Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-01-16
FRIDAY. JANUARY 16, 1920.
The Inevitable End in Sight.


Il is with no feeling OF enjoyment, OF
even satisfaction, that Every Evening
revcrts to the financial condition of the
Board ol Education, az so dolefully set
forth bv the members Of that body at "A
meeting held last Monday night. The
situation so clearly defined is no surprise.
II is only the legitimate and disastrous
end now IN plain sight, of q mistaken
policy that has been pursued by the
Board Of Education for many years,
against which Every Evening had vainiy
protested, time and again. II IS the
inevitable consequence Of spending more
money. wear after year, than The Board
# Education had at ITS command. or that
il had lawful RIGHT to cxpcnd.
Niany years ago amendments to the
city charter were passed which prohih-
ted. among other things, the creation
IL any floating debt whatever by the
CIV Council or the Board q Education.
These amendments arc still in force and
effect. but time and again they have been
violated hy CITY Council, whilc the Board
~ Educ9tIan has bccn i continued and
per,,etcrt violator for probably q score
II vcar, or more Year after year the
CIty Council would make an insufficient
appropriation for schoci purposes and
wear after wear the Board e Education,
instead II performing IFS plain duty of
living within the limit Of these insufficient
appropriations and casting the blame for
whatever evil might result upon the City
Council. whore il properly belonged, pre-
fcrrcd tho reckless policy of endeavoring
r. meet all school demands, even when
There was no money in sight with which
to cover the expenses thereby incurred
,l>3. according to the PLAIN statements
,t members of the board Al last Monday
saehf's meeting. evil and unhusiresshkc
methods have prevailed II tic admins
frstlon oi school affairs for long time.
The committee on repairs for tins year,
-, ,hsirmaa. Dr. Conwel Bantum, said.
has na more money and IS at an end I
And Chairman Stradley Il the finance
oarluittee impaired the additional inter-
estinc testimony that the repairs commit
toe already has spent 81 500 more than it
rad st its command
Chairman Stradlev also let out more
interesting and. pertinent information
Our finances are null, he SAID. andthe
SITUATION Is hopeless It's bad policy 70 go /
further into debt. because wher we make /
ND the new budget VIC viii still be in the
hole" But there is nothing new in the
situation thus disclosed The Board Of
Education, financially, has been in q
hole" these many wears, but instead Of
vigorously cndeavorIng 70 get out cf the
hole and plant its feet on firm ground. has !
preferred. by hap-hazard and hand-to-
mouth procedure 20 make rretense Of j
meeting the expenses Of school admins
tration without having enough money on /
hand for the purpose IL any one year.
and with fun knowledge Of the fact
Chairman Stradley also impaired the
somewhat astounding information that
the bomd has spent IN the past FIVE
months more than It's appropriation for
the whole current year What gloomy
prospect tins situation opens. It means, .
financially speaking. thai the schools
must be run on wind for the remainder /
of the year, unless financial relief may be /
extended in some unexpected and unusual
manner-an extraordinary appropriation /
bv CITY Council perhaps
Chairman Draper Of the accounts COM
ruttee sad the accounts were full Of +
errors and he had found a difference Of |
=. 500 in statements he had received = /
Secretary Guthrie made contribution I
to these interesting presentations BY the i
statement that former committees were |
al fault and keep things il their present /
state If turmoil by their loose methods /
of purchasing which cntalled the cropping
up at the present time Of countless ancient /
unexpected and unpaid bills How
nn5uslnesslike; also, III the absence of /
reasonable explanation how suspicious.
Finally, the finance committee was
called upon, BY resolution. to make an
investigation oi AFFAIRS and deVIse new |
system q keeping the records i is hoped i
the committee viii do good work and /
reach practical conclusions. Certain It
It is that radical reform il needed u the |
methods Of administration as well as
!; radical change IN policy by the City
Council il respect Of the annual appro-
prlations made To tho Board of I.du-
cation
But what of the future VIII the Board
u Education endeaYor 70 keep the school
q operation throughout the remainder
" the school year with practically DO
money Il hand 10 meet tito financial /
demands? Where il the necessary money |
70 come from? Teachers salaries must