Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-04-19
Radical Changes Are Urged BY Parks
In Georgia's State School System
NEW PLAN OFFERED
BY DR.. NJ. NJ. PARKS
At OFFICIALS MEET

Jul Fltdi CIldIlSSS III Inc pICSelL
system of financing the public
schools Of Georgia were recommends
I'd by DR., M. NJ. Parks. state school
superintendent, in an address on
School Finances" delivered Tues.
lay afternoon at the annual meet
ing of the Georgia County and City
School Officials. Briefly stated, DR..
Parks recommendations were:
1. To abandon the present plan
of long delayed payment of pub
lie school money by paying it
month by month, enacting a con-
stitutiOnal amendment increas-
ing the governors borrowing
power by $3,5OO,OOO to be de-
creased $250,OO0 each year, the
amount borrowed under this
amendment to be used solely for
. public school purposes.
2. To abolish the school war
rant system now in vogue, by
which the school fund loses APP
pre- ately 100000 annually
through sale and discount of
school warrants.
3. To bring about increased eff
ficiency in the operation of the
public schools from top to bot
tom, securing longer terms, bet
ter teachers and better training
for the children.
4. To secure the appropriation
of not less than half the states
revenue for public school pur-
poses.
DR.. Parks, in his address to the
county and city school officials, EN-.
)hasized the need for a business-like
administration Of the public schools
n all phases of their operation. He
1eplored the practice of selling
school warrants, and urged more up
.o-date methods of financing the
statewide school system, declaring
hat under the present plan the pub
ic schools have to wait until De-
cember to get 10 per cent of the
funds due them from the state.
His address follows
Outline of Plan
"For many years it has been gem
orally recognized that there is need
for better business management in
he distribution of the state public
school fund. Under the present
plan the system of financing the
common schools is in bad shape.
ALLOW me to suggest plan Cor
the legislature to put stop to the
system of delayed payment to the
public schools, and plan to put a
stop to the unjust system Of heavy
losses. annually paid out of the pub
lie school fund.
For many years the public
schools have had to wait until near
" the end of the year-and longer
for their state appropriation,
often receiving not single payment
until December, and then only 10
per cent payment of the entire
years appropriation. In order to
run the schools during the year
he county school officials have had
o borrow through the state school
and otherwise, with heavy
osses Of interest.
The system is wrong; it Is I'M
ust; 1t is unbusinesslike. 1t ought
o stop. Some new plan must be
ldopted.
81 am glad to say that many
people have wished this injustice
and, previously, a bond
ssue has been proposed to relieve
he situation. But bond issues were
lot popular, and were difficult to
PASS, and the injustice still contin-
les.
Many think bond issues should
arely be made, and then only for
and not for running
expenses. The bond issue plan,
therefore,, is impractical.
The Solution.
ut seems that a better plan, es-
'ecially for the present, would be
o have $3,500,000 added to the
present borrowing power of the
governor annually, with the provi.
ion that the amount be automati
ally decreased quarter of mil
ion a year, and with the additional
'e used solely for the purpose of
Month by month.
chools have been paid $4,250,00
rom the state treasury. This is
$50, 900 less than for 1921.
when the tax equalizat ton law
yas passed in 1918, it was passed
ergely for the benefit of the puolic
chooI teachers, and with the IN
erstanding that they would not
ave to discount their vouchers any
lore. This promise was not kept,
ut in 1915 a. new plan of selling
chool warrants at a discount was
The plan enabled other
apartments and institutions to get
leir appropriations very nearly on
me from month to month, bur
It, the public schools in the posi-
on of having to pay interest out
Z their appropriations. Everybody
aims to be a friend of the COM
ION schools. Then let The common
,hools have a square deal in this
latter.
Loss Protested
"A protest against the system of
elayed payments and losses from
lterest, was made in his annual
aport last year by my predecessor.
e said:
"'Year by, year our general as
'mblY has continued to permit a
reat injustice to the teachers and
and never provided for
ny plan or system by which the
ipenses of these schools could be
lid promptly. On this account we
lffer a loss of thousands of dol
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