The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-03-02
AVERAGE EXPENSE FOR EDUcA-
TION
State Superintendent Gives Figures
Increase Over 1926


Excluding general control and fix
ed charges, the expense OF educating
each white elementary school pupil
in the counties last year was SAT .26,
an increase of S1.24 over 1926, &C
cording to Albert S. Cook, State Su.
perintendent of Schools.
In every county in the State ex
cept Caroline, Carroll, Cecil and Tai
bot the cost per pupil increased ir
1927. as compared with 1876, Mr.
Cook says.
costs ranged from $39 pupi'
in Washington county to $57 in Cal
vert" Mr.. Cook asserted. 'Six
counties; Calvert, Kent, Montgom.
cry, Queen Anne's. Garrett and Bal
timore; have costs in excess of $50
pupil. Seven counties-Washin
ton, Hartford, Frederick, st. Mary's
Cecil, Somerset and Howard-spent
less than s45 for each pupil enroll
ed Nearly one-half of the counties
required an annual expenditure o.
from S45 to $50 for each white ele
mentary school pupil"
The teachers salary item, Mr.
Cook said. was the largest in the ex
pense of instructing each pupil. 1t
was dependent not only on the sal
airy of teachers but was influenced b.
the size of the classes. With the
exception of st. Mary's, Allegany
Baltimore, Montgomery and Prince
Georges counties, the eleven coun-
ties highest in salary cost per pupi
were lowest in the size of the classes
Despite small classes in ST.. Mary's
county, the average cost per pupil
was kept down by the average teach
er's salary being lower than in any
other county in the State,
Salaries for teachers during the
last year were increased by forty
three cents a pupil because of the
employment Of larger number OF
teachers holding higher grades of
certificates. There were decreases
in salary costs in Anne Arundel, Bal
timore, Caroline, Carroll, Kent
Montgomery, Queen Anne's and Tai
bot counties. Salary costs varied
from $3O6S pupil in Washington
county, which ranked second in the
State in the size of classes, to S42.-
As in Garrett county, which ranked
next to the lowest in size of classes
Supervision costs increased to
SLAP, against $1.35 for 1925. Part
of the increase, according to Mr.
Cook, is explained by the employ
ment of an additional supervising or
| ,elping teacher in five counties
which previously had not their full
quota.
1.-The expenditure for supervision
yarIed from 70 cents pupil in Cecil
county, which had only one super
vising teacher although it was Ell
Titled to three, to S2.71 in Calvert.
the smallest county" Mr.. Cook said
.'Costs were above 81 in seven of
the counties. Four of these-Cal
vert, Kent, Queen Anne's and st
Mary s-are our smallest counties.
Garrett county has the largest
area in the State, the largest number
of one-teacher schools and the small
est number<o pupils per teacher,
which explains the high cost Of su-
pervision there. Carroll county en-
oloyed a musical supervisor. The
cost of supervision was under $1.2O
pupil in seven of the counties.
The State pays twO-thirds OF the
salary of each supervisor, while the
county contributes the remainder.
| The counties spent an average OF
$222 pupil for books and other
instruction materials during the year.
This amount, Mr.. Cook asserts, was
9 cents less than the expenditure in
1895. Aside from the aid for these
purposes furnished the counties re-
eeiving money from the Equalization
Fund, the counties received from the
State for the purchase of books and
materials approximately 81 for each
pupil enrolled.
Talbot, st. Mary's, Cecil, Wash
ington, Frederick, Worcester, Har-
ford, Howard, Wicomico, Caroline
and Prince Georges counties spent
from 23 to 81 cents to match each
dollar contributed by the State.
Montgomery county spent three
times as much as the State contrib
uted, while Allegany and Anne Arun-
del counties spent twice as much.
ut would seem not too much to
expect the counties at least to dupli-
ate the amount contributed by the
State from the fund for books ard
materials in order to supply the nee
sssary aids to instruction" Mr.. Cook
aid.
The average cost for cleaning and
heating the school buildings was
1912 a pupil, % cents higher than
! in 1926, Mr. Cook added. The ex-
pense per pupil for auxiliary agen-
cies, which include transportation,
libraries. health and community act
| vities. was S3.15. This amount was
| 30 cents more than in 1925