Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-07-28
Says Too Much
Red Tape in y. S.
School Question

causes or the present ueplOIhDie
condition of American public schools
are red tape and the handicapping of
Boards of Education by politicians.
according to a survey OF public school
boards and their receipts and ex-
penditures, directed by the National
Committee for Chamber of Commerce
Cooperation With the Public Schools
and the American city Bureau made
public here today.
The survey which covered condi-
tons In ar cities showed, 1t was said,
that in AZ per cent OF cases where
Boards OF Education were "indepepd-
ent" or free from political manipula-
ton or control. that the most efficient
administrative and educational re-
suits 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 re-
duced and rcmodelled by city officials
who have not made a definite study
of the needs of the schools"
Boards which are really a sub
division 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
case of cities in New Jersey, the
budget must be passed upon by
special Board of School Estimate; in
10 81 rp
dependent upon an Excise Board; in
Ohio cities. school budgets may be re-
duced by a special county commission;
in New England, school budgets must
be submitted direct to a town meet
ing and in many Western cities the
budget is determined by some county
authority.
The survey shows that the school
receipts in the 81 cities for the past
fiscal year were $3.50, 100000 and that
the expenditures of these same cities
during this period We're about $1,000
600 less than income. The funds are
from five sources and are supplied in
the following proportions: From the
states 1l.6 per cent; the federal
government 03 per cent; the county
81 per cent; local taxes GA per cent;
non-revenue or miscellaneous sources,
including income from sale of bonds
or short time loans, 10 per cent.
The survey shows that of all cities
reporting, 20 per cent do not receive
a dollar from the Federal government.
Teachers salaries aggregated $3.50, 600
900 or 64 per cent of the total of the
current expense of the schools.
The total expenditure for debt SER
vice. varies from four tenths of one
per cent in the Eastern cities, one and
one third per cent in the Southern
cities and up to nine and one-half per
cent in the Great Lakes group. In
one-fifth of the Great Lakes cities
the expenditure for this item is more
than 20 per cent of the total cXpendi-
ture for all purposes. In a number Of
Ohio cities it is between 50 and 80 per
cent.
The relation of capital outlay ag-
gregating $51, 727,55i to the total ex-
penditures showed that nearly s. per
cent was utilized on sites and new
buildings. A total of $1,341 900 was
expended for medical inspection and
dental and nurse service in the
377 cities named. The part of
the total expenditures spent for
the alteration and equipment of old
buildings was only Is per cent. Com
menting on this the committee said
The smallness of this amount is
of particular interest in connection
with the findings of this committe in
their report on school housing condi-
tions in American cities This report
shows that a large percentage of the
children in the public schools are con-
tinually menaced by the insanitary
conditions and fire hazards in many
old school buildings now in use. In
Eastern cities the conditions are par
ticularly bad"
An intermediate class of school
boards, designated as special"
which are neither dependent nor in
dependent, are also discussed in the
report and held to be contrary to the
best educational policy.
The basis for the committees sur
vey was an inquiry sent to the
superintendent of schools in cities
with populations in excess of 5000.
The present survey is the third of a
series. The first report, published
last October, presented the facts con-
corning salaries, training and eX-
perience of teachers. A second re-
port. published last March. dealt with
school housing conditions.