Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-10-20
new SCHOOL Plan
1 HINGES ON FUNDS
Board Of Education Hard Put
TO Meet Regular Overhead
( Out Of Appropriation

Members of the Board of Education
are willing and ready to go ahead with
the building program advocated by
superintendent Broome, which is TO
place the schools In n position to pro-
vido "oc"~mo'".io TO- all comcrs.
They are deferred only by lack Of
sufficient funds, and to find these FUNDS
the officials and members of the board
are now bending every effort.
Placing Il $4,000, 900 building pro.
gram under contract in one year viii
require the expenditure in actual cash
Of about one. half that sum that year.
II the board officials can ful means
to pay the sinking fund and intcrns'
charges on loan of 5000, 600 for
the new building program. the Depart
ment Of Superintendent IS "nrc 1t can
be successfully carried through in two
years. Other programs. however, Will
have to follow If the schools are to be
kept up to par.
The sinking fund charges and in
tercst on a million dollars amount 20
about $4,000 if the loan rnn be
foated at per cent. But NS tn"
board is determined that the tax rat"
ms fixed at nine and one half mills
shall suffice for the coming year Il
means that to carry out the program
Of development, S6l0,OOo must ."
available.
Increased revenue of the board for
the coming year is estimated about
81 900. 900. based on TIE "S,imated IL
crease of real estate assessments. lr
addition ther" will be S"nn.oDn avail
able. especially borrowed tbs year for
an administrator building. Out ".
that, 81, 800. 900. however. first mU>'
be paid any detciehry caused by in
creased expenses this year.
Board Faces Deficiency
A deficiency Of 5000 .OOn already faces
the board through the increa>' number
Of teachers and greater numhc" Of cvr.
ming classes. To COmpiCatr matters
further, the coal contracts have called
for considerable more money than was
set aside last year, and It Is only be-
cause Of the extremely warm weather
so far this autumn that the board has
not already overdrawn the amount sct
aside for the coal item.
Added 10 the money which must be
provided there will have to be sutf
cient sum set aside to take care Of I'll"
teachers in the two new Junior high
schools and to pay the 500 increase Of
salary which all teachers not yet At
their maximum receive under the pres
ent salary schedule. There must also
be money provided for Il loan which
will finance the completion Of the build.
ings now under construction.
Under the act Of tn" 1922 LegiS-
lature the board is commanded manda-
torily TO provide In it's tax levy for an
amount sufficient TO pay the interest and
sinking fund charges on all indebted
ness Of the school district. \ levy -
seven eghths Of mill was sufficient
. for that item for the current year. In
the levy money was provided for th"
start of the buildings now under way
There remains a quarter ot their cost
vet to be raised by loan and provide
FOR in this item.
William Rowen. president of III"
board. is eager 10 authoriz" the new
building program. 1T is entirely a
question Of money" he said. If ""
can find the funds W" will gladly 60
ahead with the buildings proposed by
DR.. Broome in his annual report which
was submitted 70 til" boards last meet
ing.
vide for many things. We do Eut want
TO increase the tax rate, and yet on
all sides there is demand for new
school buildings. We are today making
use of old structures that were built
ninety or more years ago They are
totally inadequate for modern schoo,-
houses. have visited several OF them
lately and have found the children
coopcd IN dark"nod and vent!latr'!
rooms stra!ning their eyes, .njuriug
their lungs, trying to get an edu"nt!ou,
''If the money can be provided | am
sure the board will be- unanimous In
adopting the program for new buildings,
which is one Of the largest and most
comprehensive ever laid before schopI
officials OF any city in tho Nation. Part
time is increasing instead Of decrcas-
ing. The work now being done will
prevent its fV"th"" increase 49, vear
but it will not 20 far TO providing ac-
commodations for the / 600 nupi,s row
attending schools for few hours only
each day. W" must provide for these
children and the board am sure. will
back me up il We are tod by our fnan-
cial experts that we can provide all
necessary funds