Arizona republican., 1905-05-07


 | be pleased to hear any criticisms or | receive any suggestions that tend to
 the improvement of the condition of our schools.
 First, let me explain how the mon ey for school district is derived and i apportioned The county superintend- ent must furnish the board of super | visors an estimate of the minimum
 amount of school funds needed for the | ensuing year. Upon this estimate the board of supervisors levy a school tax | sufficient to meet this estimate, which tax may be not less than 50 cents nor | more than 90 cents on each $100 valua- l ton of taxable property. The county | superintendent in making his esti- | mate, must ascertain the average at l tendance during the previous year, and appOrtion not less than $20 per l capita upon the average attendance in l excess of twenty-five pupils, provided | the total amount thus apportioned does
 not exceed the limit provided by law, i. e. 50 cents to 90 cents on each $100. For the last few years the county sup erintendent has, in making his esti-
 mate of school funds needed appor- toned S25 per capita upon the average attendance in excess of twenty-five pupils, and the board of supervisors have found, in order to provide the funds to meet this estimate, that a tax of only 50 to 55 cents upon each $1OO valuation of taxable property is sufficient to produce the required amount of money.
 Fifty cents is the tax levy for this year. This, you will note is the mini mum amount of assessment the law permits the board of supervisors to provide for the maintenance of our public schools. The board of trustees of district No. 1 do not believe that this is good public policy as it does not furnish sufficient funds to properly equip and maintain the schools of Phoenix in a creditable manner. Things cannot be done without money.
 From the apportiOnment in 1904, the board had in their hands at the close of the fiscal year, June 90. the sum of S1,200 which they proposed to use in making necessary repairs during the summer. The board of supervisors, however, decided that because the dis trict had $1 200 on hand. that they had that amount in excess of what they should have had. or what was needed to operate the schools. and the super visors therefore. reduced the assess ment levy from 55 cents, the tax for 1904. to so cents for 1905. The board bA U AoAGG1 AAciA AAloAF cA SRENAeaA NiAOA to save this $1 200 for the purpose of making necessary repairs on the school buildings and grounds and they were greatly disappointed that this S1.2O0 should be figured in as a part of the school apportionment for 1905. Especially as the law provides that all school money remaining on hand at the end of the school rear to the credit of any district, after making the apportionment as heretofore required, shall remain to the credit of such dis trict for the ensuing year or years
 Repairs and improvements of school buildings and the beauufying of the grounds do not seem to have been taken into calculation when making estimates and levies. The operation only. of the schools seems to have been considered. A man owning buildings would provide for a yearly expenditure for repairs and Improvements a sum equal to probably or 3 per cent of the valuation of his property. The l valuation of the property of school ! district No 1 can conservatively be l estimated at S1O0.0O0, per cent of which would provide a fund of s2. 900. ! This is little enough to meet the de- mands of the growing and up-to date ! school system of Phoenix. The favor
 
 tors and prospective settlers of this valley. not speaking of the pride we might entertain and the good it would l be to our children, would well repay the taxpayers and those Interested in l our city schools for the expenditure of l this amount in keeping the buildings ! and grounds in order.
 "An annual increase of more than l 100 pupils in the schools necessitates 1 more school room and a larger teach l ing force, and to meet this demand, ] seats and other furnishings were pur chased for two rooms at Churchill, ! two at Linville and one at Five Points, l at a cost of $552.92. and five teachers ! were added. The Five Points building l had never been completed since the ! fire and one room was finished at . cost of $4OO. It was necessary to put ! bIackboards in all these rooms, and 1 also to replace those in the East and ! West End buildings, which were in a . very bad condition. This work was done at cost of S539.63.
 "A course of study. in printed form. was very badly needed and was pre- pared by Superintendent Cole and 1 printed at a cost of S250.
 owing to the soil of the grounds l at LinviIIe being adobe, it was deemed l advisable to gravel the walks and a space, about 30 feet wide. surrounding the building. The past winter with it's unusual rainfall has proven the wisdom of this expenditure. Following the fire at Five Points, the grounds were covered with the old brick from the burned building. These were carted away and the grounds leveled. Trees were planted on the various school | grounds, both last spring and this, at a cost of $1S1S5, which was paid en- tirely from this years appOrtiOnment. Many other small repairs were made on the roofs, floors, windows. etc, iE- curtains for the new rooms that were opened. Insurance on the school property is written in terms of three years. Nearly all of the prem iums for this insurance fell due this year. which drew from our apportion-