The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-09-09

which has just closed based on a
minimum school year or $50 days.
Evening Schools.
The cots per capita for evening
school instruction based at a total
of rs nights as required by state
law was $8.21 or an increase of 81
81 over last year, yet there was an
approximate decrease in total egis-
tration of 5S7 under last year. There
were no High School sessions but
one of the reasons for the increase
would appear to be caused by out
side interference such as State Leg
islature and various theoretical ideas
advanced by special bureaus The ex-
tension classes Of working boys and
girls between the ages of IA and 16
years and Americanization classes
in English for adult foreigners were
the two phases of the work carried
on, and both have proven to be a
costly experiment.
Budgets and Their Construction.
The budget is a. financial program
or plan covering the activities Or OPP
Grafton for al given period of time and
its function is an adjustment of ex-
penditures to conform with the in
c1me. 1t is a sWbie:s that is be'oln-
ing more and more a matter Of iElpor-
tcncc and duty. From the national
government to the Individual house.
hold, the necessity of basing opera
tons upon a systematic plan is be-
coming generally recognized. In the
discussion relative to the adoption by
the Federal Government of the budget
system, it was conceded by ali to be
the most important bit of legislation
that would Cbe presented to Congress
at any session, inaSnuch as the well
fare of the entire country depended
upon it's intelligent and well
balanced formation and Distribution
and at the same time tend to a more
finare' ng of the govern
cent.
Unless expenditures are controlled
and kept within the confines of the
budget as finally adopted, it's very
purpose is defeated and the prepara-
ton a waste of time. All require
ments cannot be foreseen: emergen-
cies may arise requiring large expend-
lures and necessitate rea1j:Isemcll:s,
but on the whole emergencies OF seri-
GUS character are rare.
acquisitions are daily received ell
failing sometimes an expense of a
dollar or less but if all are granted in
the course of a. year they would
to thousands of dollars.
acquisitions are now only received
once a. month and will only be con-
sidered at a stated time. Principals
and supervisors who cannot anticipate
their wants in 80 days in advance arc
poor managers.
The Purchasing, Distribution and Re
cordins of Supplies.
During the last year, great i'm
provement has been made in the de-
livery of supplies. A man and an
has been permanently
hired to care for the stock-room dis
tribuion, receiving and checking,
and he, by virtue of his long ex-
perience in handling the supplies of
this Board is invaluable.
There is room for still further i'm
provement - Standardization of
Supplies must eventually be adopted
on per capita basis and when
adopted, strictly followed and ad-
hered to.
1t is hoped that the suggestion of
a year ago will be adopted during
the next year by you gentlemen re-
garding the establishment of a stock
ledger or a perpetual inventory of
the supply situation. Especially is
such a system needed in regards to
text books. An approved list of text
books should be printed and sent to
all schools. It would appear at first
ucational authority-but inasmuch
as the business administration is
charged with the care of and distri-
button of text books, and inasmuch
as we are also functioningt in the
field of cost appropriations, budgets,
and qualities-this becomes a matter
under the control of the business Of
fee.
Physical Properties.
In comparing the local school house
situation with the standards of the
country, we are not very far behind
insofar as we have gone; and we have
not been able to go further on account
of the lack of funds.
The standard size schoolrooms
adopted by all of the large cities is
"a x 80 feet x IL feet ceiling.
Low pressure boilers are used with
a limit OF 5 pounds capacity. Indi-
vidual classroom toilets. in addition
to the school toilets. Open wardrobes
are used entirely, and all rooms are
finished in a white washable paint
This city has a school building pro-
gram to carry on that is great enough
to call for the expenditure of one
million dollars year for a period of
three years.
The report of the special commit
tee appointed to investigate the
schoolhouse needs of this city, given
before the Board December 8, 1919,
placed the matter before the public
in detail and no doubt by this time
would call for further expenditure on
account of the increasd cost of ma
trial and labor and increased regis
tration.
The report above referred to states
that the New Grand st. School in
addition to replacing the present
building which was emodeled in
1876 would relieve the crowded con-
ditions at Columbus, Shelton, Web
ster, and Wheeler Schools. The re-
port further states that the new
South Avenue School would give the
following:
1. Furnish adequate accommoda-
tfons for Jefferson and Prospect
Schools, with the evident permanent
growth which is the largest that any
section of the city today presents.
2. The placing of the Normal
School in a building large enough to