The herald., 1897-09-06
An Open Letter as to the
Schools Status
ITS FINANCIAL RELATIONS
WITH THE CITY BOARD OF EDU-
CATION EXPLAINED
The Principal and the Trustees Show
That the Surplus Is the
City's Gain


Since an article which has appeared in
some Of the papers concerning the rela-
tions between our city schools and the
normal training school is liable to mis-
lead the general public, the following
statement OF the facts in the case Is
made. The article referred to states
that the shortened school term is due
to shortage Of cash in the public school
till. and implies that the deficiency is
caused by a diversion Of city funds to
the normal school. Even were this true,
this diversion Of $4,000, as stated, would
pay the salaries of the city employees in
the schools less than two days, instead
OF keeping the schools open another
month, as claimed in one article. The
error in general statement Is followed
by others in statistics, notably in re-
gard to the normal school surplus.
The impression that our city is max
ing large donations to the state through
the normal school trustees needs correc-
tion. The normal school has never seen
a dollar of the cty's money. The city.
1t Is true, partially supports one of its
schools located in the normal building.
But the city Is gamer at every point by
reason Of its relation to the normal
school When the normal school was or
ganized an agreement was entered into
between it and the city by which the
latter should have the free use OF rooms
in the normal building for one of its
schools. The normal school in return
was to have the privilege of using said
graded school as training department.
Even then, the city saved the cost of a
school building. The agreement as it
now stands reads as follows: I'VE, the
board OF trustees of the state norma al
school at Los Angeles, agree to educate
as many of the children Of the city of
Los Angeles as we may have accommo-
dation for, without expense to the city
Tor supplies, heating, janitor work and
other incidentals, on consideration that
the city board Of education shall appoint
from the list of teachers elected by
them from time to time, such teachers for
the kindergarten and other grades es-
tablished in the normal school as the
trustees Of the normal school may rec
ommend, and in further considera ton
that the city board of educa ton pay to
such teachers the average salary paid to
other teachers Of corresponding grades
in the city.
I'VE, the city board of education of
Los Angeles, agree that the normal
school board and faculty shall have per-
feet freedom in formulating a course of
study for said training school, and shall
have entire and untrammeled direction
Of the school work according to said
course OF study; provided, it shall in
clude as much and the same kinds of
work as prescribed in the city's course
of study" Signed by the board Of edu-
cation and the normal school board.
As 1t will be seen by the above agree
ment that four Of the original items Of
expense in the maintenance Of a public
school in the normal school building,
namely. school furniture, school sup
plies. heating and teachers salaries, are
reduced to the single item of salaries,
there is certainly no ground left for COM
plant from financial point of view
The amount saved to the city may easily
be seen from the following comparison
between the total cost per pupil, to the
city, of those educated at the Normal
Training school and that of those edu-
Gated in the other public schools of the
city:
The city paid to it's five grade teach
ers in the normal training school last
year the sum of $685., or an average Of
$17 as the total cost per pupil of edu-
eating children at said school. At the
same time the total cost to the city of
educating children in the other schools
was over $26 per pupil. A saving of 50
per pupil to the city for the 225 edu-
Gated at the Normal Training school
gives for the 225 a total saving in one
year of $2025. The help given by the
state in the education of those city chill
dren not only relieves the city of all
special taxation, amounting to about
$3.50 per pupil, but part of the state
and county funds that would come to
this school were it separate district, is
not used by it. The city received on
the basis of census for said children
$500, and on the average daily attend
ance $4,000, making $4500 only 1885 of
which was expended on the school, leav-
ing balance of over 5000 to be expended
on the other schools of the city over and
above that which would come to them in
proportion to their size.
1t will thus be seen that instead Of the
from the city school fund, certain por-
from the city school fund, certain por-
tions of the state and county school
funds that should really go to the sup
port of the city grade school known as
the normal school is turned back to the
city for the added support of the other
schools. On the other hand, the state is
spending between $4,000 and $4,000 yearly
on the normal model in the way Of extra
salaries to teachers and for furniture,
supplies, heating and janitor service,
to say nothing Of providing a building
for said school free Of expense to the
city.
Whenever the city board OF education
wished to do SO, it has the power to de-
clare the normal model no longer free
school to the children of the city. In that
case 1t will no longer be public school.
It's attendance will not be added to that
of the city, and the latter will lose the
$4,000 or more that is now apportioned
on the basis Of average daily attend
ance. There will then be, it is true. an
apparent saving to the city of 1885 which
the school costs over and bove the $4,000
This is tuition of about 81 per year for
each child in attendance at the normal
model. 1t would run the city schools less
than one day. The normal model would
then be tuition school, as at San Jose
and Chico. This arrangement would be
to the financial advantage Of the nor