The Red Cloud chief., 1895-05-24

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the school board is considering the
subject Of employing teachers for the
coming year. we believe that they
should allow sufficient time to elapse ia
order that they can act wisely. 1t is
quite clear to us that they should inves.
tigatc thoroughly the condition OF our
finances and act in accordance with the
condition Of affairs that confront them.
Nothing should be attempted that can
not be carried out to the letter, and that
the lesson Of this years work by some OF
our neighboring schools will be iemem.
bered by them. We believe that a hand.
some balance could be at their disposal
for school purposes should our schools
be suspended until the beginning OF the
school term on September |, 1896. To
would be much more satisfactory to the
patrons Of the schools than to proceed
further and undertake an impossibility.
Should the board conclude to close the
schools for want OF funds, we believe il
would do the right thing. We have
been fortunate enough in the past to
close our school term with but a slight
deficiency. We admire the work Of the
present board and feel that they have
done admirably, and no cause exists for
this emergency save the s~tringency OF
the times. IL now appears that there is
upwards Of $4,000 outstanding orders
and interest, etc, that ia unpaid at the
closing Of this term and that not over
& 1000 can be reasonably expected to
come in during next year or sometime
in the future. An amount scarcely SUI.
fcient to reduce this delinquency. At
this state OF affairs conservatism should
govern the actions OF the new board
and no steps taken that encourages the
piling up of debt. inasmuch as the law
forbids expenditures greater than our
reduced levy will guarantee. Interest
upon orders when overdrawn will cease
and the Inconvenience that teachers will
experience in the future il hard to esti-
mate. While many are foremost in
their discussions Of school matters and
willing to take great chances and be.
desperate, we have a very clear
understanding as TO how patriotic they
arc when anything in the way of cash
ia required. There is an abundance OF
cold charity IN the school community
when the funds are low and when every
body can cast a vote. 1t would appear
that a cash fund should be allowed To
accumulate. Nothing could be more
painful to us than submitting to the
stern duty Of the school board closing
our schools, but having no money on
hand nor any encouragement as to hav.
ing one cent at the beginning OF the
next year, we prefer it to that OF creating
a greater deficiency, and one that can
never be made up. Our conclusions are
drawn from these facts. The district is
indebted, including bonds. interest, un-
p aid bills. orders, etc, over $4,000. To
continue the next school year would re.
luire about $1,000 more, making over
The receipts for the coming
year would amount to about $4,000 and
the enormous sum Of $4,000 presents it.
self at the close of next year. The amount
due us is no more than IS required to
pay the registered orders and inter.
est, nm d%nothing to redeem the present
Indebtedness Of bonds, OF which $1,000
are now nearly due and subject to liti.
cation. While our resources are steadily
diminishing retrenchment should be our
m otto. New steps taken and the strict
economy required of the board. or
they will never De enabled to wipe out
its debt.