Evening journal., 1916-03-07

Popu- Mainte-
lation. nance.
Albany. n. Y.... 100000 S431,345
Dallas, Texas ..... $4,000 40S,03T
Hartford, Conn. .....100,00O 627 $50
Houston Texas .....1OOO00 3S4 .490
Reading Pa. ..... $4,000 4701S
( Springfield, Mass. $4,000 777 6S3
| Des Moines, IA. $4,000 7S5,061
/ Youngstown, Ohio ... 10000 Az 300
/ Salt Lake City, Utah. $4,000 10000
/ Harrisburg, Pa. ... $4,000 1926, ,446
/ Lynn, Mass. ...... $4,000 40S, 1898
YOnkers. \. Y....... 10000 61S.197
Tacoma, Wash. ..... $4,000 541 0S3
Hartford, Conn. 800. $4,000 627 $50
Savannah. Ga. ...... $4,000 1740S6
/ Kansas City. Kan... $4,000 492, ,15S
New Bedford. Mass. $4,000 44S SAG
| Trenton, \. J....... $4,000 555. .S76
Average population. 9O,112: average
amount, S511.167.
From the 1914 report of the United
I States Commission of Education. the
/ latest statistics available, | have listed
/ the amounts each of these cities spent
that year for the maintenance of its
/ public schools, not including new
| buildings and equipment The aver
] aNN VI AnNHt dilOuulc, WHICH, 1 nave
here, is a reasonably accurate state
ment Of what a city of 10000 people
should spend for its schools II is
a composite opinion of those in charge
of the finances and school administra-
tion of many cities as to what such
a city should spend to maintain its
schools. This average sum is SELL
167 This amount represents the pre-
yalent attainable ideal of all the
American cities of about Wilmington's
size which are working toward a
common end. in the face of common
difficulties and obstacles. It surely
will serve as a scale by which TO
measure our school needs and expedi-
lures.
What was WilmingtOn's appropri-
alton for the maintenance and oper-
alton of our schools. exclusive of the
new building fund, for the ensuing
school year? 1t was 1921, 100. Add
to this the State appropriation of
S3S 900 and the $4,000 we may re-
ceive from nonresident pupils and
the sum totals 1921, 600 This sun
is S190.067 less than that amount we
found the average city of 10000 con-
sidered necessary and appropriated.
"llow much did our schools ask fo
and consider sufficient for the presen
school year for operation and mainte
nanceg The amount was 1857 .70S. Adj
TO this our state appropriation OF S3s,
600, and we would have had 1896. .70S. @
Sll5. 45e less than the average city find
necessary to spend. Compared with tn
amounts spent by other cities, did W
ask for too much? Not receiving ever
this. can you wonder why we are nov
in diflicultyg
st has been said that Wilmington
school expenditures should be less thai
other cities Of its size because of tn
large enrolment of pupils in our pa
rochial and private schools. Then let II
compare our per pupil cost with that o
the1our other cities about Wilmington
/ size IN this section of the country. Ac
/ cording to their published reports Of tn
= fiscal year ending Jure, 1915, Trenton
. Albany, Reading and Harrisburg spen
e the average amount of S43.45 per pupi
'The average enrolment of the
! Wilmington schools this school year
] to February 10. is 11,107 pupils Al
D the average cost per pupil mentioned
S we would expend this year S4S2 900
D or S161500 more than appropriated
{. The 1914 report Of the United States
Y Commission of Education states that
p the estimated cost per pupil in all the
r cities Of the whole United States o
Z 81 900 people or over for the yeal
ending June. 1914. was S42.56. The
amount allowed Wilmington school.
e for the present school year, based upoI
- the average attendance to date, per
v mites S2S91 per pupil. This is mucl
r less than the average S42.50. There
fore. from the educational viewpOin
s OF the naiinn. we siand convicted o