Evening journal., 1905-02-27
STATEMENT or
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Significant Statistics and
Facts Pertinent to Educa-
tional Situation
SuPERINTENDENTS ANNUAL REPORT

ditions:
Total population OF Wilmington. CEN
sus of 1900. ..,...'b.uuS
Estimated population, lsoi.............Si,ooOI
School houses in usc..........A........ %
sittings for study in all-day schools. .io,ei2
Teachers I'm day schools. sS5
Pupils enrolled during year............l0.si9
Average number belonging 10 the day
schools .......................... 9,llS
Average daily attendance............,. S,lS7
Per cent. of attendance in all schools
of the average number belonging. SOS
The total valuation Of the school prop
critics is estimated as follows: Lots, sl5S.-
sl7.09; buildings, s62S7oo; furnishings and
heating apparatus. $li446Si total, S95l,9s5.
Expenditures Of the Year.
During the year the total expenditures
for current expenses amounted to $780,,
1856 cost per capita on the total num-
Der enrolled OF sl742; or $3.50 based on
the average number attending. For the
year 19Ol-l9O2, the cost per capita accord
ing 10 enrolment and attendance was
respectively S1Gi5 and s246O, while I'm 1902
1903, 4 was SlS32 and $3.50, showing de-
crease in cost in the last year. To meet
these expenses, the Board Of Public i1du-
cation received money from the following
sources. Received from City Council, sl79.-
1885; received from state fund, Ss5565.75;
received from other sources. s3.S0as7: total
receipts. SaiS3f.S7. an increase Of s9,O66.i9
over the preceding year. The tax rate
since 1901 has been D mills.
Treasurer's Report.
The treasurer's annual report shows
these figures.
Receipts-Balance July !, 1908, fund for
new buildings, etc, ss517; appropriation
from City Council, fund for new buildings,
etc. $4,000; for current expenses Si7s,-
1855; dividend. state school fund. $751;
565.75; negro school tax, from county treas
urer, $500; for tuition, nonresident pupils.
S203O.5O; interest on deposit, t2s2l1: rent
of house, No. 7os Delaware avenue, ssOO0g;
sale of manual training lessons, school
No. l6 s2l.S5; sale of sewing lessons s4se5;
night schools. SCI lost and defaced books.
states, etc. $Ss47; total. s2ss 3Sgs5.
Expendiures-By amount paid overdraft
June 30 1903. fund for current expenses.
$, 36S.sl; salaries. teachers siS9 1884, sal
aries, officers and janitors, SIS, 22i.9O; books
and stationery, $ll169.2l; furniture, sl,S5S.Cg
fuel, Sl0,9o6.S2; repairs. S626O6e; manual
training supplies. NLl39.72; supplies sew
ing department and supervisors buildings,
sl74-sS; principal, certificates of Indebted
ness. $4,000; interest on mortgage and cer-
tifcate and indebtedness. $500; Whining.
ton Institute Free Library. SSl84be; mis-.
I celianeous. s2,3o25l; balance June 3d. 1904
for new buildings. etc. s517. and for
current expenses, $l35i259; total S23s.-
SS2.s5.
tandings-Certihcates Of indebted
ness, sl2o0oo; mortgage on High School
property. $4,000
Enrolment Of Scholars.
There were enrolled in all OF the schools
1888 pupils. a decrease OF 355 from last
year. This decrease in enrolment is ac-
counted for principally by the removal
from the city Of a number Of families con-
! sequent upon the closing of two Of cur
large iron mills. The average daily at
tendance was increased, however. BY -four
over last year. However significant these
)hgures may be it should not be forgotten
that in so large a number of pupils as We
have in this city the enrolment frequent
ly varies by several hundred from year to
year from causes that are difficult of
comprehension and difficult Of statement
The per cent Of attendance was also very
much improved by the. Increased vigilance
of the teachers and the absence of epi.
demic diseases among the children
The increase OF the teachers salaries
was a deserved recognition Of the ser.
vices of faithful teachers and IL may be
justly said In their behalf that the in.
/ craaea ehopld have hoo, ,,,,..t t.,.,.. srt
salaries of most of our teachers are still
much too low; they are below the wages
Of mechanics and artisans whose labors
are not so exacting nor so important as
those Of the teacher.
We have in our schools one teacher who
receives $500 per annum one s.. 200; eight
$1,000; one $500; six $3.50; four $500; two
S75e; three 500; ten $3.50; twenty-four $500
leighteen $3.50; forty-three 500: four ss75
thirty-one, $3.50; one hundred and si, s425
ten, 500, and twenty $3.50.
The average salary OF our teachers. NAL,
and female. in 1891. was S5ls8; in 1902
t3i-2l; in 1905. S544Oi; I'm 1904, s5is.a2; thes,
figures show that the average increase pel
teacher in four years was Ss2 20 or a littl,
more than one and one-half per cent. pel
year. This increase in salary is in no sens,
commensurate with the increased cost OF
living; and the demands upon teachers
for culture and professional improve
ment. Public expectation and the vel
fare OF the children can be satisfied onls
when the teachers are Adequately paid FOL
their services. Adequate remuneration an,
promotion on the basis OF efficiency an,
experience will remove most Of tho hamp
ering conditions that now disturb and re
tard the progress Of our schools.
The Cost Of Schools.
! Apropos to the discussion OF the teach
ers' salaries il may not be amiss 10 not,
] thee harges frequently made by some VIII,
should know better that our schools cos
too much money Good schools do cos
large sums Of money, but they are cheap
er in the end than poor ones at any cost
The Increased number Of teachers EN-
ploye3 and increased salaries account II
a measure for the increased expenditure
in the operation Of our schools.
II will be seen that of tho 50 cities II
the United States expending the larges
amount per pupil on average attendance
for tuition alone Wilmington stands thlr
ty-eighth on the list; the cost per pupi
being sl6.4l per annum; in New York cit!
it was ssS.27 per annum and in San An
tonic, Texas, ii was Sll14 On the cost pc
pupil on the total enrolment Wilmington
is thirty-first on the list.
The Library and the Schools.
The public library and the public school
have common aim and purpose-the put