The New York herald., 1877-12-18
COST OF EDUCATION.
Statement of the Commissioners Of
Accounts.
THE PUBLIC SCHOOL FUND.
Ten Dollars Per Capita The Maximum Limit
Of Appropriation.

/ The following Is an abstract OF the most important
portions Of tho statement OF the Commissioners OF
Accounts tho Board OF Estimate and Apportio nmens
yesterday calling attention to the expenditures OF tho
! Board OF Education. AT the outset the document
quotes the statute OF 1871 and those afterward
enacted, in which tho basis of tho appropriation is
laid down, and then It goes on to say
10 the Board OF Estimate Apportonment the Board
Chez n. must is the same IN as
dd.iera.ining the amount 10 be Ineladsd in. The
tho ss 1s 1s q d m %.s at .as q
Apportonment TO ASCERTAIN aud determine hat the law
schools OF the city II the amount fixed dste
ss.naie is the 50, axsd aaa dessr~insd il
sas HA sum asum Say to m ss nssd s"a
a amonnt % can be included IN the hnai estimate
1873 which requires Board ai haucs
BE 4 to m s nis az ssa
s sr If ~ % los The Of The
statement Of each Of the salaries "a o. the onssls clerks
such statement as is required iromsay
h os sns sfs 4na ss
either increase or limit the amount required % pay the
ter to submit such estimates to the Board OF KS
Board d,,soa.ry , TO to DIAL s w. such estimate.
proper should be done The Bonrd bound t. on
and whse 's "s 50 e sa or
h gc any 81 ss in % Sny Of the
restriction must bc considered and given IL by
Now the law as 70 the board Of Eduea,ion as srs"av
a o @ m 's pap
IN m fa' n aa'as As tho s % ysc Ia
should show the average actual atendance OF pupils NJ
% %.ss s' 'as sai,
Il s rss pa n m the s tax aa s n n
the Obligation. the minimum being such ) may se
y Ct .s sas
suooss In no other Of 's
% S % ~ as ns s.,a By
specified by name The only provision Of law therefore.
asa Ss as " the one above
SI :s e the o %s
= maximum limit. the only remaining pon. to be com
+ no. ihe S s.s sai
S limit has aa's Sssn the for ysa
na'is.y ignored Sy Tie Hoard sf Eaaea.sS
BY the board for the sspsss purpose i
largely sxsss. Of the STATUTORY limit mi. sssns
non. 30 :" Is pnnsa in ., s , Is m
sosr1 , sr kaus..n grasd s page 10 q
following extract =
the pupils appear register Of the several
pupils several ss. over in the sss
sfsiS Saet sanS.l,y; based w. .., ~ ''''a .'s =
pupils as.u y tsashs At tho schools was The an
iirs Accommodation afforded BY common schools in
1875, was I3a s73
tangh which the basis Of capita
exceeding xlo for osch pupil there ought 10 be difficulty
sSa
the actual au%ssr The
schools could actually accommodate that since 1870
through the operation Of this system the city has been
less than "a 075 ss2 IL.
Tho following resolution passed after reading
| tho report
Resolved That the rcport Of the Conn Of Ac-
counts to the estimates OF the Board OF Education
this Board Is direc.sa to transmit. printed eops Of the
corporaon with reqasss sha. he advise this oara AZ
once as TO is powers and duties IL considering and detsr
laws se, n report
The Commissioners invited to be present at tho
| meeting OF the Board oil Apporuonment on Wedres
i PRESIDENT WOOD on THE ALLOWANCE.
reporter OF the HERALD called last evening on
Mr.. William Wood, President OF tho Board Of Educa
ton, and tue following conversation ensued:-
REPoRTBR- Can you give me some information, Mr.
Wood, regard 10 the statement oil the Comm isson-
ers OF Accounts relating 10 the expenditure Of the
| board Of EducationY
| President wooD-I have not studied tho documen,
very closely; but II appears TO me that the shoe
the wrong loot, ana instead OF there being any
| piaint about the expenditure Of the Board OF
Education In the city o Now York really
should be apportoned a larger amount. as the city
furnishes considerably more Of tho iands used for
educational purposes than It receives For IN
stance 1916 the total amount raised the State
So s32, ,s34 o. OF whicn s., SOB ss3 So from
the city Of New York. or the above We received
$500, sSl IS SO tina. The city really contributed
tno old system, We received s5o7, COZ 81
State apportionment; equal amount rom tho
city, s5O7,eoa 81, tax of one-,wcnt'e,h OF one per
cent $552 049 0i per capita allotment, ST. 1872 745 2
total, 50 800 900. Even Then the per capita allotment
Was shor! o. wha. ne Law allows as by The report
would make the per capita allowance Of $lo amount
| TO 81, l22, GAO.
receives as much through the Board OF Estimate ana
Apportonment ~ they did by tue old law In force
President wooD-wc received In 1875, through
the Board OF Estimate and Apportonncnt. inc
how much We would be entitled 10 receive
under the old law M have of ascertniuIng
what tho onewcnteth OF one per cent would amount
to. The number Of pupils laIgni were 252, los 20
that by the per capita allowances alone, We would DO
entitled to over 81, 800 0Oo
REPoRTEK--Do you think the present system oil Oh.
tanning iunds through the Board OF Estimate and Ap.
potonment Is preferable to the old system OF ls'3Y
PresidoDt WooD--Ihc present system appears 10
work very well, but again II has It's objcctions. For
instance, the Board OF Estimate and Apportonment
allows tho Board OF Education sums oi money tor
certain purposes, and II the Board Of Education
should require TO divert any OF that money
that special purpose they cannot and The Board
| oil Estimate and Apportonmcnt has no legal power
To change that allo ment AS tho Board OF Educaton
not city department, but corporation Of them
| seIvos
REpoRrER--Have you tested the legality of tnat
| question:
President wooD-Yes, and Il camc up quite
Gently We were apportoncd g., zoe 900 Tor salaries
OF teachers &C., ana $500, 600 tor sites. &c Aswe
had a number OF schools our salary list was Ia.
creased and we had 10 jcduc three ana onchaii per
cent from the salaries OF the teachers TO meet the
| emergency. wished TO make that up and take tho
money from the allotment Tor sites, but Iound by
consulting the proper legal authorities that II was
against the law.
/ RgroRTgR--Do you think this statement from tho
Commissioners OF Accounts Will have any elect upon
| tho Board of Estimate and ApportionmentY
President WooD-rhat cannot say, as II Is evidently
point for lawyers to decide bat u appears strange,
tbcre Is anything In H. that u was not discovered
before. IL would be great misfortune, however.
had to close up half the schools for want OF funds
| RE LuST TO Tile CHARITABLE.