Evening star., 1933-12-26
SCHOOLS OUTLOOK
IN NEW YEAR DARK
Educational Survey Shows
Retrenchments in City Sys-
TENS, Zook Says.
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
The 1894 outlook for city educational
systems is dark" according to state
ment by Commissioner of Education
George F. Zook, summarizing the re-
suits of a recent survey throughout the
country.
Reduced school budgets, increasing
pupil loads per teacher, shortening OF
school terms and elimination OF sub
iectS from the curriculum were among
the signs noted in the survey, although
DR.. Zook said that there were few
exceptions to the general rule.
The commissioner said reductions in
current operating budgets for schools
average almost 90 per cent since 1881.
school budget reductions in small
cities Of the North Central, South Gen.
trail and Western States average SO per
cent between 1881 and the present
school year." he said.
Very few cities have not made some
reduction in teachers salaries since
40 and As per cent. The average de-
crease is probably about II per cent.
Further reductions are reported in
prospect for the current year"
DR.. Zook featured the following IN
his report:
city schools are operating with
about $4,000 fewer teachers now than
in 1890.
Enrolment Increases.
Enrolment is up sharply-probably
250,0O0 more than in 1880.
Expenditures are down. City schools
are now running on approximately
SI33. 600, 900 less for current expenses
than they did in 1931-32-
The fact that cities have had to
borrow money to keep their schools
open is reflected in an increase OF l.2
per cent in the amount Of the money
devoted to interest payments.
Few school buildings are being built.
Few old ones have been repaired. Ex-
penses for capital outlay have dropped
considerably"
Budget Slashes, said Zook, have
caused schools to suffer considerably"
The school term was reduced in
length in one out of every four cities, "
the commissioner said of the budget
slashes. "Kindergartens were reduced
or eliminated in 80 cities out Of 4O4
reporting. Playground activity was
seriously curtailed in 85 out of 502
cities. The supply of free text books
was reduced in LOG cities and new books
eliminated altogether in six of 604 cities
which replied.
school supplies suffered greatly, hav-
ing been reduced in nearly half OF all
the cities reporting.
Might and adult classes were reduced
or eliminated in 113 cities Of 266.
Summer schools were seriously al
fected in go cities Of 240.
More Pupils Per Teacher.
There has been an increase Of two
pupils per teacher in the last three
years. Arkansas cities will have about
IS pupils per teacher, the largest pupil
load in the country, with North Dakota
and Missouri having a load OF %, the
smallest. The average for the country
is 80 pupils for each teacher. Three
South Atlantic States was "a pupils
per teacher, while in 1888 this number
has risen to 81 pupils.
while for the most part the larger
cities maintained their subjects Of in
struction, elimination and curtailment
of art, music, home economics and
physical education were common in
cities of from 10000 to 10000 popula-
ton. The effect of the retrenchment
on important subjects of the curriculum
is seen in the summary below of re-
ports from 600 to 700 cities:
Art has been reduced or eliminated
In 1l3 cities, music in 1863 cities, physi-
cal education in 109 cities, home-mak-
ing classes in "a cities, industrial art
in 81 cities"