The Daily Alaska empire., 1947-05-20
NEWS ITEMS
 FROM 5ITkA
ESPECIAL coRREspoNDENcE)

NofEjlhL OOhhE4ofONDENCEJ
 SITKA, Alaska, May 17.-Th, problem of the school budget wa! presented to the City Council a the regular meeting Tuesday eve. ming by School Board Presiden Robert Gaylord and School Super. intendent T. J. Cole. Because O. the rapid growth of school en' rollment, necessitating large in crease of faculty and the increased teachers salaries voted by the last Territorial Legislature, the schoo budget has doubled in the past two years, creating financial cri- sis as the towns taxable values have not increased comparably. Il is estimated that approximately 65 percent of the city's income re- verts to the schools.
 Four different school buildings will have to be maintained next year; the Grade School building the High School building, the Gov ernment School building and the Oja building on Oja Street - all equipped with inadequate and ex- pensive heating units.
 Council approved the school bud get of $29,68i 50, then asked Coles and Gaylord's opinions on the problem of purchasing the High School building from EVA, as MT. McGinty was again pressing for a substantial offer from the city Cole pointed out that the city would be forced to build an ade- quate school building in the near future as all the present establish ments were thoroughly inadequate and expensive to maintain. He recommended the construction of one large permanent building = pointing out that such an invest ment would mean substantial saving to the city in time. Council then voted to again consult Dele gate E. L. Bartlett in the hope that some reasonable solution could Ee found.
 A letter from Attorney R. E. Robertson advised that suits for the collection of delinquent taxes against churches be pressed. John Panamarkoff appeared on behalf of members of the Russian Church congregation, offering their testi- mony for the City in such suit.
 Ordinance 120, amending ordin- ances 1O2 and 110 revising rulings on taxes on real and personal properties, was passed. Also pass ed was Resolution 138. authoriz- ing the City Clerk to publish de- linquent tax lists and institute legal action for their collection.
 Council pledged s12o0 toward the maintenance of the Public Health Center for the coming year..
 Public Health Officer Dr. w. c. Charteris reported mild epidemics of German measles and chicken pox.
 Councilman Gilpatrick asked for action on juvenile theft and Police Chief Doran was instructed to ln- vestigate and take action.
 Ordinance 1l9, providing for in- crease of city officers salaries was passed.
 City Clerk and the finance. con- mittee were authorized to sign short term notes with the First Bank of Sitka for S2,O0o. Bills to- taling $1,67069 were approved be- fore Council adjourned.
 Last Sunday forty more children arrived on Japonski to attend the ANS Edgecumbe School.
 i School closed officially Wednes- day evening with Commencement exercises at the High School gym and the largest graduating class 14-rin Sitka's history. Commis- sioner of Education James Ryan flew over from Juneau to address the graduates and capacity aud fence.
 Almost all of the teachers have left or are leaving for the sum mer. First grade teacher, Helen Ewert, will spend the summer with her brother in Aruba, West In dies, after a short visit with her family in the middle West. a. | Second grade teacher Eleanore Rowe will take two months