The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1928-01-26
SCHOOL COSTS MOUNTING
WITH INCREASED DEMANDS
Main Consideration For TaXpay-
er Is That He Gets Results
For What Is Paid.

In referring recently to the rise in
the cost of education, Mr.. Franklin
E. Rathbun, Superintendent of Educa-
ton in Garrett county, called atten-
ton to the survey being made of Bos-
ton schools by the Harvard Graduate
i School.
The ever increasing cost Of educat-
ing American youth, so much discuss
ed and questioned today, will continue
to rise; but this curve of expenditure
will rise even more rapidly unless pre-
sent uneconomical methods are sur
veyed and eliminated, indicates the
Boston school-study report of Leslie
o. Cummings, professor of the gradu-
ate school of education of Harvard
prepared at the request of the Boston
Finance Commission.
The presentation of Professor Cum
mings' preliminary study of the Bos-
ton school system marks the first out
wardly manifest step by the Finance
Commission to revise the system in
the best interests of education, but
co-ordinating it with the resources of
the city, and providing far-reaching
plan for the future.
After a consideration of the link be-
tween education and industrial lead
ership, Professor Cummings said: at
depends on what Americans really
value. If they value education thay
will pay for it as they pay for all
things which their fathers did not pos
sess.
What Education Produces
Education produces wealth. 1t pro-
duces the sinews whereby education is
extended. Merchants could not mar
ket superior materials in increasing
quantities except as the general public
are educated to higher standards OF
good taste, appreciation of beauty, and
value of true worth as distinguished
from what is cheap and tawdry
Education must go on. There must
be increased attention to it, and con-
sequent expenditures. What has been
said does not mean that expenditures
should run wild, or that a dollar
should not get dollars worth Of ser
vice. The usual experience Of school
surveys, however, does not justify
the expectation that the survey will
necessarily reduce the cost of educa-
ton. But it should be one of the out
standing aims of this survey to indi-
cate how expenditures may be made
to greater advantage"
In this preliminary study Professor
Cummings recommended that the FL
nance Commission make a survey, the
work to be done by a disinterested
professional agency with the co-opera-
ton of the school staff. He recon-
mended first a study of the school
building situation, in that 'it would
make for economy of funds and eff
fectiveness of instruction to have the
older buildings and the smaller units,
which are expensive in upkeep re-
placed according to a carefully de-
veloped plan"
Lower Costs By Standardization
Another study recommended was of
standard types of rooms for different
types of instruction, to result in re-
duced costs and better adaptation of
buildings for teaching. And still an
Iother was one that would result in the
closer coordination of the business
and educational aspects of schools.
In advising a study of the classifi-
cation of children for instruction, Pro-
fessor Cummings said:
"This should effect in a tangible
way as no other single study the
great bulk of school costs. approx
imately 70 per cent of current expen-
diture is for Instruction. The grad
ing of children, so that teachers are
placed in charge of groups with which
they can work to the best advantage
and children will be in the most favor
able conditions for learning, is econo-
my. Failures cost money and are ex-
pensive as we'll because a child train
ed in failure is not an asset to the
community"
AS means of getting the public to
face the facts about rising school
costs, he made as fifth recommends
ton that a study of school costs be
made in order to present an adequate
statement of the financial situation in
standard Technology, especially with
reference to municipal finances.