The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-10-24
OUR PUBLTC sCHOOLS.
Expianatisr. from superiutendert Riddle
Number of Pupils and Expenditures.


To THE EDtroR OF THE Sun SIR: In roply
TO the intcrrogatorics contained in an editorial
Of to-day's Sun. permit me to say that the pro-
vision Of law limiting the requsltcn of The
Board Of Education TO ten dollars for each
pupil who shall have atually attended and
boon taught the prcccding y"nr." was practically
abrogated by the act Of 1871 constituting the
Board Of Public Instruction ~ n department ~
the city Government, and giving To- the Board Of
Anportionmcnt, lin lieu OF and surrrscding
existing authority In relation hereto" authority
To make and agree upon ;tn estimate Of the va
rious sums OF money which, in their discretion,
will be required TO dcfray all tho various OK
pensos necessary for conducting tho various
boards, commissions. and departments of tho
city Government. Since that time. up to 1873.
the estimates made nv the Board of Public In
struction. and since 1879 by the Board Of Elu-
cation. have been based upon other considcra-
tons than the " number Of pupils taught"
You ask. WAS not the prnctcc Of making
fictitious returns under the head Of whole
number taught which mndc it appear that
about 100000 moro children ,rn taught than
tn" number actually enrolled, Kept up during
thos" years for the PURPOSE OF giv ~ tho l'oard
81 blucHtiOn the additional million oi dollars
annually derived from tho ten dollars heal
upon thie fnlee countY" 10 this | reply Tint
the returns Of whole number taught were
nndc IA previously by adding the returns OF
the schools. without dciuAtion or allowance for
changes from SCHOOL to school which f.nva n
number from Is coo to 81 600 (nnt 100 0OOl in
excess of the uuWber Of Il n rent children
taught: hut the estimates wnrr not controlled
l'v thrs" returns. " toe loird had obtained
whut II would have been entitled 10 under the
! former provision 81 law It would hHvg r.
| rciVod during IN" six yrafs from 1909 tp 1913,
the sum OF s9I .G52 0lGG9; whrrras ihn sum Il
asked for and did receive during thuss years
| WAS only tlSi1I2uu. tScr r"lvu Of i lncc
| Commute. journal otthc board FOR ls73. ~.
4us. 400. Ii0.l
lon say that " in 1873. under the new charter
| The Board OF Edu alton was required 10 send
| its estimates ~ the Board ~ Estimate nnI
| Apportionment instead Of to tnn Board Of
| Supervisors when Il las done since" ii was
made: and since that tina" the estimates hav"
| not been made. ~ you state. m u lump sum-
Ohlr * Of tn" expenditure have been spH Gifted
| In detail cnrh iem Of expense being presented
| iorthr runs Iteration OF the Board OF Appor-
You say that the amount Of the yearly appro.
| prlat uns was swrilcd hy about a milton OF
dollars through fictitious rolls TIL II not
| correct, ~ | have already shown. since tho
| hoard did not obtain, by more than half mill
| lion dollars annually. for six years in succrs-
sion, what under the old law II might have
| You ask. II the whole number taucht Is
| not the basis for the est,nnte. what That has \
| i-f' answer. Il Ia. in lpt the annual aver
| axe alton lance. M uS."r,t. ned los the sworn re-
turns Of N" prin Hipals " thcs noos. sinc" it :
| upon that number TINT the number vt t"nchcrs
IS has'si. aud in purt thor -nAri"- according to
/ tlN Iul'H Ni inc hplIl. inc hliulH'F fnfNilNl
| and taught II not considered for that purpose.
| To the sum required for salaries tthe largest
! trn ot 'Nirns' are added the actual sums r.
! duired for othor rXpend lures "a buildings AMI
! sites, supplies supervision. a.. varying nc-
! rordng TO the spca iu cxi-cncirs Of pnrtir ular
! yours. All thcsr are submitted 10 tho Board ~
| hpp0uionment for their consideration in de-
| tat
rhe circular ofthc Board OF Appor,ionmen'
| issued ON thn 18th 81 July Int. shows that n
| ~ 'h limitation rs that To- which you refer IL ~
| pres mt applicable. Hence the statement in my
| rttts 81 the 18th inst. that the return OF
| whole numb taught" AZ made to tho
| board. does not form any basis for the payment
OF tca'hors' salaries rs you alleged, nor Tor the
annual estimates for the support Of the schools
| and hence. too. there are no tricks" NJ you
! alingc. Tor the purpos" Of obtaining the poo
| plrs money by ials' pretenc,s."
The return of whole number taught 81
| should give tha actual number Of different chill
| drrn taught m the schools. so rs Ia show. hen
| compared with the av"r1g" Attendance Of pu-
| pills. tho degree Of regularity In that attend
| anrc: and have advocated the adoption Of n
rue by tn" board. So that tn proper GORE tor
| could be authuritatv. ly applied. and thus III,
uctual cilagdf ter Of the att INDIAN shown. This
| in part. have cndeayored to effect in my own
| returns, Under the present law however, tn,
| matter has no relation 10 the finances OF tho
| board. Respectfully.
Henry GIDDLF. City Superintendent.
| NEW YORK q 10