The Bessemer indicator., 1894-05-05
CALLS FOR ECONOMY
Dispense With Useless and Costly
Appendages.
The people of district No. 20 cali for re-
lief-Specials to be dispensed with
and money saved-Some figures
that tell tale.

In times like these, when people are
in debt heels over head. when they are
making a desperate struggle to live,
when the city is in debt to the amount
of half million dollars. when the city
council to save the credit Of the mu-
nicipality was obliged to trim running
expenses for 1894 to the amount of
$41 500, when property is not market
able, and when the conditions Of the
times call for economy let there be
economy, and let it be in every de-
partment of county, city and school
government.
Just now the people have to deal
with the schools. The election of
majority of the board will be next
Monday. and as an opportunity affords
of changing the management of the
school board, and us a change in the
conduct of the schools must come
through the board. it behcoves every
woman and every man who favor better
schools at a much less expense to go TO
the polls and cast ballot for the ants.
In proof of the fact that there is
great extravaganza practiced in this
district it is only necessary to point out
few of the special features connected
with the Central high school. There
are special teachers employed at enor-
nous salaries whose services can be
dispensed with without harming the
school, and the money saved to the tax,
ridden people.
For example, Prof. Cornell is hired
to teach music for the school year for
the extravagant sum of $1.5O0 Just
think of it! One thousand five hundred
dollars. and for what? To give special
instruction in music, when it is taught
in every department by the regular
teachers. Lop off this expense. Teach
singing, but if there are those who care
to take high course there is ample
opportunity afforded them to attend
singing schools in the city. or to take
private lessons.
Miss Palmer receives s125 per month
for teaching physical culture, apleasant
feature Of school. but in this instance
very expensivs one, and more than
the people can stand. Calisthenics
can be practiced in each rsom by the
regular teachers, also, and the higher
course of gymnastics should be re-
gsrded as luxury and dropped. There
is too much of it in the schools, any
how, too much dress parade, too much
diversion. Let there be saving here.
Prof. Newell, he of the manual train.
ing department receives 5000 per school
year for his services which consists in
teaching the girls and boys to use the
turning lathe, to make little wooden
boxes, racks and the like, and to whittle.
Tho equipments will approximate each
year $1,000, not counting the first cost
of machinery. The neat little sum of
$40 per month is also paid for electric
power to turn the wheels. Great OBJ
lection is raised throughout the district
because of the time occupied in this
department Now an opportunity is
afforded to do away with it and to save
big lot of money.
Then it must not be overlooked that
Prof. Search keeps private secretary
500 per month-it may exceed that
amount-simply to do the work he
should do himself. But the people pay
for the services the secretary just the
same. If, Prof. Search, instead Of max
ing lecture tour of the state on "The
Pueblo Method" alias, Prof. Search's
Method" would devote more of this
time to his strict duties, he would have
no need of secretary. The proper
thing to do is to reduce his salary from
the enormous sum of 80 1000 per school
year to about $1,s00 and make him
work.
These are few of the inconsistencies
and extravagancies of the schools of
district No. go. The figures are ap-
proximately correct and challenge con-
tradiction.