El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-06-20
COST OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS.


Editor Ell PasO Eerald-
From your editorial published in
The Herald, June Is I quote the fol-
lowing: .El Paso spends more per
capita on pupils actually attending
(schOOD than any other city in the
United States except Butte, Montana.
have no doubt that your authority
for such statement was taken from
statistics prepared on some year long
since past perhaps the scholastic
year of 1909-lG. You are no doubt
aware that the school trustees have
for the past three years, been en-
deavOrinE to reduce the cost Of main
tanning the schools and they have been
very successful along that line
Your editorial gives the impression
to the ordinary citizen that the cost
per capita is still more than any
other city in the United States eX-
Cept Butte and ] feel certain that You
do not wish to convey any such i'm .
preston unless 1t is actually so, there
fore / give you Herewith the average
cost per capita or educating ali chill
dren in the city public schools for the
scholastic year beginning september
], 1911, and ending May 1912, and the
fiscal year Of the schools beginning
July 1 1911, and ending June 80, 1917
in other words the cost of maintaining
and operating the schools for a period
of the full y months. including nine
months Of school session.
In some cities similar statistics are
prepared on the basis of enrolment,
in other cities on the basis Of the
number Of pupils belonging to the
schools. and in other cities on tho
basis of average daily attendance
have therefore prepared cost based on
each item. which I would ask you TO
compare with other. cities of Texas
and other cities throughout the cOun-
try and I think you will find that
these amounts compare very favorably
and If so j trust you viii accord the
school trustees the justice Of correct
ing your editorial if you find they
are entitled TO the same
Total expenditure for the year
above mentioned was S162315-40-
Total enrolment Of pupils for that
year was SAG; net enrolment $3.50
The average number of pupils belong
ing was 1896. The average daily at
tendance for the nine months 1929.
The average cost per pupil based on
total enrolment for the II months
was SEQ; me average cosJ per
pupil based on the net enrolment was
$30-34- The average cost per pupil
based on the number belonging was
S3I-55- The average cost per pupil
based on the average daily attend
ance was S4O-57 2-3-
CThe editorial referred to, noted
four exceptions, Butte, Pasadena.
Berkeley. and Sacramento. The sta
tistics given by The Herald are cor
census bulletin just published. giving
the comparative statistics of all cities
Of over 10000 according to the census
Of 1910 t1S4 cities in AID The sta
tistics for all cities are absolutely
standard, and the comparisons exact
The figures are for the year 19O9-lO
The census bulletin gives the total
,Ost of the FL Paso schools that year
IS S1S9s467. including SS+9S for adj
S165, 2S5 for instruction,
il3,3S6 for operation of school plant Q
'404S for maintenance Of school plant {
average daily school attendance, $780,
average cost per pupil in regular at I
enhance, 5000; average cost per
;apita Of population, S4S2; average /
ost per pupil I'm regular attendance !
n cities of Ell Paso's class up to 3d.
100. S32-Sl, average cost per capita /
II population in cities of FL PasO's /
lass I'D to $4,000, S4-14- 1t appears |
hat Mr. Sawyer's figures do not cover /
he same items as those covered in 4
he census report therefore the com I
larisOn is faulty We shall be glad 4
O have from 1Ir Sawyer the figures /
covering the years 1911-12, and 19l2-12, |
I. Gross revenue from city taxes;
3 Gross revenue from the state.
3. Gross revenue from all other 4
Ources.
4 Average actual attendance per
lay for each school year;
8. Discussed for administration;
6. Discussed for instruction;
z. Discussed for operation Of school 4
liant;
s. Discussed for maintenance OF
choOl plant;
All the above to be stated accord