Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-07-13
SCHOOL BOARD DEFICIT.


rent Expenses TO the New Building Fund.
As the reports of the Board of Educa-
ton for the month of June and the
year ending June Both show an over
draft Of $40, 697. II in the current ex-
pense fund, reporter Of Every Even
ing made inquiry of one of the MEM
bers of the board concerning the over
draft and what caused it.
1.-The reason our reports show an
overdraft,n the member explained, lis
because during May we transferred
$40, 600 from the current expense to
the new building fund. There was an
overdraft in the current expense fund
in May amounting to So, 1885, 68. Had
the $4,000 not been transferred from
the current expense to the building
fund there would have been balance
of s1,2l3.32 in the current expense
fund. While the transfer was made on
account of the erection Of the new
high school building, it would proba-
bly, have been made at any rate. as the
law permits the board to transfer any
amount up to $4,000 from the current
expense fund to that for the erection
Of new buildings, and consequently
this is done nearly every year, as the
$40, 200 granted annually by City
Council is not sufficient, as rule, to
pay for the building and enlarging Of
schools.
"There are two reasons why the re-
port for May showed deficit of
s., 1856. %. In the first place, prior to
that time deficit of Sc, 637. So remain
ing at the close of the preceding fiscal
year had boon paid, and in the second
place because the monthly appropria-
tion from City Council has not been
equal to the monthly expenses. The
monthly appropriation from Council
during the year ending June Both has
been Sl2, 304. "a, while the salaries of
officers, teachers and ianitors, to say
nothing of other expenses, have
amounted to about Sl3, 900 month.
The public may wonder how this is
and what the result will be, if the ex.
penses are greater each month than the
receipts. But the story is not all told.
During the months of July and August
the teachers are on vacation and receive
no salaries, their salaries being paid in
10 instruments, one for each month in
which they teach. The salaries of
teachers for last month amounted to
ST., OCT. so, and as we do not have the
salaries to pay during July and August
We have nearly twice that amount for
other purposes, and while we have been
going behind during the early part of
the year we get an opportunity during
the vacation months to catch up. We
have an extra'item of expense, however,
during August, something like $4,000
or 1000 for fuel.
1.-The appropriation from City Coun-
nsl 10 lar l. Gua
and this year the boBrd will receive on
account of current expenses Sl2, 800. OIL
each month, the increase aggregsting
priation from the State will probably
be something like 1875, 600 or $50, 600 and
will be due the first of October.
1.-The schools are in excellent condi-
ton, as rule, and it is likely that the
expenses this year will not be so great
by several thousand dollars as last
year, and, while there will be a few
hundred dollars additional to pay in
the matter of increased salaries, l be-
lieve very good showing can be made
lin the current expenseiacoount and the
building fund can receive its customary
$40. 600 in addition to the $50, 600 APP
propriated by Council. To Offset the
deficit in the current expense fund, 1.-THE
building fund shows a balance of
S37, TIA. 80.
"As for the new high school, it is my
opinion that the debt will be- cleared
up by 1908 at the outside, as itsccan
reasonably be depended upon that
there will be s25, 600 in the building
fund each year. OF course, there will
be some money taken from the'f fund for
other schools, but 1t is expected that
after the new school is ready for use
and transfers Of scholars are made from
other buildings. there will be school
room enough for 10 years1'