Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-05-02

that the ordinances OF the city be so
changed as to make the operating year
OF all departments conform to the focal
year. that is. from February l to jan
uary 81.
COMPLEMENTARY REFERENCE
TO HEALTH DEPARTMENT
Especial complimentary reference is
made to the work OF the Health Depart
ment, and the Mayor regretfully re-
minds the City Council that three men
trained az medical inspectors have been
lost TO the department because salaries
offered them were insufficient. The
usefulness OF this department." he says.
. will be enormously increased when we
are able 10 give il the proper number
of sanitary officers. nurses, clerical help
and food and dairy inspectors"
The Mayor diverts for moment to
apostrophize the Board of Health, so
soon to go out OF existence. He says:
by reason OF r change in our char
ter tho Board OF Health goes out of
existence, and the control OF the de-
partnent passes under the -idministra-
tive Board on June is, 1916. The mem
hera Of the present Board OF Health
have served the city ably, freely, con-
scientiously and faithfully for ten
years. In that time they have seen the
death rate from preventable disease
so lower md lower az a result OF reg
ulations adopted and enforced by them,
reaching. In some cases. points that no
one would have supposed possible when
they took Office. What great pride must
be his who has rendered such service
10 the people OF his city. and the names
OF DR.. w. T. Oppenhimer. Or. r. d.
Garcin, DIR. NJ. y. Hoge, Jr.. James II.
Gordon and James L. Phillips Will be
gratefully remembered In this city as
long as faithful. unselfsh, Eratuitous
and efficient public service is appre-
H..
OF the city for the service they have
rendered"
FOR SPECIAL LEVY
FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS
In referring to the public schools
the Mayor calls attention to the fact
that the board asks for All immediate
appropriation OF $4,000 for additional
buildings to accommodate the large
overflow OF pupils and the steadily
growing needs of the department. In
this connection he repeats, with greater
emphasis, that The problem of fnanc-
ing public education Is a large. serious
and difficult ono. We still do 1t out
Of the general fund upon which it
makes growing inroads. 1t consumed,
for maintenance alone, last year Is per
cent Of the total appropriations Except
for interest and redemption). and this
years budget carries appropriations
for the same purpose amounting to
1913 per cent OF that sum. We have
arrived where we must seriously con-
slider the ACCESSIBILITY OF entirely sepa-
rating this problem from the general
fund, and providing separate and indie
pendent support for schools by specfaI
levy.
You will observe that I'm the year
1912 13 per centum OF the total budget
appropriations. except for interest and
redemption, went to the School De-
I'm 30
and maintenance alone. Funds for sites
and buildings are derived from other
sources. The budget for 1913 carried
li.3 per cent OF that sum for the same
purposes. The budget for 1916, the
current year. carries % per centum Of
that sum Tor the Same purposes. You
VIII see that we are spending, roundly,
nearly one-fourth of our current in
come available for the support of city
departments for this purpose
IT repeat to you that we should
seriously consider the ACCESSIBILITY Of
entirely separating the support OF the
schools from the general fund, pro-
viding for them by special levy. At
tho election held November 2. 1914, com.
pulsory education was adopted by a
vote OF 1850 for to 279 against.
This almost unanimous vote for com
puisory school attendance clearly i'm
poses upon lis the duty to provide for
puiioihsS' maintenance and tuition In
manner that will not embarrass tho
other city departments. In other words.
II we really want 1t we cannot with
good grace object to paying for IT,"
In regard to the Public Employment
Bureau the Mayor writes that at was
not reasonably to be expected that this
innovation In our municipal activities
would at once jump into the fullness
OF its possible usefulness to the COM
munity. but the record 1t made in the
first eleven months Of It's existence
fuily 1ustfnes the wisdom OF It's crea-
tion, and presages an early realization