The Wrangell sentinel., 1928-11-29
NEW REFUND ACT PROVES INADEQUATE FOR SCHOOLS
 THAT CONTINUE GROWING

|
 THAT CONTINUE GROWING
 Alaska schools experienced a small growth during the school year 1927 2S, according to statistics prepared by Lester D. Henderson, Territorial Commissioner of Education. The ex- pansion which took place in compar- ison with the school year 1926-27 may be summarized as follows: In number of schools, g; in number of teachers employed. 19; in total en- rollment, 155; in elementary school enrolment, III; in high school en- rollment, A; in costs. $102, 2,355,49.
 Increased costs may appear to be excessive in view of the growth along other lines. However, they are less real than appearances would indi- cate. At least s50,00O of the in- crease may be charged to the con struction of new school buildings. In schools outside incorporated cities, alone, the cost of school buildings erected during the year was S29,993.- 90 as compared with s4,344 for the school year 192627.
 The following table sets forth de- tails relative to the number of schools maintained, their enrolment, etc.
 Number of schools. s...........9 90
 Number of teachers. .235 Total pupils enrolled. .,... 1928 Elementary enrolment .... .4115
 High School enrolment. .713
 Elementary school graduates, 297
 High school graduates ........95
 Expenses and expen-.
 ditures ......... $612,270.S0 Of the ninety schools maintained, sixty-one were taught by one teach CT each, ten by two teachers each, and the balance by from three to twenty teachers each. The enroll ment varied from two pupils at Woodrow, to six hundred fifty-three at Ketchikan. Costs ranged from sS55.31 for the special school at Moose Creek to $49,907.30, the amount expended at Juneau.
 The per capita annual expense of schools in incorporated cities (not including expenditures for capital outlay) was s125.85. Per capita an- nual expense for individual schools ranged from $205.03 at Eagle, the most expensive per pupil in average daily attendance, to $94.12 at Peters burg, the least expensive. In schools outside incorporated cities the annu- al expense per pupil in average daily attendance was $15S.24.
 Incorporated cities derived an av- craze of 65.3 percent of their total expenses and expenditures from the Territorial treasury. The otal amount expended was s975,709.47. Of this amount $245, ,331.26 was re- ceived from Territorial appropria- tions and the balance, S130, 0,326.01, from local taxation. Cordova re- ceived the highest per cent of Terri torial support, S4.9 percent, and Pe- tersburg the lowest, 44.92 percent
 The new basis of Territorial sup port cannot be considered as satis- factory, in the opinion of MT. Hem derson. Under the law passed by the Legislature, the Territorial refund to each school may not exceed sum equal to S5 percent of expenses for the school year 1926-27 So long as particular city school system re- mains static such an arrangement is satisfactory. However, if expansion is taking place the burden falls more heavily upon the community as its school system continues to grow.
 CordoYa and Petersurg, referred to above, afford examples of the man. ner in which the new law works Since the school year 1926-27 the Cordova school system has experi- enced no special growth necessitat- ing the employment of additional teachers, or other marked increase in expenses, consequently this city receives approximately S5 percent Territorial support. Petersburg, on the other hand, has been forced to employ two additional teachers in or der to keep pace with the increased enrolment. This additional expense must be carried almost entirely by the municipality, thus materially de- creasing the percent of Territorial support and placing the city among the group which is penalized on ac- count of the natural growth and ex- pansion of it's school system.
 Seward offnrdc cfi1I onofbar ooca