Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1921-08-26
GREAT ECONOMY
IN SCHOOL WILL
Be NECESSARY
Cut Of S1.50 Per Scholastic
Means Loss Of Over
$4,000 To District

The economy measures Of the sne-
cial legislative session, Which has re-
suite. IN tie reduction from Sl4-5O
to $500 rer scholastic in the appro-
priation IF tee state school fund,
will me IN a severe loss to the Browns
vile Independent School District.
The district this year returned to-
tai of 1892 scEoiastics, ard the
school board h.d expected to receive
$l4.50 per scholastic from the state
fund, but the action of t.ic leg-sla-
ture will cut tie districts receipts
from that ssrrce S7,4SS giving It .
total of $64,S96.
The budget made recently by the
school board for the 1922 exp.n.
ditures includes $6s,047 for teachers
salaries. Ii wGs expected 1T tina.
time tke state appropriation would
take care of this item ard leave =
balance Tor the maintainancc fund
but the cut in tie arportionment
will make it necessary for the board
to take $c,15l from the maintain
ancc fund to apply to the salary
fund.
"The cut was quite a dissPpoint-
ment to Us" said Fred Starck, Sc
cretary of the school board, and 1t
will mean the most rigid ECONOMY
must be practiced during the coming
school year. In speaking of econo-
mixing l do not mean that we viii
forced to in any way impair the ef-
ficiency Of our schools, but it will
make it necessary fer us 10 get
along without many things we had
contemplated adding.
ssAt the tine the tond issIe for
S175,OO0 vcs before the voters OF
the district we sssured them that the
tax rate wo;.l.. not be over 20 cents,
m increase Of 20 cents over the pre-
vious ye.r. We stated that the
schools could be maintained an the
5O-cent rate, and tie additional ~
cents would be applied to taking care
az the bond iss1e. Desrice' the cut
in the state apPortionI7ent we are
going to stand b. that statement.
maintain the high standard : ct our
schools, aad close the year without
a shortage. 1t Is going TO reauire
the greatest econ my IN every
branch, but we can do it. dIt g :
aMany districts in the state VIII
doubtless take advantage OF TINS cut
IN the appcrt.onment to reduce the
s~larics of their teachers. but con-
slider that the poorest method of eco
romizirg. Brownsville Eas a corps
of teachers of which every school
patron can feel proud. an theJ more
than earn every cent of saicry they
receive. To cut salaries would mean
reducing efficiency and the general
morale of the schools, and no dis
tr;ct c-n afford to do that We
hsve got to economize. but it Will
not be in direction tnat will in any
way threaten to lo-zer the standaro
of our schools"
Mr.. Starck received the announce
ment yesterday frcm tie state edu.
cation department that the financial
report of the district for last year
had been audited and approved, the
General condition of the districts
financial affairs having been fornc
very satisfactory.
Reports from various parts CT the
state indicate that in soEie sections
the shortage caused by cutting the
state appropriation will result in the
shortening of the school .er. This
will not be the case in Brownsville
however. and the regular nine-month
echool wear will be carried out.