Smyrna times., 1923-02-07
PROF. SCHANTz BEFORE BUDGET
COMMITTEE IN SCHOOL PLEA
SUPERINTENDENT MAKE POINT
OF SMYRNA SPECIAL DISTRICT
Tells How Smyrna Is Obliged to Raise
Their Tax Rate LOcally-Sup-
ports DR.. Holloway In Plea


Superintendent Schantz, of the
Smyrna Special District Schools ap-
peared before the joint Budget Com
mittee of the Senate and House of
the Delaware Legislature, Monday,
and with State Superintendent Hollo-
way, made a plea for the six million
school budget for next two years. Mr..
Schantz said Smyrna district alone
took care of three adjoining districts
and 60 per cent of the high school
pupils and 85 per cent of the elemen-
tary pupils came from the outlying
districts. He said there are 725 pu-
pills attending the Smyrna schools
Last year the district spent about
$4,000, about $4,000 of which was
raised locally. Their budget calls for
$7O,O75. The people of the district,
he said, have been raising their tax
rate locally to pay for improving their
two school buildings. A summary of
school finances, calling for appropria-
tiOns of S2,997 ,140 for the school year
1924, and $3,O94,39 for the school
year 1924-25, a total of $6,091 ,531, re-
presenting the estimated require
ments of the State Board of Educa-
tiOn during the next two years, was
presented to the joint budget COM
mittee by Mr.. Holloway. The budget
for the next two years represents an
increase Of $1,090,S93 over the actual
/ expenditures of the State Board dur.
ing the past two years. The hearing
was only well started after RI. Hollo.
way had been queried for two hour.
by Chairman Collins of the budget
committee and other members of the
committee.
DIR. Holloway Explains Expenses
In their request for funds to cove
travelling expenses there is an increas
Of $11O0, and DR.. Holloway explaine,
that at present the special school dis
trict officials do not have any allow
ance for the travelling they have +
do on school matters, and the Stat
Board has felt that when a man j
giving his time and energy to publ
matters he should be reimbursed t
, some degree for the money he has t
expend to get from place to place t
do this work. At present such OF
fcials have been paying travelling eX
penses out of their own pockets. Ur
der the head of general control whic
Is made up largely of salaries tn
school boards budget shows that tn
: department is asking for S130,515 fC
: 1923-1924, and S143,O95 for 1924-192
| For the current school year this
= $32,412 increase over the sum expenC
ed last year for the same purpose
a DR.. Holloway explained this increas
< was to be divided as follows: Atten,
S ance $1O,2OO; Office $4,000; WilmingtC
|. $794O; special districts, S9,472.
Visiting Teachers Doing Good WOl
v He told the committee the Sta
v Board at present has no attendan,
= officers but it does have visiting teac
f ers who, he said, are sort of soci
e workers between the schools and Il
@ homes of the children in that when
l. child is absent these women go to Il
/ homes to find out why. If the pupi
e are lacking in clothing such visitiI
o teachers make it their business to g
i in touch with the charitable organic
e tions and see that the children a
% provided with the proper clothing
,r enable them to attend school.