Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-03
School Estimates for 1881.

The school estimates for the fiscal
year 1881, as approved and made pub
lie by the Board of Education, call for
an increase Of sl,725,6o2 over the ap-
preparations made for the fiscal year
beginning next July and ask for total
of SI3,T1o,2o2. These estimates are yet
to undergo the trimming and. revision
that come with further examination
and study by the Commissioners, the
Bureau of the Budget and the commit
tees Of Congress. But it is interesting
to note some of the increases and the
causes that account for them.
Proposed increases for officers and
teachers salaries. for instance, amount
ing to about half million dollars. are
largely automatic increases brought
about by the working of the salary bill
and a normal increase in personnel.
An increase of approximately five thou
sand collars for the school attendance
department is necessitated by enforce
ment Of the child labor. law. An in
crease Of five thousand dollars for
transportation Of tuberculosis pupils is
explained by the growth in the number
of such pupils and the fact that made
ouate appropriations in the past have
forced many of them to ride to and
from school for long distances on street
cars, instead of in school buses, as
should be the case. Health Department
and Fire Department requirements call
for an increase of three hundred and
seventy-hve thousand dollars, an
amount intended to cover the cost of
reducing fire hazards and improving
sanitation in the school buildings An
item Of Sixty-two thousand dollars for
"the equipment Of stages, Central and
Dunbar High Schools" might lead the
casual observer to the conclusion that
the residents Of the District are paying
highly for properly training the stu
: dents Of these two schools in dramatic
art But it is found that when steel
curtains were, upon the insistence Of
the Fire Department, installed in these
two schools, other stage paraphernalia
was rendered relatively useless. The
additional item for the stages in these
two schools Is to cover the cost of ma
terial needed to harmonic the working
Of other stage equipment with the steel
curtains
The boards estimate for new build
ings is $2,565, 900, or an increase over
the last appropriation of $4,000, but
there is a reduction Of $4,000 in the
estimate for land. The combined esti-
mate for land and buildings is thou
sand dollars above the three million
which the board has commended should
be appropriated annually for new build
ings and land.
One of the interesting comparisons
made possible is that which lies between
the boards estimates and the estimates
made by Auditor Donovan for 1891 in
his proposed five-year financial pro-
gram. Maj. Donovan, with budget of
$4s,552, 500 in mind for 1881, would have
allowed $l2,732, 900 for education. This
is nearly million dollars below the
boards estimates for the public schools,
and the difference becomes even great
er when it is remembered that Maj.
Donovan includes the Public Library,
with salaries. expenses and expansion,
In his estimate, while the board deals
merely with the public school system.
It is apparent that there still exists
q marked difference Of opinion between
the Franklin School and the District
Building on school needs, a difference
Of opinion which, it is to be hoped, will
become less through the continued CO.
operation of these two agencies, both Of
them working toward the single aim Of
improving the public school system.