Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-04-03
DIRECTORS PLAN TO
ADD HALF MILL TO TAX
TContinued from First Pagel

district may use money derived from
the sale of buildings for current eX-
penses, or whether such money must
be turned into the sinking fund.
President Harry A. Boyer hopes to
have a legal answer on the subjec,
from ex-Judge NJ. W. Jacobs, the
boards attorney, in time for tonight s
meeting.
Werner's Suggestions
The suggestion was made by Direc-
tor George A. Werner in finance COM
mittee last evening. In brief. his plan
is to sell the Eager building In Wal
nut street for approximately $4,000
the Vernon school lot for 81, 500,and to
eliminate the $1,000 salary OF George
W. McIlhenny as school treasurer.
In committee, however, the legal
snag was raised. The school authori-
ties heretofore have held that the
buildings and grounds are a part OF
the school district property upon
When these are said the proceeds must
necessarily be used for the liquidation
of the Indebtedness through the sink
ing fund, because the bondholders.
otherwise would lose equity in their
holdings. It was In accordance with
this idea that the $11,5o0 received
from the State Capitol Park Extension
churches In the Eighth Ward was
turned into the sinking fund.
Should Mr.. Werner's theory be con-
sidered practicable the city will save
S25,500, just about enough to cover
the half mill increase.
Instead of employing a school treas
urer, Mr.. Werner's idea was to allow
one of the city's trust companies to
handle the funds.
Stirring Meeting Toniphf
While there is bound to be q lively.
even heated discussion at to-night's s
meeting on the subject of increasing
the tax rate, some stirring develop.
ments are anticipated when other
items of the committees recomenda-
tions are voted upon.
The propriety of Incorporating some
of the items in the budget at this
time, when the additional expense
would pile up the millage. will be
threshed out pretty thoroughly, it Is
expected, and among the more i'm
portant items are:
The introduction of domestic sci
ence in the high school at a cost of
S5,200; providing an additional $4,000
for new textbooks; hiring of extra
teachers for the high schools and the
GRADES, and the increasing of the su-
pervisor's staff from two to five, at a
lost of approximately S9,400.
Other items must necessarily be
provided for and it is not likely that
there will be any question raised
about the increase, for instance, of
the item for paying the teachers, the
fund to be set aside for teachers re-
tirement, interest, taxes, etc, and sink
ing funds, and the $4,000 for the main
tenance of the public library.
While there are increases in the
items for the janitors, teachers, State
taxes, interests, sinking funds, ETC..
the budget as recommended last even
ing shows a decrease in certain in
stances. Among these are the funds
set aside for buildings, the Technical
High School. and supplies and fuel.
Sources of Revenue
The whole budget, as suggested by
the finance committee, calls for an
expenditure of S474,647.15, as against
s44S.12S.65 last year. The necessary
money will have TO be raised from
the following sources:
Revenue from a valuation of S4s,-
10000 at 9ia mills. s416,500; State
appropriation, $4,000; interest, So
600; personal taxes, $500; tuition.
$500. In addition to passing upon the
budget, fixing the mill rate, and act
ing on the recommendation of the
textbook committee relative TO the
adoption of new textbooks for the
grade schools, the school board to-
night will award contracts for certain
supplies, and adopt a resolution pro-
viding for the 100000 bond issue to
pay for the new grade school or Alli-
son Hill.
II the domestic science appropria-
tion item is passed upon tonight the
plans for esta blishing this course in
the Central High School alone will be
started so that instruction in sewing
and cooking may be begun in the Fall
II Is expected that the courses will be
taught in the high school.
While the finance committee last
evening was busy over the budget. the
textbook committee was wrestling
with the problem of adopting School
superintendent Downes' recommenda-
tions for new books.
Director Yates charged that the rec
concentrations. all of which were for
American Book Company products,
were premature In that there was am
pie time to make a wider selection.
Other book companies, he said, hadn't
had full opportunity to have their
samples passed upon.
DR.. Downes. who based his recon-
mendations on reports he received
from the different teachers, insisted
that everything has been done fairly
and everyone has had a square deal -
the committee did not violate the
spirit, If not the letter, of the school
rode, in patronizing so fully the Amer
Jean Book Company, when, as he put
II. we all know that two OF the prin-
cipals and the school treasurer are
agents of the American Book Com
pany?"
In conclusion DR.. Yates tried to
have action postponed for sixty days
until other booking concerns could
have n better opportunity to place
samples of their books in the schools
and so give a wider opportunity for
teachers to vote. This was voted
down. only Mr.. Yates himself voting
for it. The other members of the
committee are Directors Kennedy.
Foil and Saul.
DIR. Downes said the teachers had
ample opportunity to vote upon the
sample hooks they preferred; that he
had notified them some months ago
He believes other book concerns, he
said, placed some samples in the
schools.
The school superintendent's recon-
mendations sum up the results of the
votes OF the teachers which show that
the American Book Company products
are the choice. The other recommen-
dations are:
That the latest edition of the late
Dr. l.. S. Shimmell's PENNSYLVANIA
Citizen be adopted in view of the fact
that recent legislatures have mate
rally changed the laws Abandon
ment of the Spencerian writing hooks
and substitution of the Bennett sys.
tenn.