Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-05-17
TAX RATE TO
BE FIXED AT
SESSION MAY 27
School Board Delays Action
to Give Further Study
of the Matter

City School Directors decided at
the session yesterday to hold a spec
ial meeting May 81 when the tax
rate for the 1s19-19e0 school year
will be fixed. The budget which was
presented earlier in the week was
discussed for a few minutes only, all
the members of the board agreeing
that more time should be given to
the public to consider the proposed
expenditures. thus giving taxpayer
more opportunity to offer any con-
structive criticism.
Representatives of the State De-
partment of Health were present at
the meeting yesterday aud urged the
directors to give permission to have
all the schools cooperate in the fly
campaign which will be waged dur
ing the summer by the Civic Club as
in former years. The school children
are to be taught how to build traps
and set them. and how to prevent
the breeding of flies by keeping back
yards and lots clean.
Amendments to the School Board
rules which will equalize salaries to
teachers were passed finally by unan-
imous vote. When the recommended
tion of DR.. F. z. Downes, superinten-
dent. that two married teachers
ShNulu uS pTOhOltu lEOIl SUBSTITUTE
lists to regular duty. was read. there
was some opposition to the plan, one
of the directors declaring that young
teachers from State Normal Schools
should be given the preference. Fur
ther action was postponed for the
present. Other directors of the
Board said that it would be discour-
teous to dismiss the married teachers
who had helped the district during
the shortage caused by the war.
Time Extended
A 60-day extension was granted to
the general contractors working on
the Camp Curtin school. and cleo
trical contractors were given a 75-
day extension.
The resignation of DR.. Charles S.
Rebuck, medical inspector in the city
district for number of years, was
received and accepted. The physician
said he needed more time for his pri-
vate practice. The appointment of
DR.. G. B. Stull his assistant, as in
spector. was suggested by Dr.
Downes, who also recommended the
employment of two assistants instead
of one.
DR.. Downes submitted to the di-
rectors part of his annual report
for 1919 in which he reviewed the
present school system, giving COM
plete data about the organization and
instruction work which has been car
ried out, and is provided for. Part
of the reorganization OF the super
visory and teaching forces can not
be completed until in September,
when the junior high schools are to
be opened. but all arrangements
have been made for this and practic-
ally all positions filled except the
appointment of teachers.
Some of the more important sub
jects discussed by the superintendent
in his report follow: THE public
school buildings of the city number
"a, with a total valuation OF S2,500,-
600. An average of one new building
per year has been erected during the
past fifteen years. The number of
teachers employed has not consider
ably passed the $50 mark. OF these.
IS are employed in the High Schools.
More than $4,000 pupils were en-
rolled in the schools during the past
school year, of whom more than q
600 were in the High Schools"
Review Is Given
Other information given in the re-
port is that plans are about COM
pleted for the opening of the junior
High School in which pupils of the
seventh, eighth and ninth grades are
to be taught. The Teachers Training
School established in 1903 has a grad
uate list of 100. many of whom taught
the city schools after completing the
course; about 500 pupils were en-
rolled in night schools during the
last year. including the Americana
zation work; about 100 pupils are en-
rolled at the open air school and
next year a fourth teacher will be
employed there; schools for mentally
deficient and continuation school for
employed boys and girls from IA to
l6 years of age, are two other phases
of activities mentioned by DR.,
Downes.
A review Of the present organiza-
ton of the business administrative
branch is given in which DR.. Downes
explains that the changes were eff
fected upon recommendations in the
survey report of the Bureau of Mu-
nicipal Research of New York City.
the organization selected by the
Chamber of Commerce to make a
study OF s=hool affairs in Harris
burg.
A similar explanation Of the su-
pervisory plans of the district is
given. The superintendent is to be
the official head of the system and
under him are to be supervisors OF
advanced grades. primary grades and
special activities: the following sub
ject supervisors, drawing, music,
manual training; principals, one for
Teachers Training School; two senior
High School; two intermediates ten
elementary and one for continua-
ton, A short discussion of the work
of the department of medical inspec=
tion and compulsory attendance fol-
lows,
DR., Downes gives the following as
reasons for increased sfficieneyi sai=
airy Improvement better supervision
of teachingj reduction of length of
elementary course; semi-aHnuaI pro-
motions; intermediate schoolsj merit
system; extension couFsAsj Fetire-
ment plan for teachersj standard
tests, card record systems of both
pupils and teachers and library ex-
tensions.
The superintendent closes his re-
port with statements about class
room study Improvement, the school
savings system and school gard ems.
A warning IL sounded that the dis
trict can not stop its big develop
ment program as much greater things
In the interest OF education in Har-
risburg are to be accomplished yet
S0N nTES TN SERHTr-r