The San Francisco call., 1904-06-07


In many cases the very lives OF the children.
FIRST IN IMPORTANCE.
And of all the permanent improvements so
noislly trumpeted by this Finance Committee
as having been provided for in their budget
which or them does not drop to insignihcance
when compared with the repairs and perm
anent improvements so absolutely required for
the preservation Of the health and. l have
SAID, even the lives OF the children?
The apparent increase Of the appropriation
over that OF last year has been carefully pre-
IKE an increase, but in reality wells their
programme covertly to assai and weaken the
school Department. The apparent appropria-
ton made by the Finance Committee is 81, ,361,-
600. made up as follows:
From the State (estimated) ... SsT5 GOO
Rents tIincoln School lots, etc) ).... $4,000
State school moneys now standing to
the credit OF this fiscal year arbl-
trarily and without precedent car
ried forward into next fiscal year
by the Finance Committee of the
Supervisors on May 2S more than
one month before the close of the
fiscal year, against the earnest pro-
test OF the Board of Education and
notwithstanding that the Board of
Education has already expended
large part Of II and has entered
into actual contract for the balance los 900
Municipal taxes (06SS cents out Of
81 limit ............ ............. 800 900
Total ........... 81 sGl 900
Ostensibly the members Of the Finance Com.
mittee have made allowance of $1,361 600
but with full knowledge of conditions they
have included in this amount the sum OF $lOS,-
600 which they full well know will not be on
hand at the close OF this fiscal year. notice
having been given TO them that the Following
sums have been either contracted for or al
ready expended:
state high school tax received last January
and already expended, $19, 600.
Option 60 purchase lot TO enlarge and i'm
prove Noe Valley School playground, $4,000.
Contract through Board of Public Works for
sheds. fences and illuminating yards OF Noe
Additional cost OF census owing to increased
requirements of State. $1,000.
Contract already paid through Board of
Public Works for repairs to foundation of
Whittier School, S575.
Bills for portable schoolhOuses, materials
and supplies, contracted and payable only out
OF funds Of this fiscal year, $4,000.
Contracts through Board of Public Works
for fire escapes. new foundations and addi-
tions TO Dudley Stone School, Richmond School
and Lowell High School, S33. 0O0
Total expended or contracted for at this
time CMay 2S), S92, 375.
The Board OF Education must purchase and
equip fifteen portable schoolhouses in order
10 give up many poorly ventilated and un-
sanitary rented rooms for which the School
Department is paying $40o per month in
rents at a cost Of $4,000.
Total. $1O7,375.
SULPLUS A FICTION.
1t will thus be seen that the members Of
the Board of Supervisors who have voted in
favor Of the budget as submitted by the
Finance Committee have erred in assuming
that this sum OF $lOo, 100 VIII be on mana
after July and I believe have conclusively
shown your Honor and to all air-minded
men that there Will not be surplus or SlOS,-
600 or any other sum to the credit or the
School Department after July !, 1904, and
that the Finance Committee has allowed in
reality sos, 600 less than they pretend. The
contention OF the Board Of Education in this
whole matter is not only that the Supervisors
have no precedent to pursue in carrying over
exist, but also that they have not the slightest
shadow OF moral. legal or equitable right In
support OF arbitrary and unwarranted dec
laratiOn of a surplus which does not and Will
not exist. No attention whatever has been
paid by the Finance Committee 10 our petition
TO provide funds install for the safety OF the
children an electric fire alarm system in each
public schoolhouse, said system TO be Installed
by the Department OF Electricity Section
mandatory that the Board Of Education
must provide suitable fire escapes for each
under their Jurisdiction" Should a tragedy
occur in any Of our overcrowded schools such
ter fire in Chicago. the condemnation and ex-
ecraton Of all the world would fall not on
the Board Of Education but on those Super
visors who neglect to provide for these neces-
sites.
In recent years the annual expenditure OF
nearly $4,000 for light and water and $1,000
for the playground have been sadded the
School Department. Our appropriation is
further fctitiously swelled by these amounts,
which should be appropriated by the Super
visors separately and apart from the school
funds, as is done with the public buildings OF
other departments. In former years the Board
Of Supervisors included in their annual adver-
tisement for water and gas to be furnished
the municipality, the requirements of the
Board Of Education in those commodities. The
Board Of Education recommended that this
same system be again pursued in order that
uniform rate for all municipal buildings be
secured, as the rates charged by the gas and
water companies have heretofore been much
higher for the School Department than for
those obtained by the Supervisors for other
municipal buildings. This would be a saving
to the taxpayers. but our recomme ndation has
been disreearded in this matter as in every
thing else.
The policy Of the Finance Committee, II
would seem. has been 10 make It appear that
the appropriation for school purposes is large,
when in reality the amount which is left after
the fictitious sums have been deducted is
barely sufficient to keep the department going
even in the lamest way and leaving children
In poorly ventilated and unsanitary rented
rooms.
They have included in their appropriation
Of 81 361 OOo $1,000 for playground; 500. 600
for light and water; S10s0 600 which they
know will not exist at the end of this fiscal
year-a total OF S135. 900 not available for
school purposes during next fiscal year.
So that II the appropriation made by the
Finance Committee IS not changed the Board
of Education will have S135. 600 less than actu-
ally needed for legitimate school purposes, or
only 81 226, 000--a sum totally inadequate TO
carry on the department during the next fiscal
year.