Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-11-16

Honorable City Council of Richmond:
Gentlemen,-In response TO your request
for a statement from this board OF the
amount expended to July /, 1897, &c, we
submit the following:
Payroll account .
Appropriation ....,....... ........$lOO.VU w
Amount expended ....... S9,ZSl "
balance ........... ....s....' ...s 1.-Two We
We beg leave TO call your attention 10
the fact that this board. after careiul
consideration, made application, on Janu-
airy l. 1897, for the sum OF $ll2,6lsB lor
pay-rolls for 1897 your honorable BODY APP
propriated 100000 leaving deficit on pay
roll accountof sl2.l19.4S.
They accepted, in good faith, the amount
appropriated. and while deprecating the
financial condition of the city which ne
cessitated the action OF the Council. deter
mined to endeavor TO live within tne APP
preparation, by making such retrencnment
as could be made without injury 10 the
schools.
CLASSES DISCONTINUED.
The board has discontinued the night
schools and the cooking class. ana omit
ted all provision for any extension OF the
system. confining II to It's present number
of teachers and scholars, although All
these things were estimated for in the
January application. The balance now 10
the credit of the payroll account VIII pc
increased by an appropriation from ,lle
State. which will be available In Octopen
and November 1897. This amount was
taken into account when the board mace
it's financial application in January Iast.
1T was estimated at the same amount 90
the preceding year-yiz., $S5'So5V5 anu
with the balance OF the city approprld-
tion. will make the sum of 5000 necessary
TO complete the year.
AS il will only require 5000, and the
Council made a deduction Of $l2,u9.iS, IL
will be seen that the board mas succeet7 ~
ed in economizing on payroll account u
the amount Of S,llg4S
The board respectfully submits that, ex-
cept at the risk of irreparabie injury 10
the system, n further reduction on pay
roll account cannot be made
GENERAL EXPENSE ACCOUNT.
This account embraces supplies, repairs.
coal wood. printing, stationery, advertis-
ing. rent furniture &c. The board asked
for a sum that experience has shown 10
be absolutely necessary for the malnte-
nance of the schools and preservation OF
the property-viz... ,..... $1,000 W
Your honorable body appropriated 1892 W
Deficit ........... ......... ......$ 4,o2S W
out of this appropriation-viz.... .NO,52 90
The Board expended to July j, 1881 4lZZ Va
Balance .............. ...........$ 6,2i9 30
1t will be seen that the board has used
the most rigid economy in general ex-
penses," and after the purchase OF coal
and wood for the ensuing half session
(costing about 81. 500 there will be a very
inadequate amount left, with which 10
pay for supplies, rent, etc, leaving littie
margin for the usual repairs TO schooi
buildings, and nothing for those perma-
nent repairs and betterments, which are
so essential 10 the preservation OF tne
school property The board, after careful
scrutiny, is unable, under these circum-
stances, TO see any margin Tor retrehch-
ment in general expenses. But, on the
other hand. they feel IL an Imperative
duty; nay. earnestly 10 call your attention
TO the fact that the school property
amounting TO over $4OO,WO, WllI De per
manently injured by the failure OF tht
Council to allow sufficient funds 10 keep
the same in good condition.
The reports made TO your honorable
body from year to year show that whlle
the gross amount needed Tor the proper
maintenance and growth or our pupnc
schools has steadily increaser, the
amounts asked for have been made ne
cessary by the increased demand on the
part of parents for larger accommodations
in the schools and that the cost per
capita has been maintained at very low
rate.
General education is a great boon TO
the public and a great duty which has
been entrusted to the School Board. rms
duty they have constantly striVen 10 dls-
charge faithfully, and with the best
and magnitude of their charge.
Your honorable body has always shown
Just appreciation of the great Dement'S
of the public school system TO our peo-
pie, by the promptness ana liperallty WIN
which you nave, in the past, furnished
the funds necessary to its support and
efficiency. The board appreciates this
action of the City Council, and will, on
it's part, make only such requests as are
in its judgment necessary to enable the
-. off ma nj "A :
of the public.
In conclusion, the board respectfully
submits that any further reduction would
materially injure the schools, and cannot
be made without closing some of the
schools. dischaIg gng some of our teachers.
and depriving some Of our fellow-citizens
of the benefits of education for their chill
dren. Respectfully submitted,
(SigneD JOSEPH C. DICKERSON,
Chairman Finance Committee.
The third exhibit was the letter
Of the School Board. under date of Sep
tember 5th, saying that the sum of $4,000
would be necessary 10 carry the schools
through TO the end of the year.
DEFINES HIS POSITION.
The members of the Board paid close
attention to the letter. which was read by
Clerk August, and vote was called for on
the resolution. Mr.. August had begun
the roll-call. when Mr.. Allen arose and
said he could not vote on the question
until after having defined his position.
He said the Board of Aldermen was a
body pledged not TO exceed its income.
He thought the School Board asked too
much of the city. Retrenchment, he
said had been carried on in all the de-
nartments of the city, and he thought the
school Board should be the last one of
atafc m
ratrenchment. II should practice econ
omv and inculcate the idea OF economy
in the minds Of the pupils. II shall vote
AGAINST the resolution" Mr.. Allen con-
timed. 1t has been stated that the men,
hers who vote against this APPROPRIATION
ore not in favor of free education. /
desire TO say that am heartily in favor
of our public schools"
SHOULD DO WITH LESS.
Mr. Allen was followed by Mr.. Hard
yicke. who, after stating that he was
member of the Finance Committee. made
a speech opposing the appropriation. He
said when the budget was being made up
and the departments were reporting their
,,oads for the year IL was found that
thew wanted $500, 900. while the estimated
,ncome would only be sl.3Oo.0O0. The
school Board was asked, he said, If they
couldn't do with less than the $4,000
SIZED for. Several suggestions were made
20 the board. but the school officials said
thev were impracticable. 1t was finally
decided. though, TO give the schools
s,oo 600. The budget went 70 Conference
Committee, where an effort was made to
we the appropriation increased to
s,1ooOo. Ii was said then that this could
onIv be done by taking $4,000 from the
wa er-meter appropriation. and member
v, tha school Board promptly said: mo;