The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-07-28
TOO MUCH RED
TAPE AND POLITICS
Chamber of Commerce Com
mittee Reports On
School Conditions
INDEPENDENT MEN
GIVE BEST SERVICE
Total of 1853. 100000 Spent for Schools
In 377 American Cities - "a Per Cent
Used for Teachers Salaries - Poor
Housing In East. aa. .t

Used for Teachers Salaries - Poor
Housing In East. aa@.
NEW YORK. July 2S.-Two prime
causes of the present ''deplorable' con-
dition of American public schools are red
tape and the handicapping of board of
education by politicians, according to
survey of public school boards and their
receipts and expenditures, directed by
the national committee for chamber of
commerce cooperation with the public
schools and the American city bureau
made public yesterday.
The survey which covered conditions
in 3T7 cities showed. it was said, that in
IL per cent of cases where boards of ed
ucation We're independent or free from
political manipulation or control, that
the most efficient administrative and ed
ucational results are obtained.
The best interests of the public
schools" says the report, cannot be
served in city where the budget of the
board of education may be reduced and
remndelled by city officials who have not
made a definite study of the needs of the
schools
Boards which are really a subdivision
Of the municipal government and whose
budget may be changed by municipal
authorities are classified as dependent"
and undesirable from the standpoint OF
the public good,
1t is thus pointed out that in the ease
of cities in New Jersey, the budget must
be passed upon by special board of
school estimate; in Oklahoma cities the
school trustees are dependent upon an
excise board: in Ohio cities. school bud
hae NV. al Y
commission: in New England school
budgets must be submitted direct to
town meeting and in many western cities
the budget is determined by some county
authority.
The survey shows that the school re-
eeipts in the 81 cities for the past fiscal
year were S333. 260. 900 and that the ex
penditureS of these same cities during
this period were about S2.000.0OO less
than income. The funds are from FIVE
sources and are supplied in the follow
ing proportions: From the states 11.6
per cent the federal government o. per
cent !: the county 81 per cent; local
taxes GA per cent; nOn-revenue or mis-
cellaneous sources, including income
from sale of bonds or Short-time loans.
ITO per, cent The survey shows that, of
all cities reporting. 40 per cent do not
erAment Teachers salaries aggregated
$3.50 600 600 or GA per cent of the total
of the current expense of the schools.
The part of the total expenditure spent
for the alteration and equipment of old
buildings was only is per cent. Conn
menting on this the committee sadi:
THE smallness of this amount is of
particular interest in connection with the
findings of this committee in their report
on school housing conditions in Ameri-
can cities This report shows that
large percentage of the children in the
public schools are continually menaced
by the runsanitary conditions and fire
hazards in many old school buildings now
in use In eastern cities the conditions
are particularly bad.
An intermediate class of school
boards designated as special which
are neithor denendent nor independent,
are also discussed in the report and held
To be contrary to the best educational
policy.