Milford chronicle., 1920-06-04
SAYSSUSSEX JOURNAL
MISREPRESENTS FACTS
The WRITER STATES THAT BOOKS OF
SCHOOL COMMISSION SHOW JOUR-
NAL ARTICLE INFERIOR.

June End. 1920
Editor, The Milford Chronicle,
Milford, Del.
Dear Sir
In last weeks issue Of the Sussex
Journal, published at Georgetown,
there appeared an editorial touching
on the pending Annual School Elec-
ton at which will be chosen three
members of the County Board of Ed
ucation.
/ The writer, in this article, made an
attack on the present members of the
County Board Of Education that can
truthfully be characterized as almost
| libelOus. The article contained a
number OF statements which plainly
indicated that he was not at all IA
mlliar with the provisions of the new
School Law, or that he deliberately
chose TO mispresent facts.
One of the statements made was that
Through the dastardly provisions OF
the School Code, the tax payers of the
Special Districts, in which are To-
Gated Georgetown, Lewes, Milford,
Laurel and SeafOrd, are not permitted
TO vote for the three County Commits
sioners, though these same three COM
missioners absolutely control the af-
fairs of the same Special Districts"
Even superficial reading of the
School Code would show that this is
not true. In fact, the taxables in the
Special School Districts vote for
members of Board of Education, who |
have charge of the affairs of that
District just as the County Board have |
charge of the schools outside of the /
Special Districts. In other words, the /
County Board of Education has moth
ing whatever to do, either directly or
indirectly, with the control of the
schools in the Special Districts.
A further charge was made that the
present County Board have been dis
regarded of the peoples interests, that
they have been "shamefully extrava-
CANT in the expenditure-or rather
waste-of the peoples money" An
examination of the books Of the Coun-
ty Board of Education will show that
the money has been carefully and
economically expended. We have it
on good authority that up to date
there has not been a single person
ask for permission to see the books of
the County Board. These books con-
tain careful statement of all expend-
itures made up to the present time,
and an examination of these books
will show that the charge of waste
and extravaganza is not only unjust,
but entirely unwarranted.
Another charge was made that the
overhead expenses were more than
the actual cost Of teachers salaries.
This also is a gross misstatement of
facts. The books of the County Board
of Education and the accounts of the
Treasurer of Sussex County will show
that out of every dollar spent during
this school year, CSC will go for
teachers salaries, 19c for fuel, books
and supplies, repairs to school
buildings, janitors' salaries, equip
ment for the schools, insurance and
operation of school buildings, cents
for the tuition and transportation of
rural pupils in higher schools, and
the interest on the bonds taken over
from the various districts of Sussex
County at the time the law went into
operation, and 6 cents for salaries and
of the County Board of Ed
ucation, salaries and expenses of the
superintendent, supervisors and at
tendance officer, Office help and Office
expenses, including printing and sup
pies ADE lLt OhlGts AuEob AdsL 4LtLln
are the so-called overhead expenses"
mentioned in the article. BY paying
salaries Of the above officials. it is a
fact that the State pays
one-half of these overhead expenses"
The reader will note that while CSC
out of the dollar goes for teachers sal
aries, but &c is for overhead charges.
This has been higher than it ordinar-
lily would be, owing to the fact THAI
furniture and all Office equipment had I,
to be purchased for the first year. /,
We have under the control of the
County Board OF Education at least
so teachers, and the aggregate amount !
Of their. salaries will total nearly
$4,000 more than the taxes collected
for school purposes in Sussex County, =
outside of the Special Districts. The
taxes collected this year amount to
S135,S0O. OF course, the remainder Of
the necessary funds comes from the /.
State appropriation.
(Signed) x.