,658
21 875,026 50 571 2,558
28 ■495.056 . 56 119 4,145
50 254,750 25 55 7,115
55 556,796 70 14 58,542
, 41 512,792 50 44 7,556
(z)42 ' - 54,542 180 7 4,946
*Average dally attendance for 1955-1954. Valuations 1954-1955.
(z) Lapsed 1954-1955.
Data from Pinal County Assessor's Office and County School Superintendent's Office, except estimated values of certain districts.
Vital Questions. Meed and ability must be consistent with, each other, and each consistent with desire. Ob
viously, Picacho District Mo. 33 would have no need of a high school even though it has a very high valuation per average daily attendance. The need of Coolidge District No. 21 is more apparent in suite of its very low per capita valuation. The valuation is a limiting factor and one
that demands consideration in a program formulated in response to a desire of an Interested group. There are two questions to be answered, viz,:
What can we pay?
What are we willing to pay?
Perhaps a third will need to be answered first: What will we have to pay?
Outstanding Obligations of Component Districts and Provisions for Reduction. To get at this question we
must review some of the present outstanding obligations of these districts. Table X shows the school obligations exclusive of current maintenance, for those component districts which have debt obligations. It will be noted that the outstanding obligations of Coolidge District Mo.
21 is 6.3 percent of its valuation, and that of Kenilworth District No. 28 is 4.1 percent both of which are in excess of their legal limit according to present valuations.
(par 1016 R. C. A. 1928)
-TABLE X
DEBT OBLIGATIONS OF COi.IPONENT DISTRICTS OF FLORENCE UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT, PINAL COUNTY, ARIZONA, LLARCH 1934.
Eloy Coolidge: Kenilworth: Walker Butte : Union : High No.
: 1
Valuation $394,061
• • .
$ 875,026 $ 495,056 $ 254,750 $ 5,242,936
Outstanding Bonds 15,000 , 57,000 22,500 4,500 57,000
Accumulated Sinking Fund 1,058 1,965 • 1,864 1,550 24,000
Net Bonded Indebtedness 11,942 55,055 20,636 2.970 35,000
Interest requirement 1954 660 • 5,145 1,250 270 3,145
Redemption requirement 1934 1,000 2,500 2,700 500 * 5,000
Total debt requirement 1934 • 1,660 - 5,445 5,950 770 6,145
Interest tax rate 1954 .0951 .5595 .2555- .115 .0598
Redemption tax rate 1954 .1441 .2628 .5476 .215 . .0581
Total debt tax rate 1954 .2592 .6221 .8011 .528 .0979
^Maturity schedule of bonds. Part of sinking fund ($1,000) used here to reduce levy during depression years.
D a t a f rom Pin a l County T r e a s u r e r ' s Office.
Florence Union High School Redemption Fund. In comoarison to the heavy burden of these districts that •
* . ■ ' ' • •
of Florence Union High School District No. 1 seems light.
It might be added that most of the accumulated sinking fund of Florence Union High School District Ho. 1 is invested in bonds at such prices and interest that a net profit accrues to the district for each dollar invested. The following table shows the outstanding indebtedness of the district and the condition of its sinking fund investments
46
. : TABLE X T
OUTSTANDING- BONDS OF FLORENCE UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT, PINAL COUNTY, ARIZONA, FEBRUARY 7, 1955.
Bond Dated.. : Amount : Rate : Due
August 1, 1926 $ 5000 5000 4000 4000 4000 5000 5000 5000 6000 6000 . 6000 6000
5^ % : August 1 , 1955 5^ % \ August 1 , 1956 5|- CJ> : August 1. 1957 5& cj/ : August 1, 1958 5|; : August 1 , 1959 5& : August 1 , 1940 5i % : August 1 , 1941 5-|- $ : August 1, 1942 5|- % : August 1,-1943 5|- $ : August 1, 1944 5-| % : August 1, 1945 5-k : August 1, 1946
Total amount of original issue, 1926 $70,000.00
Retired to date 15,000.00
Outstanding as per above schedule 57,000.00 In sinking fund for retirement of
these. bonds of par value £17,500
and invested.value of 16,001.00
. ■ 8,009.17-7. V
Total
24,010.17 Net Bonded Indebtedness 52,922.23
Data from Pinal County Treasurer's Office.
Trends in Tax Rate of Overlapping, Political Sub
divisions . Table XIII shows trends in special tax rates for the p^st four years in political subdivisions affect
ing territory of Florence Union High School District No. 1 . Practically all of the farm property of the district is affected not only by state, county, and school tax levies, but it is also included in one of the irrigation or
electrical districts. Florence.town property is affected by city taxes. While at present Coolidge is unincorporated, it undoubtedly will become an incorporated town soon, and then its tax status will be comparable to that of Florence.
Therefore these tax rates of various units must be taken into consideration.
TABLEi XIII
TRENDS III SPECIAL TAX RATES OF COJ.POFEIIT DISTRICTS AI.'D OVERLAPPING SUB
DIVISIONS FLORENCE UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT, PINAL COUNTY, ARIZONA.
District : 51-32 : 52-55 :53-54 : .34-55 : Average County and State :#1.9222 :S 2.76 :So.07 5.00 :
Florence No. 1 :$ .4556 :#.1877 :# 0 : 3.20 .2055 Eloy N o . 1 1 : .4982 : .4252 : .2556 ; .2392 : .5558 Coolidge No. 21 : . 5822 : -.4981 ! .696 : .6221 : .5796 Kenilworth No. 28 : 1 .0650 : .5486 : .457 : .9451 : .7054 Walker Butte No.30: .2255 : .4282 : .565 : .5280 : .5561 Florence Union
High School No. 1 ; .2564 : .5855 : .4767 .* .5404 . * .4147
Florence City : 1 .46 :1.62 :2.755 :2.45. : 2 .06 & N
Electrical District
Number 2 :
Electrical District
.1160 : .1595 : .2251 : .2206 : .1748
CD
Number 4 :
Acreage rate
Electrical District
.0860 : .8290 :1.005 :1.005 • .751
No. 2 per acre : Electrical District
.3445 : .5213 : .5206 : .5264 No. 4 per acre : .1658 : .2562 : .2705 ;..2704 Randolph Irrigation-
District : .20 : .6821 : .80
San Carlos Irriga
tion District : .20 : .20 :1.75 :2.15
Data f rom P i n a l County T r e a s u r e r ' s O f f i c e .
Let us compute the total tax rate of a property owner of Florence, for example, for 1954.
State and County rate... $ 5.00 Florence School District Ho. 1 .... .20 Florence Union High School ... . .5404 Florence City ... ... 2.45 Total tax per hundred dollars of assessed
valuation 6.1704
A Farmer in Kenilworth District Ho. 28.
State and County... ...$ 5.00 Kenilworth District No. 28 ... .9451 Florence Union High School ... .5404
Total tax per hundred dollars of assessed •
valuation 4.4855
In addition he must pay a San Carlos Irrigation Dis
trict tax of $2.15 per acre. This provides for two acre feet of water if the same is available and also for his proportionate share of maintenance and operation cost of the project. It does n o t , however, include construction cost of the project, payments on which have been deferred for the present. These construction costs will probably_
become an annual charge within the next few years.
A farmer west of Coolidge not in the San Carlos Project but in Electrical Districe Ho. 2 .
State and County... $ 5.00 Coolidge School District Ho. 2 1 ... .6221 Florence Union High School ... ... .5404 Electrical District Ho. 2 ... ... .2206 Total tax per hundred dollars of assessed
valuation 4.5851
While these are not all school taxes, nevertheless they must be paid from the same source and by virtue of
50
this fact become a significant limiting factor that must be reckoned with.
Trends in Tax Ratejs of Florence Union High School.
Table XIV shows the financial burden on the tax payer in behalf of Florence Union High School District No. 1 .
