Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-06-23

Retrenchment throughout every
branch OF the department OF public
instruction was the subject of a let
ter from Governor Frear which was
read to the new school commission
when that body assembled and organ
ized at the department headquarters
in the judiciary building this morn
ing.
NAll the members OF the new com
mission except Attorney W. II. Smith
were present at the first meeting.
The absent member was called back
to Hilo last Saturday by other affairs
and probably Will not be able to at
tend any OF the present sessions of
tne school body.
Superintendent T. II. Gibson, who
was school Inspector under the for
mer regime, and the stenographer
and secretary, presented the only
faces familiar to the meetings Of the
former board Mrs. B. ID. Bond, of
kohala, Hawaii, was a member of the
other body for short time only, as
was also Attorney Smith. Of Hilo,
both attending only one session prior
20 the present one.
Those In attendance today are
superintendent Gibson, Mrs. B. ID.
Bend. OF Hawaii: T. Brandt. Of Kauai;
d. C. Lindsay. OF Maui, and Mrs.
Theodore Richards and +. w. Sutton,
OF Oahu.
The present sessions will be given
largely to the matter of appointments
and reappointments, leaves of abb
sence, salaries and similar matters in
preparation for the next school year.
This may require two or three days
work.
The urgent necessity of eliminat
ing all expenditures not absolutely
necessary and of "trimmin' down
wherever possible was impressed upon
the new commission in q lengthy COM
munication by the governor His
reasons for making the request are
given fully in the epistle which is
given below verbatim:
June 81, 191Sa
Hon. T. II. Gibson, Superintendent OF
Public Instruction. Honolulu, T. H.
Sir:--The financial situation of the
school department IN particular and
OF the territorial government In gen.
erai is such that deem It advisable
TO call your special attention to 1t. es-
pecially now that your department is
about to hold its principal meeting for
planning for the coming year. Each
department, Of course. should care
fully observe its own financial limita-
tions and also those of the territorial
government in general No one de-
partment can live to itself alone.
The new school law enacted in 1911
and amended this year has been a
great boon to the schools in an in
crease OF rooms, in an increase of the
number of teachers. an increase In
salaries, which means increased ELI
cheney, and in other ways 1t. how
ever, does not, provide SO abundantly
as to relieve the department from the
exercise of great care in order to
avoid serious financial difficulties For
some years at least the department
will probably have to keep somewhat
IN the rear of its ideals.
In the first place, the number of
teachers that may be employed In any
one year depends on the number ef
pupils enrolled during the preceding
year and not on the larger number ell
rolled during the current year. This
limitation is felt now perhaps more
than it win be a few years hence on
account of the very large increase in
the number of pupils since the act
took effect.
In the second place, the increase
in the amount that may be expended
for teachers salaries lags behind the
increase in the number of pupils.
In the third place. during the first
six months under the new act, that
is. during the last half of 1911. the In
come was not sufficient to meet the