The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-01-13

institutes (Wnlte) "'oI : ."
Institutes (COlored) bo5.oo
County treasurers COM
missions =. =. Z",l40'o
county boards a.702.39
Expenses county boards. S,316.Z-
memo ..... 137,643.86
Taking census =. S,67C-SS
Other purposes ..... SS,SoI'-C
Total disbursements 81, 515, 44e.43
Balance on hand July
1st 1904 :. ...S 2bZ,lSc.oo
Total ..$1,777.624.73
l. The cighty-five days school term
for 1903-'04 is the rural school term.
The $50 days term of the cites IS
met included in the average of eight
five days for the rural schools.
;. The city schools 'appoTGonment
of 81 7,613.SG from the general fund
! is to be deducted in finding the
amount actually spent on the rural
schools for 10000,
5. The reported uneXpended BAL
ance of $2G2, 1886 in the hands OF
the county treasurers OH July 1, 1904
should also be deducted FROM the gem
cral fund in ascertaIn4ng the amount
actually spent ON the eignty-fiVe days
rural school term, for 100000.
Observing the above, the 10000
rural school fund expended for the
eighty-five days term will stand as
follows:
Total school fund .$1,77T624.73
Deduct:
Lefty appointment ..,..s 13oG+5.St
Balance July /, 1904. ~. 262,1SO.S6
Total to be deducted..$ 391S24 y
Amount actually spent on
rural schools 1860 81 81 ,SO0.Ol
Cost Of Schools Per Dag i903-'04.
Taking $1,377,S0O.01 as the cost Of
the rural schools for 1903-'04 it wlll
be seen that each day of the So days
term cost $16,2O9.41 in comparison
with about $4,000 day. in 1898.
But this increase can be accounted
for without any statistical legerdemain.
In 1898. the year with which Mr.. But
Ter chooses to compare 1904, the
county superirtendcnts were paid @2l,-
I2S3.0S. In 10000 they We're paid
l$4S,G36.99 an increase Of $2I353.6 s..
But no one is apolosizing for that in
crease. On the other hand the fact
has gotten into the papers chat NORTH
Carolina no longer stands al the foot
of the list in the salaries she pays
her county superintendent, though
she stands in 1904 next to foot Tonnes
see occupying that position. For this
Increase in salary there is more edu-
cational work noV being done i'll all
the counties than in 1898 or ever be-
fore. The increased number of local
tax districts, the interest III better
school houses, the graduation and bet
ter organization of the rural schools,
the rural library work, and other evil
dences of progress without number
show that this expense is something TO
he proud of instead OF being the sub
ject Of criticism.
Again, i'll 1895. the school census
cost nothing. Then it was taken ev-
cry two years il. kind of desultory
way. There was much inaccurSU'y in
the school census and much injustice
done in the distribution of the school
funds. In 1901 the Legislature pro-
vIded that two cents a name should
be paid one OF the school committee
men for taking an annual census of
jthe school children of each school dis
| tTct. This expense was $8,670.09 for
I1903-'04.
Still again. In 1895-96 and 1S96-'97
| the Fusion Legislature abolished the
county institute work. This work was
revived III 1S98-'99. It cost that year
$2,244.43. This work cost, in 1903
! '04. $4,4S0.58. And all thinking people
believe that this work should be still
better organized as the only hope of
betterinc the rural schools and train
ng the teachers to do more effective
work for some years to come. For
the meagre salaries now paid teach
ers preclude the possibility of train
! ing the great mass Of the children
teachers in airy other way than by a
better form of county institute. And
| this Will take more money than mas
heretofore been spent for Institutes.
In 1895, the county treasurers were
paid $l8,0T1.06 for disbursing the
school funds. In 10000 they were
paid $29.145.S1. The law fixes these
commissions. This difference results
from the increase in the funds dis
bursed and not from graft. These
fees Of treasurers were not changed
by the Legislature of which AIR. BUT
! Ter had the honor TO be q member.
! These treasurers' commissions have
steadily increased since 1854, when
our reports begin. Iii 1895 these com
missions were only $15,976.42 But
the school fund then was only $500
9SS.S4.
! In 1898, the mileage and per diem
and the expenses Of the county boards
OF education were $9,789.14. These
/ expenses now aggregate $16,01 . oil.
| But a little calculation VIII show that
no larger per cent of the funds of
l1903-'04 were spent for these pur-
poses than in 1898. Every enc knows
that there must be larger necessary
expenses for school administration
now than six years ago. These boards
must meet oftener now than ever be-
| fore. For instance, ali school houses
gre now built under the direction Of
these boards. The larger duties i'm