St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1913-02-15

ETotal amount less judgment $57515.8 sc
Amount OF money necessaryto
run the present schools full
term of nine months, includ-
ing institute pay, Supt. sal
! AIRY, office expense, etc. $76f50.0C
Amount of money short ofrun-
ming schools full session.-.-$18634.2 "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 $4,000, and the
fund has been further reduced by d
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 $4,000 per month.
Your committee recommends that
some means be devised whereby the
general school fund will nor 81 re-
duced by the payment of teachers for
attendance at Institutes. We believe
that an effort should be made by every
citizen interested in public education
to have this law repealed or so amend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 1870 white teach
ers at an average salary of $500 per
month, and % colored teachers at an
average salary of $500 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 eight years
believe, answer this question. BY q
careful comparison of twenty schools
selectedfrom the parish we find that
the enrolment of pupils in these
schools required only 81 teachers tc
operate them with a maximum salary
of $4,000 and a minimum salary oil
$4,000, while today the enrolment in
these same twenty schools require the
employment OF 81 teachers with a maxi,
mum salary of $125.00 and a minimum
salary of $500 and still many of these
schools need additional teachers.
Eight years ago, at least, IS per cent
OF the teaching force of the parish hello
Is3rd. grade certificates, while at the
present time there are only II per cent
of the teachers holding Bird. grade Ger.
tificates.
A much larger enrolment, a larger
teaching force with higher qualifica
tions and greater teaching efficiency,
call for greater expenditure of money
This shortage of funds to operate the
schools of the parish will continuegtt
exist yearly until some means is found
whereby the school fund will be an.
nualiy increased sufficiently to meet
the needs of the public schools of this
parish. The school board, an elective
body, representing one of the most i'm.
portant and in effect far-reaching ins
situations of cur people, is without
power to tax, and therefore, to raise
funds, except by appeal to other in.
situations, to properly conduct its sys.
tenn 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 can
Ill afford to do SO, by being forced to
close the school doors upon the thou.
sands of children whose only oppor-
tunity and hope for the future rests in
these schools.
Respectfully,
w: B. PRESCOTT,
j. A. PERKINS,
HID. LARCADE, JR.
Finance Committee.