The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1906-01-01
MAYOR
DYER'S
MESSAGE
Continued from page Five.

Win the recorder OF ueeuS IN inc opiihoH
that II Is folly to spend time and money
in merely copying the worn books thus
perpetuating the errors and incon7
veniences which now exist.
The proposed plan contemplates, among
other things. duplicate indexes In order
TO render impossible the delay and con-
fusion TO real estate transactions which
are now possible through the loss or de-
struction Of even one index volume.
The condition is an extraordinary one
and cannot be met by the regular force
Of clerks which is barely sufficient TO
cope with the growing business OF the
office.
The appropriation OF $500 year for
three years. required for the work is
Insignificant I'm comparison with the value
OF the real estate interests. amounting to
at least $250.000.000. represented by the
records.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
For some years past, many OF our citi-
zens who take "A most active interest in
the public schools have sought legisla-
ton which would place the administra-
ton OF the schools In the hands OF a
small commission The large expenditure
for education and the importance or TINS
department OF the municipal govern
ment to the whole people makes IL al
visable that the methods OF administra-
ton should from time TO time be re-
viewed and the methods and experiments
of other communities be studied In order
that we may adopt what experience
proves to be the most economical ana
efficient system OF administration. What
ever changes may be found advisable
from time TO time, nothing should be
done TO lessen the interest OF the people
In their schools. Capitalization of school
power should not go so far as 10 remove
those responsible for the management OF
the schools from direct responsibility to
the people.
The school department is one OF the
large departments of the city. IL Is al
ways well 70 know how its money is
expended The system of bookkeeping
was changed nine years ago, so that the
cost Of maintenance OF each division OF
the school system is known, Nine years
ago the high schools received 10 per cent
OF the school money, last year 2o1e per
cent: the grammar and primary schools
G8 per cent. last year 591s per cent; tne
kindergartens pa per cent. last year ob
per cent. the special schools Ia, last year
pa the evening schools 6h per cent, last
wear 80 per cent; all other Items and ex-
penses. including salaries or all oHlclals
and clerks ~ per cent. last year per
The cost for day school pupil nine
years ago was $2732. last year S2Sl3. Inc
average cost per pupil for the whole nine
years has been S2S.14, so that last year ;
cost iust about euualled the average cost.
For the same items Boston pays s4. q per
pupil The fact that the cost per pupll
last wear varies only one cent from the
average OF the past nine years, SHOWS
that the increased cost In the school ue-
partment has come not from extraya-
Years the average number Of pupils be-
longing TO the schools has increased from
iS,s7s TO 2472O. 81 per cent. the cost OF
maintenance OF the SCHOOLS mas i,'S .-es ses
or az Ia per cent. This shows tnat schooi
expenditures have not grown much De-
yond the growth of the puplis
with the yearly foreign infiux the COM
mno school becomes more and more the
bulwark Of the nation Civic life depends
on Americanizing these people rms
work falls almost entirely upon the COM
mon school. city must recognize TINS
work and It's worth and support IL falrly.
To care for these larger foreign chlldren
Providence has established ~ ungraded
schools where % OF these pupils are Civ
en- 10 a teacher and are taught English
as fast as they can absorb IL, many OF
them covering one year the ordinary work
~ two and three years OF the primary
Grades This means that when they
reach the age allowing them working
certificate. they have better knowledge
of English than II they had been put In
the grades with the small children ana
heen advanced only at the regular rate.
The value OF common school educa-
,Ion il 10 be measured by the ability of
it's products to adapt themselves to the
posltions in which they are placed, py
their working power and by their ability
TO assume responsibility. They need
solid elemental basis. The common schooI
work of this city today has such solld
elemental basis. with the hope and the
belief that I'm n few years the graduates
of the common schools will have the
abilities required.
The action of the school committee dur
ing the past year I'm adopting n new sal
ary schedule whereby the pay OF teach
ers has been Increased, deserves espe-
cial mention and consideration This
change came In consequence OF the urgent
demand on the part of the entire teach
ing force for an increase OF pay. The
Increased cost OF living, the fact that
while the necessities OF life had gradu-
ally. from year 20 year, been costing
more and more. the salary schedule had
for a long period OF years remained sta
tionary, the higher standard OF qualih-
cation required OF teachers, both In the
nrenaration for and in the exercise of
their vocation. were arguments used with
apparently convincing force before the
school committees The matter was en-
trusted 10 a special committee that gave
public hearings. and after years consid-
Grafton made n report recommending, not
indeed 4 generous increase OF tdtdfles,
but nevertheless one that affected mate
rally the pay OF that large class OF grade
teachers In our public schools whose work
and whose service are the most import
ant part OF our common sc"ool life. This
demand upon the school committee Is but
n part OF a larger movement spreading
over the entire country and looking tow
ard the pecuniary uplifting OF the public
school teacher as we'll OF the mechan-
ic and day laborer. n demand whose Jus
tice and fairness Is fast being recognized
by every large municipality. The school
committee mas seen ft to act I'm favor OF
increased pay for the grade teachers and
haa notified the city council that II has
adopted the new schedule and that Il will
need n larger appropriation than here
tofore 20 carry on the work OF the year.
The city council has endorsed the action
OF the school committee by voting n part
of the larger appropriation thus called
for. but further appropriation will
have 20 he made 90 meet the expenses for
the entire school year II would seem
that the teachers In the public schools
deserve an adequate compensation for
their work and services and that the city