Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1923-04-04
MUST GET funds
IF SCHOOLS ARE
TO FINISH Term
School Will Lose Affiliation
With State University if
Delinquents do Not Pay
Their Taxes

The announcement made yesterday by
the school board of the Brownsville in
dependent school district that the nine
schools of the city will be closed within
a week unless the delinquent school tax
is paid and funds provided for the con-
tinuation Of the schools to the end Of
the term. created a decided sensation in
the city, resulting in many conferences
as to the best means of securing pay
ment of the delinquent taxes.
There is now on the tax rolls Of the
Brownsville Independent School district
S25.ss9.l6 due in delinquent taxes, and
of this amount Sl3.4i7.66 is 1922
tax The amount delinquent from 1921
is $4.3lG.S7 and from 1920 TO 1915, the
amounts grade from Si.T3043 for the
former year to $2s7.72 for the latter.
There is total of $40 names on the de-
linquent tax roll for 1922, with delin-
quencses amounting from $4,000 10 $l-0O.
-The l922-23 school year started out
under most suspicious conditions" Sec
retary Starck stated this morning. THE
school board believed there would be
ample funds for the term, and there
would have been had all taxes been paid.
I'VE started the year with the buildings
in excellent condition-ample room for
all pupils-and with a faculty which
was anxious to give the people OF this
district the best schools in the state of
Texas. Never before had the schools
been in better condition in this respect.
and the school board was looking for
ward to the most successful year in his
tory. The board believed there would be
plenty of funds, and never considered
the possibility OF such delinquencies.
Last year there was over $4,000 delin-
quent, and this year the amount delin
quent exceeds $4,000. 1t is these deiin
quents which are responsible for the
present condition Of school finances"
SECRETARY Starck stated this morning
that the March pay vouchers had not yet
been issued, this being the first time in
seven years that the district has not
paid promptly at the end of the month.
1--WE may be able TO issue these vouch-
ers in few days" he stated. but We
are not going to ask the teachers to
work during April without the assurance
that their vouchers will be paid prompt
ly" Heretofore the Brownsville school
basis. and no teacher in recent years, has
ever been compelled 10 have u voucher
discounted.
The suggestion has been made that the
Parent Teachers organization and va
rous civic organizations could aid the
school board materially in presenting
this matter to the Delinquent taxpayers
and urging them TO prevent the closing
Of the schools. The tax rolls are open 70
the public at the office Of the secretary.
The Brownsville schools will lose their
affiliation with the state university If
the schools close without completing the
term. according TO information given
this morning, which means that the
many years of effort to secure high
rating for the local schools will be Who'll
~ lost. "It will be calamity" Mr..
Starck said. "nnd the loss will be one
that cannot be represented in monetary
value, as Ii will mean depriving the pu-
pills Of our schools Of the most impor-
tant part of the term and great confu-
sion next fall when the schools organize
for the 1924 school year"