Evening star., 1922-09-08
Hste b MaH-RsysSis N Alvanes.
- MhfylanA and Virginia.
All llfhaR Rkatex.
= The School Estimates.

IN its letter to the District Commis-
sioners regarding the estimates the
board Of education sets forth facts that
should have an influence with the
budget bureau in raising the limit that
has been set at thst point upon the
requisition for a fund Tor the next fis-
cal year. The board points o9t that
the estimate submitted by II, orig.
inaliy, tetaIing approximately $s.4oo,-
900. was the lowest consistent with
maintaining the. present efficiency Of
the school system. 1t vss S2,o0o.ooe
lass than the estimates submitted .
year ago, ,"a,i Of which were destra'
~" 1t was only about $500 900
more than the sesuai expenditures Of
the school system duYins the past rs
eel year The board says:
TO reduce the estimates for 1874 to
k.60o,080 means. therefore. that the
school system must hs opsreesd dvf-
sap.ndsd dsqinx the past ;t y.sr. when
not too much money was spent ~ 10
the opinion Of the board Of education
that the sStin atss cannot BE- reduced
- &S.seo.oee without eliminating Items
geSSSeAfy " thS "SsUSSue"Se " NV
6eaeois..
QUITE plainly. if the drastically re-
4ucsd estimate u made bssis for the
budget bureaus reQpmmendation and
the writing Of the appropriation bill. q
large deficiency APPROPRIATION will be
necessary unless the schools are to be
reduced, to grave condition Of In
eaiciency. Why should deficiency ap
preparation be deliberately invited and
made necessary BY cutting down the
initial budget recommendation? IT Is
wholly Inconsistent With the theory Of
the budget system thus to pile up be-
lated deficit estimates.
The principal purpose Of budgeting
the governments expenditures Is to
permit a full reckoning at the outset
Of the appropriation period Of all the
prospective and assured requirements
Yet here In Ahe case Of the District,
which for the present purpose may be
considered as feature Of the govern.
ment system. the estimates are pruned
eonSsssedly below the point Of actual
Il
any examination ef the accounts and
the state Of the municipal organiza-
ton. =
In the case Of the schools certain
ebiis.tions have been incurred that
must be recognized. The school sys'
tern has. through neglect Of appro-
Driations In the past, become seriously
eonsested and outgrown. There is but
one or two things to be done. to in
crease the equipment to the point Of
accommodating all who are Of school
sse-a number prospectively In.
creased recently by the passage of a
bin BY tie Senate extending the age
iimits-os /, to lessen the numbsr OF
children taught or reduce the hours Of
tesching per pupil. In other words,
conSfsss. - tbs Districts Legislature.
must appropriate more or make the
present equipment serve by stretch
ing II, 30 to speak, TO accommodate
the same or even greater numbers
than At present.
The board Of education in its estk
mates properly takes the position that
the approximations should be increased.
In this 1t has the support q every tax
payer Of the District and douStless the
support Of. the Commissioners. The
latter, however. are confronted With .
demand by the budget bureau to re-
ddce the, estimates. The resuit OF the
reduction Is certain to b disastrous to
the school system. unless Congress.
realizius the injustice and ahsurdity
Of such drastic cuts. cslls for and en-
tertains ~ the outset Of the framing
Of the District bill estimates based
upon actual needs such - the board
has now under protest reduced.
;