Evening star., 1922-11-04
MANY CUTS MADE
IN SCHOOL BUDGET
Authorities Call Attention to
Process by Which Esti-
mates Are Pruned.
BILL OFTEN CHANGED
Individual Items Are Altered as
Legislators Consider the
Measure.
BILL OFTEN CHANGED

The hazardous path over which the
public school estimates must pass on
| their long journey before being en-
acted into law was cited today by
school authorities as one of the rea-
sons why the school appropriations
are inadequate to meet the essential
needs of the District educational sys-
, tenn. Each of the many agencies
; which participate in the determine
tion of the school budget. it was
| pointed out, takes a hand in the cut
ting process which it undergoes an
nually, and when ultimately law 1t
! is minus many of the original items
| Of the board of education.
| As an illustration of the present
system under which the school ap-
propriations are secured. the officials
referred to the estimates for the cur
rent fiscal year. The board of educa-
| ton began the preparation of these
estimates by reviewing the written
statements of school needs, submitted
by the various citizens associations.
Planning Of Budget.
Each school officer also made a
written statement to superintendent
of Schools Frank w. Ballou, outlin-
ing the needs Of his respective school.
The superintendent and assistant su-
perintendents. Kramer and Wilkinson,
together with two members of the
board of education. held hearings on
the requests submitted by the officers
in order to obtain some idea of the
comparative urgency of the various
needs described.
Following this gathering of in
formation the school officers prepared
and submitted to the Commissioners
July %, 1921. a school budget calling
for appropriations amounting to $1O.-
44S.60S24 In this budget proper
recognition was given to the COM
, parative needs of the schools for
white and colored pupils. and the es-
Inmates for land and buildings were
divided on the basis of approximately
20 per cent for the white schools and
80 per cent for the colored schools.
| The budget carried requests for the
appropriations necessary to make
| some progress toward making UP ac-
cumulated deficiencies incurred by
the war. The budget. the officials en-
phasized. was not padded. but on the
contrary represented a businesslike
attempt to meet the educational needs
Of the District.
After receiving and considering the
school estimates. as submitted by the
school board. the Commissioners ad-
yised the school officials that the
school
| 50, ,0O0, 900, and invited the school au-
thorities to suggest what items might
be reduced with the least detriment
| to the school system. The school ohh-
cials submitted to the Commissioners
a memorandum indicating possible
reductions amounting to $2.3lS.920.
! The Commissioners followed in gen
eral the suggestions of the school Of
fcials, but made certain reductions
and changes not suggested by them.
The estimates, as finally sent to the
hureau of the budget. totaled $780,
3o2.24, a reduction of $2.516.306. in the
| budget. as submitted by the board OF
education.
the other estimates for the District.
were then forwarded to the budget
| hureau. where the school estimates
were further reduced by $3l6.222:24:
The budget bureau then transmitted
the estimates to President Harding
amounting to s7,6l4.ZSo. Co..
in Congress by the House and then
| the Senate. The committee on appro-
| priations of. the House held executive
hearings on the estimates covering a
| period of twenty-six days. The testi-
mony of the District officials covers
| school needs 3S7 pages. No items
were Increased, and the school items
were reduced $756.s20. The total
budget for the schools. as it passed
the House. was $6,857,460.
The appropriations bill then went
| to the Senate where 1t was referred
IN the corresponding committee of
| that body. This committee devoted
| onIysa few hours to school needs; re-
duced no items and restored to the
| Hill items for schools reduced or
eliminated by the House amounting
to s6l6,1S0. The total budget for the
| schools. as it passed the Senate. was
$7.473.64o.
changes in the bill as passed by the
House. The differences in the bill as
| IL passed the House and Senate were
| as IN the practice. made UP Of three
! conferees from each body.
I The final outcome of the conference
committee on these thirty-three diff
ferences was for the House to agree
i to nine changes proposed by the
senate. increasing the estimates
S379.000, and to refuse to agree to
fwenty-two other items modified by
~. senate. amounting to $378.8S0. Two
other times were the subject of COM
The report Of the conferees then
went to each Legislative body of Con-
9ress for approval. The bill was
dnaiiy passed by Congress and ap-
proved by President Harding on June
ls. The law became effective July /
s.In no other American city car
i there he found such system OF
4 making school appropriations" sum.
marised Supt Ballou.