Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1917-06-16
SOUTHERN PACIFIC TIME TABLE
General Report of
School inspection
Continued from page oucJ

practically forced the board to eXPcu
more than the annual revenue with IL
result that there is now a debt Of Owe
thirty thousand dollars against the gc'
eral maintenance funds.
There is 10 doubt but that the none
was wisely expended and the chIldry
received full benefit. As the rcvenu
Of the board is not now sufficient {
maintain the schools as presently open
ated for the short term Of seven month
and the debt is increasing from year {
year we would recommend that dehnit
action be taken to pay it and put til.
system ON a cash basis. 1t would b
correct to first put the situation squar,
~ before the people of the parish b
submitting a parish-wide tax Of sufh,
tent millage to retire the debt in sever;
years and provide additional funds
operate the schools adequately. For e.
ample one mill could be dedicated I
the retirement of the debt, bonds beIn
issued for the amount and paid annual
until all are paid, and several addition,
mills could be voted for increasing til
maintenance fund If, after submIttin
the matter to the voters and taXpaye
the proposition is turned down til
board Will know that it has done il
duty and can then take other steps 1
pa, its debts and put the school on
cash basis.
We would then recommend that t.
schools be kept closed and the regul.
receipts used to pay the outstandm
obligations regardless of how ma
months it might require. Thereaft,
the board should operate the schoo.
strictly within the budget of receipt
shortening the session as much as ma
be necessary to do this.
In connection with the present fina
cial situation we must point out tn
the parish is not now supporting H.
schools properly. A maintenance fun
of ifty-fve or sixty thousand dolla
per year for the education of f.
thousand children is extremely sma.
As one means of helping the situate
we would suggest that the authoriti,
look carefully into the assessment {
the parish which seems very low. II
largest school question before the pc
pie is providing a larger fund for IT,
operation Of the schools. There is an
pie wealth and the present prospect.
bids fair to continue for some tim
thus there is no reasonable excuse f.
not getting enough money to educat
the children. The present situation ali
needs should be kept constantly befor
the people until they fully realize tina
the children must get square deal an
fair opportunity in the schoolroon
Considerable attention was given /
the testing and examining of pupil
in the several schools visited in I'll
RrIhlaafa of arif bpoa
ing and writing. The details are me-
toned in the body Of the report. a
several schools we found the wor
creditable and efficient, at others, spt
cially those having over crowded elias
rooms, the pupils are retarded and IL
teaching is necessarily below standar
The custom of having two years wor
in the first grade as is the case in som
schools is not the best, as all beginne
should have the opportunity of gettin
into the second grade at the conclusio
OF the first session. With further ell
phasls on the teaching of reading ali
English this can be done. 1t will saw
year to the children by reducing til
time spent in the elementary grade
from eight to seven years; a very in
portant matter, specially where so man
pupils enter school at ages from eigl.
TO ten. 1t will be found easv to pl.
this into effective operation as soon a
the funds are provided for more teacL
ers and longer term.
We trust that the facts and condi
ttons above set forth and commente
on will be helpful to the people of I'll
parish in tnelr efforts to improve tn
educational affairs OF the parish. W.
know that great deal has been don,
In the past for which the parish is to b
highly commended.
judging by past accomplishments
Is reasonable to presume that VermiIio
Will shortly realize the existing need
OF the schools and do all that is neees
sary for their betterment.