The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-03
THE SCHOOL BOARD.
The Superintendent of Schools Submits His
Report-Miscellaneo Business.


for December 1884,
Special fund, balance on hand Jan. l, $72-
12735; library fund, S.. 752. 70; tuition fund.-
ST.. 1852 80; balance overdrawn from tuition fund,
$50, O172S; balance on hand of all funds, ST.
S62 So
The secretary reported that warrants had
been drawn on the treasurer during month OF
December as follows: On special fund, SO, 452 %;
on library fund, $1,028.72 on tuition fund,
$13 562 90; total, $23, MAPS.
Bills amounting to $97S.61. examined by the
to the board with the recommendation that they
be paid.
The superintendent reported IL, 764 pupils be-
longing to schools at the close of December;
average daily attendance, TO- 923; per cent. of at
tendance on average number belonging 80. 69;
number of cases of hardness, 666; number
neither tardy nor absent, 5,e47; number of tru-
ant pupils, 80
THE SUPERINTENDENT ANNUAL REPORT.
The superintendent then submitted the fol-
lowing report which was read and referred to
the committee On buildings and grounds:
''The large amount of building done by the
IL
to do much during the year just commencing
The accommodations are ample in nearly all
sections of our city. This is partly due to the
wise arrangements in distributing pupils to
the buildings, as instituted by my predecessor.
'"The matter of classifying and distributing
the pupils to the buildings so as to use most
economically the rooms and the teaching force
at the command of the superintendent is one in
which, by wise management, he may save much,
or by few ill-direeted movements lose to the
hoo 6NlJo Nhn Eort1rn nf
show q gratifying condition in this respect as
compared with the arrangements of other cities
sat the opening of the schools of this year
spent several days in the different buildings,
consolidating wherever. it was found posi-
BILE without interfering seriously with
efficiency in instruction or discl
pine of the schools thus ,re-arranged
The teachers who were by this means relieved
were assigned to the vacancies occasioned by
the designations which had occurred during the
summer vacation of the schools, instead of hir-
ing new teachers for these positions. The saw
ing from this source was Observation-Disclosures
So, 500. There had been much thoughtful work
of the same character done by my predecessor.
ment of the teaching forces of the city to the
work to be done.
II have made careful comparison in this re-
spect with the three largest cities of Ohio-Cin-
cindati, Cleveland and Columbus. This compar-
ison shows slight difference among those cities,
the best result being in Cincinnati, the next best
in Cleveland. This is so in accordance with
reason, since whenever there is larger number
of pupils there is better possibility of systemi
zation and, therefore, better possibility of an
even adjustment of the work, so that there need
not be many small schools supported for the
sake Of the grading.
Following in the same line, one would natur-
ally expect Indianapolis to fall trife behind
the lowest of the three cities mentioned in the
ratio of pupils to teachers. On the contrary, a
cor fri ric af in tu fhnpo
is an average of As pupils to the teacher more
than in Cincinnati, the city having the highest
average number of pupils to the teacher of the
three cities mentioned. Four and fve-tenths
pupils per teacher above the average quoted
means that we have disposed of 1000 pupils by
placing them in schools in which they can be
taught without extra teacher or cost for build
ings. Twelve hundred pupils at the ratio of
pupils to teachers in Cincinnati means thirty
schools. This means thirty teachers more than
we now employ. At an average salary of $500,
this means $3.50 annually. These thirty
schools would require one twelve room building
and two eight-room buildings. The costof these
buildings would be in round number $50, 900
is $4,000. The cost of janitors, fuel, re-
pairs, ETC., would be $4,000 per annum
Adding $15, 600, saved in salaries of teachers,
So, 900 as interest on buildings and 81 900 saved
in running expenses, we have the sum total, 500,
600 per annum, saved by maintaining the pres
ent high ratio of pupils to teachers, as compared
with what we should necessarily expend at the ra-
tics maintained in the cities of Cleveland and Gin
cinnati. This indicates at least that we are not
being extravagant in this direction. 1t is easy
to see. however, that to make this a real saving
it must be accomplished without impairing the
real efficiency of the schools. This we have
tried to do by limiting the changes chiefly to the
three matters of careful grading, judiciouS ar
rangement of the boundaries of districts and
the necessary transfers of pupils.
'To the Immediate future | submit the follow
ing suggestions: That the upper grammar and
German English grades of the central portion
OF the city be accommodated in
the new high-school buildings when
them not Immediately needed for high-school
grades. High-school No. will, think, in this
way temporarily relieve Nos. 2, 3. 4, 9 and II.
In the remote future a building will be needed
another so that it will relieve Nos 8 and 4 But
it is wise to leave that matter until these wants
definitely locate themselves.
SIN like manner High-schoolNo. 2may be made
TO relieve temporarily Nos. 2, 13 and 20 The
remaining buildings Of the city are likely to
case of Nos. II and Is.
s'In the case of the former of these we shall be
able to run another year. but under some disad-
vantage. There is room the grounds now
owned by the board for the enlargement of No
IL to twelve-room building.
"AtNo 16 the.situation is such that immediate
action is necessary. The present building con-
tains three rooms. 1t is so planned that an ad-
ditional room can be added for about $T00 This
additional room would supply our present ne
cessites for seats.
1T will be seen that the coming year is to be
conservative one in the matter Of the erection of
school buildings; but by its close the massing
and moving of population will probably have
made plain several needs which are already
being family suggested. L. I'll. JONES'
"Sup't Schools"
Scarlet fever having broken out in the family
of the janitor of school No. H. the question arose
as to whether the school should be closed or
whether the family be removed until the disease
has passed. The matter was referred to the
committee on janitors, with powe- to act
petition asking permission to hold q night
school in building No. 10 was refused.
1t was moved by Mr. Smith that the applica-
ton of Joseph Pheger (wbo lives outside the city
imitsl for school privileges in the city, and al
h.