Milford chronicle., 1941-04-18
Assembly Granted
Schools $7,973,762
tcontinued irom RLrsl Pssel

continued from First Page,
increase. in enrolment in any
school district as a result OF in
creasing defense activities, indus
trial expansions, transfer of school
children or any other similar rea-
son, which requires the employ
ment of additional teachers :"
Specific Cases Cited
This amendment was drawn,
Mr.. Richards explained, to meet
liely situations in the vicinity OF
Fort dupont and Seaf0rd. The spe-
clal fund also would become avail
able to the Booker T. washington
School here which will have ad-
ditional enrolment through the
closing of the 10th, 18th, and 18th
grades at the state college for
colored students during the next
three years.
In addition to the enrolment
situation, Mr.. Richards said that
the bill contains emergency funds
for repairs, an emergency allot-
ment of $4,000 for heat, and
$4,000 for transportation.
"By breaking down the. school
appropriation item by item is the
only way the state of Delaware
will ever find out what it costs to
run the schools of Delaware" said
Mr.. Richards.
Predicting that schools would
close and teachers would go with
out pay within the next two years,
Rep. Harris B. Mcdowell, Jr.,
Democratic floor leader said the
bill is definite example of the
different philosophy of govern
mehf.
"The theory back of the bill was
to find a means Of making a re-
duction. The committee started
out with. the idea that the school
budget had to be cut" he declared.
Criticizing the diversion Of ear
marked school funds through the
operation Of the one-fund plan
of handling state finances, Mr..
Mcdowell said that the per pupil
average appropriated in 1940-41 |
in the state was $84.80 as COM
pared with S79.55 provided in the
Richards bill.
Cites Costs
At the same time, he added, the |
per pupil average appropriated in
1940-41 for Wilmington children
was $3.50 as compared with $685.
allowed in the new bill. Members |
Of the permanent budget commits
sion pointed out after the session
that the states appropriation to
Wilmington had been reduced
$4,000 per year under the Rich
ards proposal.
IF it is necessary to cut ap-
preparations. why make the de-
crease outside of Wilmington,
asked the Democratic floor leader.
I'VE are taking the power of
running our schools from the
people of the state and we are Civ
ing it Ito a small group Of men
around table" he said, referring
to the permanent budget COM
mission.
by what right does this body
have to dictate to school officials
who are trained specialists" he
asked. "If the permanent budget
commission is going to run the
State OF Delaware then we can
do away with the State Board
of Education"
Declaring that the school ap-
preparation has been cut 10 per
cent, Mr. Mcdowell said that edu-
cational officials would not have |
objected If political agencies had |
been handed similar reductions.
During debate in the upper
house, Senator G. Leslie Gooden |
voiced opposition to the measure
in its present form, commenting
it seemed to him there are better
ways to decide on spending money
for school purposes. He stated
that "as the bill is now, l don't
feel it ia like good many people
in the state want it,"
Senator Paul r. Rinard, ma
jority floor leader, commenting
on the proposed new method of
budgeting. stated. at is true that
it is not popular with some people,
but it also is true the way the
money is apportioned by the state
school board is eminently more
unsatisfactory to even more peo-
pie. don't say the bill is not
flawless. Any new attempt at
anything is apt to have flaws. If
the bill can acquire from the
State Board of Education a more
satisfactory accounting and sub
ject them to a close audit, it will
achieve something.
Senator Derrickson said he is
in favor of appropriating money
to the schools, but expressed the
opinion this measure was not
sufficient and cuts could be made
elsewhere.