New-York tribune., 1918-10-14
School Budget Cut
Brings Protest to
Board of Estimate
Public Education Associa-
ton Says City Administra-
ton Forgets Its Pledges

Unfair treatment of schools is
charged in a letter which the Public
Education Association addressed yes
terday to the Board of Estimate and
Apportlonment.
It is asserted that the Board of Esti-
mate purposes to devote less money
than last year to the schools and to
oivert to the general fund for the re-
ducton of taxation S2,500.00 which the
previous administration had acknowl
edged belonged to the schools.
Increased salaries for teachers are
urged.
"We note that in your tentative
budget for 1919 you are proposing to
hold the appropriation for schools down
to the mandatory product provided by
law Of 40 mills on the assessed valua
ton, which amounts TO S42 ,096,126,' the
letter says. "Thc present Corporation
Counsel also has reversed the opinion
Of his predecessor, Mr.. Hardy, and has
held that the $500 900 Of state school
funds are not to be credited to the
Board of Education, but to the general
fund for the reduction of taxation.
Your appropriation is therefore cut
under the request of the Board of EGu-
cation of 81 900 900.
Cites Duty to Children
Al the same time you state that in
creases in the total city budget ere due
10 war emergencies Nav we suggest
that the public is less likely 10 look
asKaAcc at such explanations if they
contained rational and adequate nro-
visions for taking care of the city's
children, a duty which all heightened
communities are seeing as urgently
necessary Just because of war emer-
gencies.
"May We not also remind you of your
prediction promises to be generous in
Your support Of the schools? As your
tentative budget stands. you are being
far more drastic than the last admin
istration, which, while it held the
school budget last year down to the ! 8
mills. did so with the express under
standing that the S2.500,000 of state
school funds would be available.
Can't Build More Schools
"The last administration also had in
mind what they considered practical
method for securing greater and more
modern educational opportunities for
children at less cost. The merits OF
that plan were evidently disposed Of at
/ The last election, and are not pertinent
TO the present discussion. It is how
ever pertinent to point out thet to date
no substitute method has been sug-
gested By the present school Official 5
of ways Of meeting the needs OF an
ever increasing school population. The
War Industries Board has prohibited
the building of any more schools dur
ing the period of the war. You slash
the school budget to the irreducible le
legal minimum. Meanwhile what of the
children themselves?
Among the specific items to which
we trust you will give your official
sanction by providing the necessary
funds are increased salaries for
teachers in order to meet the serious
teaching Shortage which New York is
sharing in common with other cities
the country over. and which is recog-
nized as national crisis. We also
urge that you approve the $4,000 re-
quested by the Board Of Education for
school lunches, which is modest
enough sum when we consider the
alarming number of undernourished
children IN the city"