The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-02-10
ANNUAL SCHOOL REPORT
(continued from First Page.)

(Continued from First Page.) period what Is equivalent to twenty four new school rooms with seats for 1,200 pupils have been provided, the re- maining 1,800 pupils have been plaosd by opening two unsuitable rooms in the basement of Webster school, by over crowding many school rooms, and by holding double sessions in number of districts. The new schools now provid- ed for by appropriation will add thirty more rooms with seats for 1.500 pupils, but when the buildings are completed there will still be 300 unprovided for, and if the present rate of increase con tinueS this number will have increased over 1000 by the beginning of new year. The annual expenditure for our schools is very large. This expenditure for the year 1906 will make a total of $5S1, 500, including the appropriation of $516,49 and adding thereto bonds fall ing due, interest on bonds, insurance and office supplies, which are paid by the city. This sum amounts to S6 3-10 per cent. of the total revenue received by the city from taxes, but if the amount received from the state for the schools and which cannot be used for any other purpose, and the amounts re- ceived for tuition of pupils living out side of the district, aggregating $67,970 be deducted, this percentage is reduced to 33 per cent However, it must be borne in mind that the items of interest Ja 1,S. Eg1 the current expenses for 1906 but are an indebtedness from past years In addition to the sums stated above the city must pay this year note of $50,0O0 the amount borrowed for a school building in 1905. The superintendent shows that the average expense per pupil, in all schools, was $24.02, the low est for thirteen years and that the average cost per pupil of the salaries paid to teachers was $1757, which Is less than in any previous year for fifteen years. The board feels that its corps of teachers is faithful and efficient and | that the salaries paid are low for the service rendered. It Is difficult to see where reduction in expenses can be made without impairlng the service or eliminating from the system courses of l instruction which are demanded by the people.
 Respectfully submitted in behalf of the Board of Education,
 Eli Whitney, President.
 New Haven, Conn, February 9, 1906
 The report of the superintendent of schools deals with: i, General aims Of the schools. ?, School accommodations, The following recommendations are made in it:
 l I recommend in the approximate or der of their importance. the following additional school accommodations I hope that the board will take it's first opportunity to urge appropriations for all these purposes:
 Q) An addition to the Wooster school.
 ! CD Additional room for the Eaton school.
 l tS) An addition to the Ezekiel Chee- yer school. | (4) An addition to the Shelton avenue school.
 i Ipart of the Strong district
 | (6) A primary building for the Win chester district, east of the railroad.
 THE EXPENSE OF THE SCHOOLS
 The assertions are some times made that the schools are too expensive; that they are extravagant in their methods of administration and of instructon; that there Is needless increase in ex- pense every year and that they are re- ceiving more than their share of the public funds. Such criticisms may be
 merely an expression of unreasoning
 discomfort and disaffection, or, on the
 other hand, they may be, and often are, honest expressions of opinion by
 those who are not parsimonious in
 their attitude towards public expendi-
 lures, In either case, these assertions
 should not pass unnoticed nor with a
 mere wave of the hand, The truth should be told, and 1t should be told so
 clearly that no doubt may exist in the
 mind of any one as to whether the
 schools are prodigal or economical in
 their use of the funds entrusted to
 them. If the schools are extravagant
 and wasteful, using more money than
 necessary to accomplish the results ex-
 pected of them, that fact should be made known and reform should ebgln l If on the other hand, they are not ex-
 travagant or wasteful, if economy pre-
 vails and if full value is obtained for . every dollar spent, that fact should } also be made known and the schools l should be allowed to go on with theii ! work in peace.
 ) What are the facts? For the calen' dar year, 1905, the total current expen-
 ses of the schools were $432,S56, includ. l ing $S16,283 for teachers salaries and l $16, ,6S7 for text books and pupils sup. plies. This was nearly 20 per cent. O the total expenses of the schools fol ) | the past five years has been $44,0e6 about $S,S19 or 23 per cent. year. The
 increase in teachers salaries in five
 years has been $29, 79S, about $5,960 ol
 2.1 per cent, year. During the same
 period 1900-1905. the number of pupils
 attending school has increased iron
 17,321 to 20,661, an equivalent of S,9 a
 year. The total increase in school ex- penses, therefore, has been 2.S per cent
 and the increase in teachers salaries
 21 per cent, while the increase ir
 school attendance has been nearly \ Q a