Evening journal., 1923-01-30
FINANCING
EDUCATION
DR.. Ward Tells Club Women
School Board Should
Have Authority
NEED MORE MONEY
TODAY THAN EVER

Financing Public Education was
the subject of an address made this
morning by DR.. David A. Ward. SUI
perintendent of city public schools
at the meeting of the Current Events
Glass of the Wilmington New Cen
tury Club.
DIR. Ward said: 1.-The schools need
more money than ever before. The
school performs n wider function.
The curriculum has broadened, more
activities have been added, such as
night schools summer schools,
schools for special types of children,
Americanization, vocational educa-
tion. etc. The highest cost of all
material entering into the mainten-
ance and operation of schools is an
added expense, and the increased
cost Of living necessitates higher sal
aries for teachers.
whether or not we improve
schools" DR.. Ward continued, de
pends upon whether we think In
terms of tax rates or in terms of hu-
man needs. The first need of the
community is the education OF its
children for future citizenship. What
body Is in better position to know
the needs of the schools than Board
of Education. elected by the people
for the specific purpose of studying
the problems of the schools ana
providing for their solution?
There are two distinct types OF
control of school finances. Accord
ing to the first type, known as fiscal
independence. the Board o. Educa-
ton has power to levy taxes for
school purposes. within certain linz
itations provided by the Legisla-
ture.
THE second type, the Board OF
Education, is dependent upon City
Council, or some other tax-levying
body for the amount of money nee
essary for the operation of schools.
The problem of school finance
control has been submitted to the |
courts in most of the States in the !
Union, and a study of the decision !
of these courts shows that fiscal in /
dependence of the Board of Educa- |
ton is legally right. There is only /
one source OF taxation outside of the !
Federal Government. and that is the /
state. The State creates the NUM- |
cipality. and the State creates the /
school district. Neither IS superior |
to the other. Both are answerablt (
to the State.
THE school board is ere ted for |
the specific purpose Of operating the |
schools. They should be given au- /
thority to finance the schools. The /
business of the governing body Of
the municipality is to study the mu-
nicipal problems. and the business Of
the Board of Education is to study
the educational problems. 1t is mani
festly illogical for the people to elect
a Board of Education to have con-
troll of the schools and to be answer
able directly and only to the people,
and withhold from them the finan-
Cial means necessary for the sue
cessful operation of the schools. 1t
is equally illogical to hold the City
Council responsible for appropria-
tions for educational needs. and
delegate the study and control of
these needs to another body. Coun-
Gil should be relieved of This re-
sponsibility, ard the Board of Edu-
cation should be made to assume
full responsibility to the people for
all matters pertaining to the schools. |
1T IS sometimes argued that
Boards of Education will not spend |
wisely the money in their control !
Is it not reasonable to suppose that |
the same people who elect a body !
of honorable and responsible men !
to have control of the municipal |
will elect equally hon
orable and. responsible men to have |
control of the educational inter |
ests of their own children?"
Following DR.. Wards address /
Mrs. J. Frank Ball. spoke on "The .
at the Laurentlans. Mrs. |
Mary d. Bradford read a paper en-
titled Travel Contact with Ancient
History" Current Events were given
by Mrs. Thomas c. Mum and music
was furnished by Mrs. Julian Adair.
ST. JOHNS LEAGUE.