The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1948-04-15
NO CHANGE IN
SCHOOL BOARDS
ECONOMY STAND
Two Delegations Meet with
Board i'm Session Until After
Midnight
Proposal to Admit in School
Only Children 6 Years Old
by Nov. l

Economy program of the Blufftor
board of education which involved
dropping from the high school cur
riculum departments of art, agricul
ture and speech came for some high
1y critical scrutiny and caustic com
ment together with here and there 2
word of commendation from delega
tions representing interested group;
which attended the board meeting
Monday night.
At the close of the meeting which
lasted from s o'clock until we'll after
midnight, the situation was unchang,
ed with no action taken by the board
aItho there appeared the possibility
that some adjustments might be af
fected which would entail no in,
crease in expenditures.
Among these were:
Admitting into the first grade in
the fall only pupils who will
reach the age of six years before
November l.
Incorporating into the high
school English department class
es in speech and coaching of
plays.
Absorbing farm shop instruc-
tion into the industrial arts de-
partment and combining agri-
cultural chemistry with instruc-
tiOn in biology.
Whether any Of these suggestions
finally will be adopted by the board
could not be determined following
Monday nights meeting when d
recess was taken until Saturday
afternoon at 2:3O o'clock when the
board will convene for an inspection
of buildings and grounds to deter,
mine action in regard to maintenance
and repairs this summer.
Board Non-C -CommittaI
Board members were non-commit,
tai as to whether the thorny matter
of dropping the three departments
would come up at the Saturday
meeting or would be deferred fol-
later consideration.
There was no indication, however
that the board would reverse itself
in any major departure from its
original stand unless funds therefor
were available.
Instead of the usual meetings
wfen visitors are rarity, the board
room in the office of Supt. r. S,
Lanham at the high school building
was filled to overfowing Monday
night, when two separate deleg--
tions appeared to- meet with the
board.
Urge Reconsideration
First of these groups included
parents of pupils, representatives of
women's clubs and farmers. Three
clubs, the Century circle, Alice Free
man and Poinsettia clubs and also
Farm Bureau Council No. l had
previously submitted to the board
copies of resolutions urging recon-
sideration of the action in dropping
the three departments.
In explaining their action, board
members, Leland Diller, chairman,
Levi Althaus, Carl Derringer, Paul
Diller and n. A. Triplett, told the
meeting that their action in regard
to dropping the departments was un-
animous and that an estimated saw
ing of $3,234 would be obtained
thereby, providing funds for addi-
tional teachers in the grade schools.
AS an alternative to dropping the
three departments, discussion of the
group centered about the possibility
of affecting savings by reducing the
personnel of the music department
to one instructor instead of the
present setup of one full time and
one nalf-time teacher.
Criticize Extra Pay to Teachers
Cuts also were suggested in the
athletic department and the practice
Of paying teachers for some extra
curricular activities, particularly for
serving as class sponsors was sharp
ay criticized,
In answer to suggestions that d
levy in addition to the present one
Of ) mills be voted for school pur-
poses, the board pointed out that
Blutfton's present tax rate is 1920
per $1,000 of taxable property and
OF this $3.50 currently goes to
schools. 1t was further stated that
BlufTton's school tax is the highest
IN Allen county; Lima ranking
second with rate of S11.90.
The present extra 5-mills outside
the 10-mill limitation which yields
an income of roughly $4,000 will be
ID for renewal by vote Of the
Continued on page 10)