Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1915-06-10
FIFTH ARTICLE.

A step in advance was taken by the
present City Council in redistributing
the proportions forming the tax rate,
so that forty cents OF the s1.35 instead
OF thirty-six cents. is appropriated for
school purposes: and nothing said In
this article in regard TO the budget is
meant as a criticism of the present
CITY Council which has increased the
appropriation for school purposes.
including the last $4,000, TO con-
siderable over last year.
Almost 90 per cent OF the Whining
ton public school budget is made up
from appropriations of the mayor and
CITY Council. together with the inter-
est on bond issues. The remainder
comes from the portion OF the State
school dividend given 10 Wilmington
BY virtue of the fact that the city
constitutes separate school district.
and finally there Is the small amount
that is derived from miscellaneous
sources. The latter Is usually about
I per cent. of the total receipts.
The laws regarding the school APP
propriations for Wilmington from the
mayor, and City Council have under
gone "a complicated set of changes
since 1908. the amount OF money be-
ing restricted FIRST as TO minimum
them MS 10 maximum and so on. Suf-
fee Il to say that during the past
- year the s per cent. maximum limi
in yearly increase given, was remov.
ed. and Il now rests with Council
how much money shall be expended
on the school with only law regard
ing a minimum amount restricting
their action.
Certainly great deal has been
~ said about the inefficient way in
which the school money has been
handled. Whether or not the critl-
cism is justified to the degree indt
Gated by public feeling, 1t is obvious
in contrasting the educational bud
SET with the city budget that the
schools could not be keeping pace
with the city in rapidity of develop
ment. If progress in conditions o
incubation. housing, city government
and so forth is the object of con
tinuous effort in Wilmington, tn
schools also should be allowed tn
chance to keep up to increasingly
high standards To some of us, q
least. Il seems that the schools hr'
of all should be assured OF Pre-
portionate increase in appropriation
Actual figures for the past nv
wears. 1910 through 1914, show thi
while the increase in total city cosi
has been 81 per cent, the increa.
In school appropriation for the san
period of time has been but p'
cent. II is only fair to emphasize
whatever the explanation may be
that there is a good deal of tru
from a standpoint of regular scho
Improvement in the lack OF fund
argument The present Council, no.
ever. has certainly shown itself rea'
TO better conditions to the best
ats ability. II former Councils N
been as open to suggestion or II
and ! feel that this is more to I
point-the Board of Education n
itemized its budget in way to e.
phasize the necessary improvemeI
and had definitely stated the con-
ton OF affairs in way to show I
public that the money was absolute
necessary, feel sure the money wol
have been appropriated. The Boa
of Education has not done this a
further. Council has had no way
knowing that money would be sp6
for the thing most needed, or for
specific purpose for which II WI
given. The generalness of items
previous budgets and the generaln'