Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1894-08-22
THE CITY SCHOOLS.
Facts and Figures to be POndered by
Tax Payers-Why the Levy
Was Cut Down.

To the City Council of the City of Santa Fe
Santa Fe, N. NJ, Aug, 20, lS94.-The
Undersigned, majority of the finance
committee, to whom was referred the
resolution of the city board of education
fixing levy of mills on the dollar, on
all personal, mixed and real property
within the city, for the next current
school year, for public school purposes,
with the request from the said board that
the city council approve of the same, beg
leave to submit the following
REPORT:
The undersigned have no desire to,
in any manner, retard the successful
operation of the excellent school system
given to us by the legislative assembly
of 1891, and whatever criticisms may be
exercised upon the part of your com
mittee in regard to public school mat
tiers in this city, you may rest assured
are prompted by the highest motives.
The public schools of our country should
be the pride and boast of every true
American who loves her institutions, and
no effort should be spared TO enhance
their glory and efficiency, as from them
must spring the future citizens OF our
great republic, who are to share in its
councils and participate in its destiny
whether for veal or for woe.
To make a success of our admirable
school law, the people of this city must
take a lively interest in our schools and
see that honest directors are elected
who will wisely and inteligently admin
lister school affairs to the satisfaction of
parents and pupils. Care should be ex-
ercised in preventing at all hazards the
election to educational councils
of the small politician who
can only see in the sacred school
fund, a vast prize to be distributed in
small or large allotments to political
heelers. Such men have little concep-
ton of the needs and possibilities of
public education and should be entirely
eliminated from the conduct of school
affairs. Economy in management, high
moral character and great intellectual
attachments and capacity in teachers are
the primary considerations to be sought
in the maintenance and operation of good
public schools.
Losing sight of these grand considera
tions our boards of education have in the
past permitted under their very noses
the defalcation of large sums of money
devoted to school purposes, and by ig
norance and inattention to duties have
otherwise impaired the usefulness of GU
public school system.
The undersigned beg leave to call you
attention to the accompanying exhibits
showing the moneys appropriated tn
past school year, and the amounts ex
pended during same period, and tn
estimated amount required for mex
fiscal year or school year, as submitte
to your committee by the secretary of tn
board of education.
The estimated receipts for school pur
poses for the next school year are place
at $40, $500, which is made up from tn
liquor license fund (S4,400.O0) from spe
cial tax levy ($4O0O.OO) and from cit
and county taxes ($2,14S!o0) while tn
estimate for expenditures for the sam
year amount to $10,059.00, which, wit
the deficit due July l, 1894, $96S00 woul
amount to $1l ,O27.OO, and at the close {
the fiscal year, to wit, July l, 1895, thel
would still be deficit of $4,000.
Can any one conceive it possible thu
a
cent what his income would be for an
one year would venture to 40 conduct h
affairs as to create a debt of $i79,
excess of the income? This board, HOY
ever, basing its receipts from all source
at given figure proposes to expend
u sum greatly in excess of it.
The salary list for teachers and jan
tors and the sums paid for rent durir
the last school year amounted to $90l.t
n per month, or the aggregate sum
y IS, 10000 for the school year, while Il
" salary list and rents for the next scho
year amount to $1,106.00 per month,
the aggregate sum of $9,9540O for Il
next school year, being difference fro
last year of an increase of $4,000 p
month, or $1,755.O0 a school year.
Notwithstanding the deficit of Ia
year, Notwithstanding the prese
deplorable condition of taxation in tn
city, notwithstanding an honest attem
is being made by the city and coun
q authorities to scale down our enormo
county bonded Indebtedness, the prese
board of education have seen fit to aga
create the Office of city superintendent