Vashon Island news-record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1919-1954, 1933-02-16
FORUM

| In looking over the list of expenses
of the high school I would like, as a
taxpayer, to make a few suggestions
by way of economy.
For years school clerks did not re-
ceive any pay. Could not the directors
give someone, say IS, for each meeting
which would be 500 instead of 5000.
Why have superintendent Prin-
cipals Of city schools receive much less
salary help in the teaching and some
have 600 children to look after
II we cannot pay our taxes we can
not pay teachers a full years salary.
Why should not the teacher help by
teaching q full year for less or no
pay for vacation. The farmer and
taxpayers pay has been cut so percent
or more, and besides 1t was the tax
payers money which prepared the
teacher for the Job.
For years parents furnished text
books and saw to 1t that the children
cared for them. Now I see children on
buses throwing books at each other and
kicking them back and forth. 1 can
imagine the way pencils, paper and
laboratory supplies are used to amount
to $500. These should be furnished by
the students. See by the paper the
laboratory work consists of making
ping pong tables for the amusement of
P. G. students
Janitor work could go to the lowest
bidder. Compare $3.50 now paid at
the high school with old high school
at Burton. now grade school. They
pay $35 per month and the janitor
fires with wood. There are about as
many children in the building.
Think how much paper towels, oil
brushes and soap $500 would buy. The
towels and soap should be furnished
by the students and kept In the fancy
lockers furnished by taxpayers for
clothes, etc.
Insurance on building and equip
ment is necessary, but by paying $500
per year the taxpayer should make a
good profit in case of loss.
In times like these the student NAV
have plenty of time to read, but the
less paid for library the better.
1 can understand why electricity is
used at present time. One woman.
whose son is P, c., reports to me
that she told her son to put in his time
In the manual training department, so
as to get out Of the way around the
house. These extra students mean the
use of more water.
l am told that the party mentioned
as driver and mechanic is also ianitor.
The wages of $3.50 for one and $50
for the second makes a total of $2340.
This amount would keep five families
If paid at the rate paid the janitor of
the Burton building.
Repairs on buses should be cared for
on contract by the year to some garage,
the same as business companies. Buses
should be turned over to responsible
parties and travel only on main roads,
charging fare the same as children pay
in the city. This is not new system.
Oil burner 5000; fuel $3.50; total $3.50.
also electricity to operate burner. All
furnaces, If purchased by one who I'M
derstands are arranged to take burner
out at any time and use other fuel.
$3.50 would scatter money around Island
and use second growth fir and alder
and require only $35 month janitor,
same as now at the Burton building.
New typewriters are not needed now.
as the students could not get job if
they knew how to type.
I want to say, that, appreciate the
editorials in the News-Record and
commend the editor for telling facts.
For my part I am thinking more of
what is going into my children's
stomachs than into their heads lust
now. My experience is that if a child
wants an education and has the abil-
ity to study they will find way, and
others will help them. can remeln-
Der the days when we walked five miles
to school, with bread buttered with
beans in our pockets for lunch. That
was the American standard of living,
and produced real men and women.
The same conditions will pull us
through this spell of hard times which
we older ones have seen before. But
the girls may wear cotton, instead Of
silk, stockings and the boys overalls
instead of white cords. The student
riding along our highways in cars at
dads expense may be seen working in
the gardens of Vashon Island instead
of Filipino laborers. Then we can pay
taxes and have schools.
G. Jensen.