Evening star., 1955-10-28
PTA viii Back ,. c. Tax Increase
If Schools Receive Proceeds
City Heads Get
Resolution Signed
By rs Groups
BY JAMES G. DEANE

n SLI0t1B uCu4hHu 4OI d1lbCdb@
ing more District tax revenue to
the public schools was pressed
on the Commissioners today.
Washington parent teacher
leaders told the city heads they
will support higher taxes IL
these go to improving the city
schools - especially ending
teacher shortages.
But John B. Gillilland. presi-
dent of the District Congress Of
Parents and Teachers, told the
Commissioners parents are draw
ing a sharp contrast between
funds needed for schools and
Just more taxes
He said he was supporting
new taxes provided they "go
directly into the school system"
Backed by 26 Units
Mr.. Gillilland appeared at the
Commissioners revenue hearing
at the District Building with q
resolution indorsed by leaders Of
|26 individual PTAs offering con-
ditional support of new taxes.
Copies of the resolution bore
the signatures Of more than 400
|PTA members and officers. Mr..
Gillilland said the resolution was
circulated this week and mora
| Endorsements are expected later.
I'VE will support the fairest
tax that the Commissioners and
their adviser can agree upon"
the resolution declared. Pro-
lyiding we can see positive imme-
diate results in our schools. In
particular the inclusion Of 1853
additional elementary school
teachers in the 1857 budget"
Asserting that District schools
have suffered shortages of teach-
Iers, space and supplies for some
years, the resolution said:
"We cannot tolerate the re-
|currence of the catastrophe
shortage Of teachers that faced
Ius this fall"
Not Enough Support
MIR. Gillilland, In q statement
accompanying the resolution. said
that the city is not supporting
Its schools adequately. Although
teachers and administrators "are
working beyond the cali of duty"
the PTA leader said the record Of
lrecuring school crisis indicates
THAT the rest of us are not giv-
ling. the support that can be
Expected
Inadequate budget and plan-
ming. he asserted, are causing
children to suffer q loss Of edu.
'scational opportunity.
1 Mr.. Gillilland said one group
Iof parents has Indicated that it
feels taxpayers already are car
rying a fair share of the school
load and that the Federal Gov
ernment ought to pick up the
rest. These parents. he said, feel
II that the first important need Is
an adequate Federal payment
to the District.
However, he continued, many
other parents are willing to ac-
cept an extra burden IL it win
Iheln the schools.
I'VE want to be proud Of our
schools, and we offer to do our
part" he declared.
Wants Surplus Kept
The PTA leader urged that In
addition to considering more
taxes the Commissioners seek q
change in what he called q pres
Ient "wasteful practice" He said
this is the practice of returning
Iunspent school funds, resulting
from savings or changed addi-
tions, to the Federal Treasury.
I'VE urge that you request q
change in this system which
would provide the best incentive
for careful management OF school
funds and would furnish a back
Ilog Of savings for meeting un-
lforeseen emergencies" he told
the city heads.
Mrs. John Steele, representing
the Area 6 PTA Council, specif-
ically urged a tax increase large
enough to restore 1853 teachers to
THE school budget for next year.
IShe predicted such an increase
would receive community sup
lport.
Dismayed at Shifting
She said parents are dismayed
lat the many oversize classes and
frequent shifting of teachers in
the schools because of the short
age of teachers this fall. She
also asserted:
1--WE fail to understand why
less than 20 per cent of the total
current District budget went to
schools. whereas cities OF equiv
alent size expand an average Of
l30 per cent of their total budget
on schools"
She said this statement was
based on Census Bureau sta
| tiStics.
Mrs. Richard Simonson of the
League of Woman Voters said
her organization was distressed
at the slash of 1863 teachers from
the school budget.
School Supt. Hobart NJ. Corn
ing is scheduled to see Com
missioner Spencer Tuesday to
urge restoring the 1863 teachers
who where cut by the city
heads last week. The Board of
Education already has voted a
protest against the slash.