Evening star., 1938-12-01
St1oo|sFa(e
Closing Unless
Congress Acts
Deficiency Fund May
Be Only Alternative,
BoIIouI Asserts

. Possibility that Congress may have
to make deficiency appropriation
to keep the schools open until the
end of the school year was indicated
today by Supt. Frank w. Ballou.
The superintendent said that II
the appropriation for heat and light
-$25, 900 less than the estimates OF
the Board of Education called for
does not suffice, despite the rigid
program of economy adopted by the
board, a deficiency appropriation
would be the only alternative to
closing the school system.
DR.. Ballou said that by the middle
Of this month the school officers
should have definite information as
to whether they can stay within the
$500, 900 allotment, which also carries
the provision that the amount must
be so apportioned that there be no
deficiency.
DR.. Ballou indicated that If the
schools were forced to close on ac-
count of the lack of fuel, deficit in
the salary items of officers, teachers
and clerks could be absorbed at the
same time.
Nearly $4,000 Slashed.
Congress slaShed nearly $50 600
from the salary items in the belief
that the amount would be returned
to the schools from Federal funds
under the George-Deen Act for the
expansion of vocational education.
These Federal funds may be applied
only to the salaries of teachers of
vocational education and not to the
salaries of school officers and teach
erS and clerks from which the cut
was made.
The superintendent has warned
the Board of Education that this ac-
ton of Congress has reduced the
salary item below the pay roll obli-
cations by approximately $4,000 and
that this will have to be made up
with payless furloughs for many
officers and teachers.
Should the schools be forced to
close for lack of heat and light, DR..
Ballou said, this payless furlough
could be accomplished at the same
time.
Although the electric bill of the
schools has run well ahead of an
amount calculated to keep it within
the appropriation during the early
months of the fiscal year, economy
programs affecting every depart
ment OF school activity have been
undertaken in an effort to stay
within the allotment. Night meet
1ngs are being curtailed and es-
pecially those on week ends where
heating the building is a problem.
Weather Is Factor.
An indefinite factor in whether
the officials will be able to remain
within the budget is the weather.
Asst. Supt. Jere j. Crane, in charge
OF buildings and grounds, has ex-
pressed the hope that this will be a
mild winter. He also has pointed
out that though there is a cut in
the appropriation and $4,000
deficit carry over from last wear.
there are new classrooms that have
been completed and new eym-
rasiums added to the equipment of
the schools which did not figure in
the problem last year.
Under the rules of the Board of
Education, principals are authorized
is dismiss classes in rooms where the
temperature is below 64 degrees.
A school officer also pointed out
that not only the temperature, but
cloudiness of the weather is in
volved. On dark days, he said, lights
will have to be used if the children
are to see. This is apart from use
OF lights at night for night school
classes, Community Center activities
and civic group meetings.
The fuel item was cut at the in
stance Of the Subcommittee on Ap-
preparations, headed by Representa-
tive Ross Collins of Mississippi,
because of testimony before the
committee that some of the school
custodians were inefficient.