The Gainesville star. [volume] (Gainesville, Fla.) 1903-19??, 1904-05-06
LETTER FROM DR. KELLEY.
lie Replies 10 Cha 'ges Made Against
him by Enemies
Gainesyille, Fla., May s, Loo

Gainesville, Fla, May S, 1904
To the Public: Iregrct the necessity
OF this letter l find that parties work.
ing against me have charged that favor
a short school term, that the expenses of
the present school term are greater than
they were last year, etc No man is more
in favor OF long school term than |, nor
will do more to give IT, The Board has
cut down expenses and will institute fur.
Their reforms that will enable them to
give at least Eve months next year. Last
September the Board made cut of $1,000
on negro salaries. Alachua county has
paid per capita for the colored c.lldren
$500, while Jefferson county paid only
tL3I. have pledge of majority Of
the Board to bring down Alachua
county's per cap ia equal to that Of JEFF
ferson. This will save e 5000 more
In I9o1-3, according to the financial
report, the School Board had on July Ist
a cash balance of Si,6o5,7S They bor-
rowed SIs,3so. and received from other
sources sac, o67 69 making the total re-
ceipts f63,o7I47. They expended the
total amount during the year except
Sao4 IS This report was published in
tile Sun They only gave FIVE months
term to the common schools. This year
the Board has borrowed only $500,
which was done before was connected
with il This amount has been paid
Ihe receipts of this year will not be fully
known until June 80, There will be a
difference in the expenses Of the two
years, and in favor Of the present Of at
least $4,000. In I9o7-3, IS, o67.SS was
expended on school buildings, and this
year about $500. Union Academy was
run last year at cost of f., 400, while It
will only cost this year 81, 400 to s., 800.
When the present scholastic year be.
gan there were contracts for school build
ings There are none now. Any think
ing man can see that the chances for a
longer school term are much better
This year the Board added 3 per cent,
to the school warrants, and arranged to
have them carried six months. The
teachers got the amount contracted for
without discounting them. In another
county 4 per cent was added to warrants
and teachers were required to give their
note for the amount of the warrant, and
attach the same to the warrant When
done they could get eighty per cent Of
the face from the bank, aud next June
the balance believe it was a wise act
on the part Of the Board to prevent tie
discount of warrants favor the pay
ulent of the Special istrict debt by the
district for which it was made. When
ca ne on the Board found all warrants
for the special district debt bearing the
signature Of the Superintendent and
Chairman of the Board only The names
of the Trustees of the district should have
been on them instead. In the winter the
Board offered deed to the school prop
erty to the Trustees Gainesville has &C.
cepted the offer aud arranged for her
debt. This reduces the special district
debt to $4,000.
The schools that have been consolidat-
ed have been costly, and in many in
stances unsatisfactory. ! am certainly
opposed to the consolidation of the negro
schools. 1t would bankrupt the county.
Retrenchment and economy will insure
longer school terms, and better credit.
Respectfully
l. L. KELLEY