Evening journal., 1916-06-19

made I'm a report of a special audit OF
the boards finances by a committee
of the Chamber OF Commerce cOmpris-
ing William ]. McCOrkindale. chair
man: c. ID. Garretson Josiah Marvel.
William p. White and William F.
Kurtz, with Peter T. Wright as their
auditor. Their report has been ap-
proved by the directors Of the Cham
ber of Commerce Among other things
the committee charges that the book
keeping system is incomplete and car
ried out in a loose and slipshod man
ner In this connection Auditor
Wright asserts that there was d bal
-ance on June 80. 1915, OF S7025. and
not a deficit as had been the general
impression He also charges that
the amounts paid out at the High
School for extra janitors' help and
for supplies are high. and that the
prices paid for books for Wilmington
schools are ten per cent. higher than
is paid for books for the Philadelphia
schools. Among other findings of the
committee are:
Violation Of law in not making
budget and living within It,
Expenditure for repairs In each OF
the last two years was $274Ol.O6,
which, in the opinion Of the commit
tee. should have been enough to make
necessary repairs and keep the
schools in good condition.
That the board should go to COun-
Gil and get what money 1t needs above
Regular appropriation before mourning
extra expense for such items
Lax control of ianitors; in some in
stances one janitor might serve two
schools. The board should pay for
extra help and for cleaning ma
terials.
The board has full responsibility for
the control of the schools and the
law on the statute books dividing
responsibility with City Council
should be rescinded.
The board should be held strictly
to account for the deficits which II
incurs.
The committees report Is as fol-
To the President and Board OF Direc
tors. of the Chamber of Commerce
Wilmington, Delaware.
Gentlemen Your Committee on Pub
lie School matters appointed to investl
gate the affairs of the Board of Public
Education of Wilmington, beg to report
that thev engaged Peter T. Wright L
examine the accounts, and herewith sub
NIT his report.
IL was your committees idea to ge
rs complete a report as they could within
the time they had, in order to have SOM
basis on which to appeal to the Cit!
Council for an adequate appropriation 4
conduct the schools during the cominl
fiscal year.
Incomplete Bookkeeping.
Due to the incomplete bookkeeping
system of the Board of Education. tn
figures which Mr.. Wright submits had I
be compiled by him from sheets, bills
vouchers, etc, the report is not as com
plete or as thorough as we originally in
tended it should be. To have made sue
n report as we desire would have take
much longer, and consequently, cost MOI
money than your committee feel th
Chamber of Commerce should spend.
Your committee did work diligentl
with both the Board of Education an
City Council. How well they have su'
ceeded. we leave to your board and th
public to decide.
No Evidence of Graft.
In our examination no evidence of mis-
appropriation of funds or graft wa
found, but we do believe that the wor
of the Board of Education is done IN
very loose and slipshod manner.
After having given much careful stud
10 the affairs of the Board of Education
YOUR committee submit the followin
Recommendations TO said board
Recommendations.
I. The Board of Education shoul
open a set of books and should immed
atelv install a complete system OF bool
keeping. As we have Just pointed on
the bookkeeping system is decidedly il
complete and it would take days of a
auditors time TO compile several tigur'
which would be apparent at once und
a complete modern system of bookkee
ing.
make Budget Live Within the Law.
? The Board of Education shou
make up a budget and live within It. v
labored with the board long and sire
uously endeavoring to persuade them
nut themselves on record as agreeing
make up a budget for the coming yea
hut without success. Your committee
not understand why the board should o
iect so strongly TO making up budg'
regardless of how much money Ci
Council appropriates to them. Your col
mittee now proposes to see that tn
make up a budget as required by la
and are prepared to invoke court acti
If the Board of Education refuses.
$4,000 for Repairs, How?
g. The Board of Education shou
conduct their affairs with as much ca
and good Judgment as they would th'
own business. The board speak abo
schools being in need of repair and ha
asked CITY Council for an appropriate
for this purpose. We call your attenti
20 the fact that within the last T.
years they have spent Cor repairs, y
4Ol.O6 II appears TO MS that If q
S27, ,4Ol .O6 had been expended judiciou'
and properly, much of the repairi
which they now claim is necessary, col
have been taken care of out of q
amount of money, and, furthermore,
would seem that this same reasoni
could be carried back through a numl
of wears. so that the small repairs nee
sarv each wear could have been ma
and the schools would, therefore, !
have been in the condition they are
day.
Get Money Before Spending It.
4. The Board of Education should
operate with City Council. BY this
mean that If occasion comes for
board to expend extra money, other th
that set up in their budget, they shot
Law the matter before City Council 2
Get a promise of extra money from tn
before they go ahead and incur the
pense. -.
Lax Control of Janitors.
We also call your attention TO
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