The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1945-03-02
STATE TO PAY $2,314,13O
ANNUALLY TOWARDS PUBLIC
SCHOOL RETIREMENT PROGRAM
Governor O'Conor Will Increase
Budget For Education To
$22, 491 POI

Governor Herbert r. O'Conor will
provide an all-time record total OF
S22,491,210 for the Public School
System of the State in the 1946-47
state Budget, it was announced at
he State House.
This newest hike" in the overall
school budget will be necessitated,
Governor O'Conor announced, by the
States participation, to the extent of
an additional $2,314,130 per year,
in financing to implement the new
school betterment program OF IL
years free education for every stu
dent in the State, smaller classes and
increased pay for teachers, to which
the Governor gave his full approval
several months ago.
AS against the States contribution
of S2,314,13O to make the new pro-
gram effective, the 23 counties and
Baltimore City will be required to
scpply the remaining $1,779,079 an
nually, Governor O'Conor made
known.
The budget now before the Legis-
!ature contains recommendations by
the Governor for an appropriation of
sl7,862,85O of State funds for the
Public Schools in the next two years,
itself the largest amount ever allotted
tor this purpose.
With the additional amount for the
school betterment program included,
the total budget for the two years
will show an increase of $6,741 ,472
over the 1944-45 appropriation of
S15,749,738.
The greatest part of the additional
.amds to be appropriated, $3,843, 210
each year, would be for the purpose
of Increasing the teachers salary
sci. edule, Governor O'Conor empha-
sized Legislative proposals to effec-
tuate the new program will provide
for continuation of bonus payments
teachers are receiving from local po-
iitical subdivisions, as requirement
if the counties are to receive this ad
ditlonal State aid.
Figures revealed by Governor
O'Conor show that there are 9,l94
teachers at present engaged in teach
ing in the States Public School Sys-
tenn. One of the important aims OF
the new O'Conor program will be to
increase the number of such teachers
so that the average attendance at
classes in the elementary grades may
be kept at not more than 35 pupils.
The sum of $3.50, 900, all of which is
to be contributed by the State, will
be provided as the initial cost OF this
effort to reduce classroom population,
as we'll as for the equalization of the
salaries of colored school supervisors.
Under the financing plan drawn up
by a committee of education officials
State fiscal officers, representatives OF
the County Commissioners groups of
the Eastern and Western Shores and
members of THE Senate and House of
Delegates, counties now sharing the
equalization fund would be required
to raise their levies for school pur-
poses from 81 cents to Sc cents per
500. Under the equalization plan,
WAlCA lCfy tii1S w SShco ciAes
fail to realize enough revenue to car
ry the States minimum school pro-
gram are privileged to draw the
amount needed from the equalization
fund
The additional ALLEGATIONS of funds
for educational purposes by Governor
O'Ccnor will place Maryland among
the very first States OF the nation,
was said at the State House, in the
proportion of general fund monies
devoted to the Public School System.
Furthermore, it is asserted, the total
outlay for the Public School System
in the next two years under Governor
O'Conor will be nearly double to the
highest amount provided for this
purpose in any biennial State Budget
prior to the O'Conor administration