Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-04-12
SCHOOL FUND EXHAUSTED
The Result Of City Council Not Appro-
prlatins Money at the Usual Time.
SALARIES OF TEACHERS HELD UP
Over Two Hundred instructors
.eE Must Wait.
MANY BILLS FOR SUPPLIES NOT PAID

The failure Of City Council, at its
meeting last Thurdsay evening, to
grant the April appropriation to the
Board of Education, which the law
has fixed at sl2, e2o.0l, has caused
great oommotion among the public
school teachers, as the balance In the
treasury OF the board would permit
Treasurer Bartram to pay only few
of them for last month, and more than
200 of the 245 will be compelled to
wait until the board receives the money
from Council. Members of Council who
we're spoken to about the matter yes
terday said they hoped the money
would be in hand by next Thursday
night, and it is expected to draw an
order in favor of the board at that
time. The boards balance last Mon
day night was 50, 430.66, which was
qnfckly exhausted.
The city charter says: 'The amount
of the appropriations fer current school
expenses, so made by the Council,
shall be paid in full, in IL equal in
stalments, on the second Monday in
each and every month during the year,
by the city treasurer, upon orders
drawn by the aforesaid board, under
the hand OF the president, attested by
the secretary" 1t has been customary
for Council, at its first meeting in the
month, to order the boards money
drawn, SO as to pay 1t over by the
second Monday, as the law requires.
Last Thursday night was an exception,
however. No money was drawn for the
board, as Councils balance at that
time was 50, 646 81, and it would have
been an impussibility to have paid the
board s12, 800. OF. Therefore, the matter
was allowed to rest for week and no
mention was made Of it during the
meeting.
The reasons for the low ebb of
Councils finances are we'll known,
having been told in full in these
columns. The finance committee has,
notwithstanding the adversities, been
able to take care of about all of the
obligations ur to the present time, and
the members are hopeful that the delay
in granting the School Boards appro-
priation will not be longer than a
week. Much money, chiefly in the
mater of taxes. is owing the city, and
the tax collectors have been instructed
to enforce collections from delinquents.
An effort is being made to get in all
the money possible, and it is believed
by some of the councilmen that the
result will be gratifying by next Thurs
day night.
The unfortunate condition of affairs
places the Board of Education in an
embarrassing position. The second
Monday night in the month is fixed
rs the time for receiving the money,
as it is the boards first meeting night,
the other being the fourth Monday
night. 1t has been customary for the
board, at the first meeting in the
month, which is the second Monday
night, as stated above, to pass the
orders for the salaries for the preceding
month and also the monthly aIpro-
priation to the Wilmington Institute
Free Library, and, according to this
custom, at the meeting last Monday
night, checks were ordered paid for
salaries and bills for the following
amounts: Teachers salaries. 81 |, 935. 65 I;
officers and janitors' salaries, 81, 1879. % !;
miscellaneous bills and appropriation
to the library management, 81, 293. 90 !;
the total being s14, 4l8. IS.
President Shortlidge and some of the
other members of the board knew. the
to be forthcoming this week, the checks
WuI o lludC oub uhd pIopuffy 5iRuOu NJ
be paid as the balance warranted, and
as the balance has been exhausted the
payments have stopped.
Formerly teachers and janitors re.
ceived their checks on the Thursday
following the first meeting night in the
month, but recently they have been
receiving the checks on Tuesday, the
day following the meeting. Tuesday
many Of the teachers and ianitors
visited the office of the board, but only
few gould be paid.
The teachers at Schools Nos. 1, 8, 6,
7 and IS received their checks, as they
were on hand early, with those ex-
ceptions, no money was paid out except
to few scattering teachers at other
schools and few janitors. None of
the bills passed at the last meeting
were paid, and none will be paid until
the teachers and janitors all receive
their checks. ~
Toward the middle of the morning,
after the money had all been paid out,
Mr.. Bartram stopped handing out
checks and told the teachers and jani-
tors who called the reason for so doing.
The news soon spread to nearly all OF
the schools and many of the teachers
called on Mr.. Bartram at his residence
Tuesday evening for an explanation. As
soon as the money is in hand to resume
payments he will make the matter
public go that tha teacbers nav call