The Savannah morning news., 1901-05-13
MAY CLOSE SCHOOL
If GRAND JURY DOESN'T INCREASE
EDUCATIONAL APPROPRIATION.
SAYS PRESIDENT OF BOARD.
SHUT DOWN 3STH STREET SCHOOL
OR BORROW MONEY.

Unless Appropriation for Education
Is Increased, Said Col. Mercer,
These Are the Alternatives BE-
tween which the Board Must
Choose-RentaI for Chatham Acad-
envy Must Be Pnid-COmmittee of
Board to Appear Before Grand
Jury-COI. Mercer SkepticaI About
Increased TaxatiOn-Thc Old Cry
of "WOIf ! Wolf -
Col. George A. Mercer, president of the
Board of Education, said yesterday that
one possible result of the failure of the
grand jury to give in it's budget the full
appropriation asked for purposes of edu-
cation would be the abandonment of the
plan to open the Thirty-eighth Street
school
The entire amount of $99, 200 for which
the board has asked" said Col Mercer,
lis needed for the conduct of the schools.
We cannot get on with less and at the
same time keep open all of the schools
now ready for use or to be ready by Oct
l. If the grand jury does not increase
the appropriation made by the County
of estimate, we shall be compelled
either to borrow the additional sum of
money or not open the Thirty-eighth
Street school,
so far as the $4,000 which is to be
paid the trustees of Chatham Academy,
for the rental of that building, is con-
cerned, its payment cannot be omitted
70 hay r1o ~ he
to pay this sum of money, and the re-
building of the academy has proceeded
on this understanding. Whatever appro-
pria ton is made, therefore, for educa-
tional purposes, this payment must be-
and will be. made.
I'VE would then have to decide, in case
the appropriation should remain at the
amount fixed by the commissioners,
whether to borrow, from some of the
banks, the additional sum needed or not
open the new school in the southern sec
ton of the city. My personal opinion is
that the board would prefer to borrow
the money rather than to keep the school
closed, but to close the school is certainly
one possible solution of the problem.
TO borrow the money would mean the
payment of heavy interest. Our credit is
good and we could easily secure the loan
and trust to the generosity of future
grand juries to provide means with which
to pay it, Al the same time to borrow
$4,000, in case we paid interest at the
rate of 7 per cent. for the money. would
mean a cost of more than $1,000 annuallW
and with our limited resources we can i'll
afford to bear such a burden"
What steps will the Board of Educa-
ton take to present it's case to the grand
jury?' Col Mercer was asked.
That has not been determined" was
the answer land will not be until to-
morrow night. The May meeting of the
board will be held tomorrow evening and
it is proOabl a committee will be ap-
pointed to appear before the grand jury
in case it should care to hear from u.s.
and explain personally for what the
money we ask is needed. This special
committee will consist probably of the
members of the Finance Committee, with
the possible addition of the president of
the board"
How about the statement of the
County Commissioners, that to give the
board the full amount for which it asks
would mean increased taxation?'
We'll" said Col. Mercer, 'it is the
same statement the County Commission
ers have been making for several years.
They made that statement last year and,
though the grand jury did increase the
Commissioners appropriation for educa-
ton, the tax rate, instead of being in
creased. was slightly decreased. l don't
have any idea that the addition of $4,000
to the budget prepared by the Commits
sioners will necessitate a higher rate of
taxation"
What do you think the grand jury is
going to do?'
why, l believe it will give US the full
sum for which we have asked. AS we can
easily demonstrate, the full sum is need
ed for educational purposes in this coun-
ty, and ! don't think the grand jury will
force us to choose between borrowing
money, of which loan the county must
eventually pay principal and interest and
closing up the Thirty-eighth Street
School.
"Of course" continued Col Mercer.
there are probably some members of the
grand jury who will be opposed to max
ing the increased appropriation, but am
confident their number will not be large
enough to prevent it. Indeed, | don't
think the majority of the members OF the
Board of County Commissioners object
really to giving us what is needed to car
ry on the schools. As the chairman OF
the board said in an interview last year:
What's the use of our giving the full
amount asked for when the grand jury
can always be appealed to successfully?
The commissioners think the grand jury
will give the money needed and they
are willing to shunt the responsibility eff
on other shoulders"
Presented in the way in which Col Mer-
GER presents 1t, the question has an in
creasing public interest. Probably few
persons would care to witness the closing
of the new school on Thirty-eighth street,
and though this is not likely to result in