There were, of course, those claiming to hold this theory whose underlying motives were selfish.

They had property which they had inherited or accumulated, and they objected to paying taxes for educating other people's children.

It must be said, however, that as a class, the larger taxpayers have been more ready to vote higher taxes for schools than the poor and illiterate, whose morbid dread of taxation has been fostered by the politician.
There were others who were cold to the extension of public education on account of the schools already existing.

In many towns and villages there were struggling academies, often nominally under church auspices.
Towns which could have supported one school were trying to support two or three.

In few cases was any direct financial aid given by the religious organization, but the school was known as the Methodist or the Presbyterian school, because the teaching force and the majority of the patrons belonged to that denomination.