New Britain herald., 1926-10-15
THE COSTS OF EDUCATION

THE COSTS OF EDUCATION
 New Britain's educational prob lem is an ever-increasing one to the parent and the taxpayer alike. The continued need of additional facilities, and the growing expense 10 supply them is source Of con- siderable trouble. Parents, unques- itonably, doubt that their children are getting the schooling they should have, they are inclined to criticize teachers and methods of handling the youngsters. Taxpayers growl at the proportion of their property valuation which goes to- ward maintenance of the establish ments.
 IL is doubtful, however. if either realizes the growth of the city Of New Britain and it's consequent 
 comparatively heavy expense for schools as well as other utilities for which the taxpayer is assessed. For that reason study of report by the Superintendent of Schools is of interest, though it may point to no solution of the difficulties.
 During the past nineteen years the total enrolment in the schools here has increased nearly three times. In 1908 the total enrolment was 5,013 and in 1926 1t was 14,- 5o5. The population, in the same length of time approximately doubled, the school report estimate being 4S,0o0 in 1906 and S0,000, q trife high. perhaps, in 1926. The total expense of schools in 1907 was s1l7,902 and in 1926 s1,006,- g37. There was s525,O0O worth of school property in 1907 to s4.639,- 159 worth at the present time, comprising 14 buildings with 1l2 rooms in 1907 and 35 buildings with 403 rooms in 1926; 136 teachers were at work in 1907 and 412 now teach.
 It would appear, then, that there had been an expense more than eight times as great this last year 10 handle three times as many pu- pills. The cost per pupil in 1907 was 32S.50; in 1928 it was about s69.3n. The number of pupils per teacher was approximately the same each of the years being used for comparison. the average num- Der of pupils to each teacher in 1907 being nearly 37 and in 1926 over 35. Th,rc were about fj pu- pills for each room in the school system in 1907 and 36 in 1926. The value Of school property increased over eight times. Tn the same pc riod the valuation of all city prop crty increased about three and one half times.
 Probably the greatest factors In the increased cost per pupil were lhe greater overhead involved, par ticularly in the pay of teachers. Il was in the years from 1917 on that expenses increased by leaps and bounds. After 1918 the total cost of operating the schools increased about s50.e0o per year. In period of seven years it jumped about a half milton dollars, approximate. ly doubling itself. Tn lG19-20 il cost s5ot,f11 10 operate g build. ings and s1.o66,9o7 10 operate g; buildings in 1a25-26. The increase in the number Of pupils in this time was about 3,f0n
 An analysis Of the figures doc' not prove q great deal, excepting the increased cost Of education One must dig deep indeed 10 ac. count for the items which go tc make up the increases, beyond tho greater overhead and teacher wage And, having found them. consider able lime must be spent 10 ngurc a method by which we may get tho same results, or better, in the edu, catIonai line with less expenditure per pupil