The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-09-20
SCHOOL OFFICIALS
TELL The PEOPLE
OF SCHOOL CRISIS
Again Present Plan to Continue
Schools Through the Regular
SesSion-Charge Tuition.

Many Of The Journal readers who
have children of school age. and be-
levers in education generally, will
read with interest a statement made
yesterday by the board OF public in
struction, z. D. Beggs, o. ]. Semmes,
C. E. Graham. Supt. A. S. Edwards and
the school trustees, P. K. Yonge, Geo.
P. Wentworth and Samuel Pasco.
Their statement:
LAS we approach the opening of the
term of the public schools in the
Pensacola District it seems wise to
state again briefly and clearly the
situation of our school affairs and the
plans for the coming year.
The public funds are only suffi-
cient to pay for six months term. In
order to extend the term to eight
months, funds to pay for the extra two
months must be raised in some other
way. The plan for raising the re-
quired amount as adopted by the
school officials is that each pupil in
the High Schools pay a registration
fee OF $1,000 in two payments. one-half
($5.25), at the opening Of the fall $685.
sion and the other half at the opening
Of the mid-tern session: that each
pupil in the grammar grades pay the
sum Of S. in two payments, one hoIf
G$2.50), at the opening Of the fall ses-
sion and the other half at the opening
OF the mid-term; that each pupil in
the primary grades pay the sum of 81
in two payments. one half ($2.00), at
the opening of the fall term and the
other half at the opening Of the mid
term.
Every pupil Is, of course, entitled
to attend school during the sixth
months whether he or she pays the
registration fee or not and special
care is being taken that no embarass-'
ment be occasioned to pupils failing
derstand the cause for the present
to pay such fees.
Tn order for the public to fully I'M
condition it should be stated again
that the funds available each year for
maintaining the schools have not
been sufficient for many years, and
each successive year there has been
an accumulated deficit in funds
which has grown to the amount Of
the present indebtedness. In other
words, the people received a greater
value in school facilities in the past
years than they were paying for in
those years. And to begin the work
Of retiring this Indebtedness and at
the same time continue to maintain
the schools each year has brought
about the present condition. 1t is not
| out OF place to say that as appears by
the public press the same condition
exists in many communities, not alone
! in Florida but In other states as we'll
This policy which has been pursued
| in this county presents one redeeming
feature. If no more, and that is that
| it has raised the standard Of our
| schools to that Of the best Of the
schools anywhere. The situation now
presented is briefly that the public
funds will not be in hand to run the
schools beyond six months. Six
months Is entirely too short to thor
oughly and properly cover the work OF
| the school year. If the people desire
the eight months the amount required
must be paid in registration fees or
otherwise. If the amount Is not all
paid such amounts as are paid will be
returned to those paying them and the
public schools will be discontinued at
the end of the six months.
"The school officials are frank to
say that in their opinion a crisis has
been reached in our school affairs To
have no more than a six months term
will, in their judgment, be a calamity
to our school children, the people
generally and our city. They feel.
therefore, that they should present
the situation to the public again and
urgently invite and request the CO.
operation and support Of the people Of
Pensacola in the effort to maintain
the schools for the eight months
| farm