Evening journal., 1893-03-29
DIVIDING SCHOOL MONEY
State Auditor Dulaney De-
nounces the Present System.
THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION.

me- says AateE ~ Ahof- ush AhoWeuko
of the System. That 1t Is Bad-The
Great Mistake Was in Making the
Division For the Three Counties Out
aide OF Wilmington.
stan Correspondence Evening Journal.
DOVER, March 30 IF there is man
in Delaware who is familiar with the
needs Of the public schools of the state
1t is State Auditor Dulaney. For two
years he has been In daily contact with
school district clerks or commissioners in
his capacity as state auditor Of accounts,
and this experience, coupled with his
good, sound sense qualities him to speak
upon the school. fund agitation In the
General Assembly and entities his re.
marks to careful consideration.
He was in his Office yesterday after
noon when your correspondent called:
"Mr Dulaney, what do you think
would be the best plan for equallzing the
distribution of the public school fundY"
In my opinion the revision Of the
school law Is the most important question
to be considered by the General AS
sembly," was his reply. "There are three
important points to be considered, viz:
First-The enactment of n law restoring
the surplus In the hands Of the school
clerks TO the state treasury; secondly
Legislation giving TO each district an
equal share Of the school fund thirdly
I he enactment of law that will prevent
the accumulation of surplus in the
hands of the clerks.
ION the 25th day Of June, 1892,
there was over &5i 600 in the hands
of the school officials Of the state aud
during the month OF August, 1922. the
Trustees of the School Fund deposited
, In bank to the credit of these same
T officials, and subject to their check, the
sum Of s 2 $50 90, the amount of the
fund after the cost of the books was
deducted Then we find by September
1, 1892, two months before ma iOrity
! IL the schools were open, there was
+ virtually in the hands of the clerks the
q sum Of $l7l IA 40 Why should this
5 money be apporfioned before It i,
actually needed, Lead us not into temp
q tation, is ise Injunction When y0r
place several hunored dollars in banl
TO the credit of a man, II requires nt
d argument to convince him of the fac
that he needs 1t worse than The bank
IS aud appropriates IL TO his own use, hop
) ing to be abe TO replace II when IL IL
needed, or where il properly belongs
= tue apportionment for 1892 (which
IS will appear in the report of 1899 wa
& $i44. G66 IL The great mistake ha
= always been in making the division 70
g the three counties, and then, from tha
{, OF New Castle county, making the appoi
gs tionment for Wilmington. The city q
as Wilmington Is entitled to the same shar
as that Of a county. You will hnd It.
as whole thing in anut.shell If you exauiin
1t the statement on page "a in the report {
rs 1892 WILMINGTON pays 81, 52S 80 /
IL school tax. more than The whole stat
outside Of the city. You will find this
,r she has more than one third Of all tn
Of scholars in the state, while she does nc
r receive one-twelfth part Of the schoS
is fund. Why not make the apportionmeu
to Wilmington from the whole amount
Is and then take New Castle county, Ker
lt and Sussex, making the apportionmeni
d. for the several districtsI
But how was this fund distributed
as Wilmington received 81 81 per scholar
in New Castle, 81 IA; Rockford $24,
etc. You will find the towI
at where the money could be properly use'
be receiving but little, while the countr
8, districts received as high as $43 33 p'
d. scholar and the majority Of them havin
u enough money in hand to pay more tha
nd years expenses.
us "Why should some districts receiy
Just twice as much as others when IL
NJ odds are even? There are not two di
Mt tricts in New Castle county which /
P. ceived the same amount We are Il
formed that a school with forty .h'
as scholars can be maintained at the cost
Dg one with twenty Eve scholars III
mt expenses are the same, 1t requires bl
one teacher, but the great disparity oceu
ed when you come to the number OF schola
in which require two teachers, and upwar
es to the school.
'ss 1--WE cannot see where anything cou
he be gained by division Of the scho
OIL fund IL we decrease, then we mn
'er correspondingly increase the school ia
and, in many districts. this tax bea
er very heavily upon the shoulders OF I
ng people made all possible haste
Its getting the report for 1892 out, for
use Of the General Assembly, that th
OIL might be enabled to see the true conc
in tion of the finances Of the state, espe
by ally the condition of the schools.
1--WE should entirely divest and Fl
et- ourselves from the spirit Of greed a
give This money to those who really nee
and who could wisely and honestly use
for the express purpose it was intende'
to Wilmington Pays Three-Fourths.
he Peter Cooper, Jr, representing
he Board of Public Education OF WilmiI
mt ton, spent several hours in the legislat
rar halls yesterday in the interest Of
By clients He was try ing to get an increl
dr. of the state dividends for the c
alt schools At the present time they OF
to get $l8 900 The proposition is to
nts crease IL to S25 600 All the memb
pes admit that the sum now paid is bC
ng. inadequate and inequitable, as the c
les pays about IS per cent of the school fu
ast and only receives 10 per cent. in retu
II IL conceded that the will be
increase but Just what'it will amount
can cnly be conjectured
Organized for 1enuis.