St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1913-02-08

Total amount less Judgment--.$575l5.56
Amount OF money necessary to
run the present schools full
term of nine months, includ-
ing institute pay, Supt. sal
airy, office expense, etc-$76150.0 90
Amount of money short of rum
ming schools full session---.$186334.2 "a
The general fund of this session has
been reduced by the above mentioned
judgment against the Board granted by
the Federal Court in payment OF maps
bought by the Board some eight years
ago, which amounts with costs,
interest, ETC., to about $3740. GO, and the
fund has been further reduced by a
State aw which makes it mandatory to
hold and to pay teachers $500 and
mileage for attendance at monthly
Teachers Institutes, which this ses-
sion is $273.W per month.
Your committee recommends that
some means be devised whereby the
general school fund will not be re-
duced by the payment OF teachers for
that an effort should be made by every
citizen interested in public education
to have this law repealed or sc amend
ed that the general school fund will not
be forced to carry such expenditures,
serving as they do to shorten the
school session, already too short.
During this session 100 white teach
ers at an average salary of $500 per
month, and % colored teachers at an
average salary of $50. 90 per month, are
employed in the schools of the parish,
and in many instances more teachers
are needed. The enrolment of child
rem in the public schools of the parish
is rapidly increasing and demanding
more teachers to handle them, and the
higher qualifications placed on teach
ers call for a higher grade of teachers
with better salaries, all of which calls
for a greater expenditure Of money.
The question is being asked, where are
the increased appropriation for public
school purposes going? The following
comparison of the schools of eightyears
years ago and the present time will, we
believe, answer this question. By a
careful comparison of twenty schools
selectedfrom the parish we find that
the enrolment of pupils in these
schools required only 81 teachers to
operate them with a maximum salary
Of 10000 and a minimum salary OF
SIC. 90, while today the enrolment in
these same twenty schools require the
employment of 81 teachers with a maxi
mum salary of S125.N and a minimum
salary of $45. 100, and still many OF these
schools need additional teachers.
Eight years ago, at least, IS per cent.
of the teaching force of the parish held
Ord. grade certificates, while at the
present time there are only II per cent
of the teachers holding Bird. grade GER
tificafes.
A much larger enrolment, 8 larger
teaching force with higher qualifica
| tons and greater teaching efficiency
call for greater expenditure OF money
This shortage OF funds to operate the
schools of the parish viii continue II
exist yearly until some means is foune
whereby the school fund will be an
nually increased sufficiently to NEE
the needs of the public schools of thi!
parish. The school board, an elective
body, representing one of the most i'm
portant and in effect ~far-reaching IN
stitutions of our people, is Withou
power to tax, and therefore, to raiss
funds, except by appeal to other in
stitutions, to properly conduct its sys
TEN of schools, upon which the success
and happiness of our future manhood
and womanhood depends
1t is needless to say, that the people
of this parish will not allow the schools
to take a step backward, for they cal
i'll afford to do so, by being forced t
close the school doors upon the thou
sands of children whose only oppor
tunity and hope for the future rests ii
these schools.
Respectfully,
vi. d. PRESCOTT,
j. A. PERKINS,
HID LARCADE, JR.