The Mena weekly star., 1920-04-01
SCHOOLS E
 IN DIFFICULTIES
Trustees of Arkansas State University Place Distressing Facts Before the PeopIe-Must Have More
 Money.

Little Rock, Mach 25. After meet. ing in the office of the governor on March 24, the trustees of thu State University gave out tho following statement;
 "Tbe serious condition of the public schools of Arkansas has forced It's way ssarply upon the attention of the lub lie. Owing to inadequate financial support many schools are closed, while almost all are without a sufficient number of well equipped teachers. Necessary buildings and apparatus for teaching are lacking.
 Tn an effort to save the schools many districts have already adopted extraordinary measures to secure in- creased revenue. Others are contem- plating similar action.
 Closely bound up with the public 1 schools is the State University Each is vital part of the public school system. Neither can be properly main tained and developed without a cor responding development of the other. The public schools supply the Uni versity with the material and the Uni | versity must in turn train those who will be the leaders in all things that make for the welfare of the state.
 Tn the last ten years the Univer- sity of Arkansas has grown from small college, which confined it's ac- tiyities almost altogether to the college campus so a great public service in stitution reaching out into all sections of the state and ministering to all classes Of citizens. The demands made upon the University, have, how ever outstripped the institutions re- sources. and it finds itself unable to serve the state in an adequate manner.
 The enrolment of students for the present year is approximately one thousand The class rooms are crowded, equipment is meagre. labra- tory and library is insufficient, build ings are inadequate, and there is lack of means to develop the newly purchased farm of the College of Agriculture as well as branch agri- cultural experiment. stations in differ ent sections of the state During tho present year there has been an in- creased enrolment of students amounting to about forty per cent lConditions make 1t practically certain that there will be another large in crease next year. The funds now available do not permit the erection of additional buildings or any increase in the teaching force or equipment Tn addition to increased demands inside the campus. individuals as well as organizations and classes of citi- zens are constantly calling upon the i University for more and more of those , kinds of public services usually ren- dered by modern state university 8 or state agricultural college. In $ many cases these demands cannot be met Some times those who ask for j. the service cannot understand why it ' cannot be rendered.
 Tn spite of this increased demand for service, both on the part of citi- t zens and the students, the University is faced with the alterative of reduc- | HIS NAA1 HAtAN1A LII AAe AdNhlAf anu Cul tailing it's activities, or of securing a considerable increase in revenue.
 "A few weeks ago the faculty unanimously petitioned the trustees for a thirty per cent increase in sal aries for next year. On investigation we find that salaries paid by the University five years ago were low in comparison with salaries paid by oth- CT institutions of similar rank. The result was that the University at that time found itself unable to attract and retain the services of the best men.
 Tn the past years there has been an average salary increase in the Uni yersity of about twenty two per cent, but the cost of living has increased in that time eighty-three per cent, A simple calculation will suffice to show 1t would be necessary to increase present salaries fifty per cent in or der to give to them the same purchas- ing power that the salaries paid five years ago had. We have agreed to grant an average increase to faculty members of approximately 25 to 30 per cent In order to carry out this plan it will be necessary to secure m emergency appropriation from the legislature of 1921. or to anticipate a part of the funds to be derived from the millage tax for the following bien. nial period.
 The present millage tax of four ninths of one mill is not sufficient under conditions now prevailing to pay the necessary operating expen- ses of the institution, without allowing anything for new buildings. Yet the state has not erected building on the campus for fifteen years, with the result that the University has out grown It's physical plant.
 Good River Farm to Rent. Good hOuSe garden fruit an1 gOod water at