The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-01-05
THE CITY SCHOOLS.

In our article last week, we were in error IN one
narticular with regard to the action of the Board
of Trustees of the city schools We stated that the
Roard wonld AJAX that the two mills now levied for
the retirement of bonds be henceforh used for the
purpose of making needed improvements ana re.
pairs on the school buildings, and that an addltona'
levy of two mills would be asked for the running
EXPENSES of the schools, when we should have saia
that the additional levy to be asked for the support
ct the schools would be four mills.
Coming as it does with our increased levles for
other nurposes we must not overlook the fact that
this makes more money for the taxpayer to raise at
the end Of each year. The members OF the boaro
of Trustees were not unmindful Of this fact IN de-
Gliding to ask for the levy but other considerations
induced them to pass q resolution that the in
creased lew be asked for The other considerations
mainly, were these:
" In the first place property cannot be reassessed
for two years. We are paying taxes on an assess
ment of forty per cent of the values of two years
ago, while property has greatly enhanced in value
in that time. With this enhancement has come
higher living expenses, and consequently higher sal
aries for all employees in the schools, whether
teachers or other persons. Hence there is no way
to raise the additional money required except by
increasing the number of mills levied.
Again, it must be remembered that more and
more work is being done in the schools each year,
with more and more pupils each year. making
demand for more teachers as the pupils come In.
This year the teaching force has been increased by
three teachers, and another year we must have at
least two more teachers than we have this year.
rrvi1 ha hiphar
while the Trustees feel that Ee must pay as high
salaries as any other SCHOOL in the state IN order to
secure the best talent in the teaching profession.
The board will likely make 500 per month the basis
for next year, which will be an increase of $40 per
month over the present year. This means practi-
callv 5000 more for each teacher in the public
schools, amounting to about sS4oo increase in the
yearly payroll.
Then, we must not forget that if we are to have
q, Superintendent of Major Fulp's attainments, we
cannot get and keep him for the salary now paid
h f;. his, there will be substantial increase
in the salary to be paid the Superintendent, as
there will be also in the salary paid Mr. Daniel if
he may be pursuaded to come to Abbeville for the
next school year. These increases, with the salar-
il "a io!ial teachers, watch we must have,
o.sary to raise something like &c.
600 to $1,000 more next year for the schools than
W, present year.
The taxable property of the school district is not
more than 81 10000 and four mills additional
will raise only S6OOO so that :: VIII he seen thai
il : al OF the four mills to give Abbevlle
th, which the times demand.
Some will think this an exceedingly large amount
to so good cause as education, but
ncne will doubt we take it, that education is the
mos, important Of all the purposes for which taxes
ar ~ will be paying fourteen mills for
the u2-ieap OF our schools, the running expenses,
and ne salaries of teachers. This entities every
ch. tac district to an education without further
eos d with the schools which We now have, and