The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1961-04-13
School Aid From
James Bill Aired
BY Joint Boards
New Law Makes Possible
Additional Incentive Fund
And Teachers Increase

The additional school aid that
will be available as a result of
the passage of the James bill was
discussed Monday at a special
joint meeting of the Board of Edu-
cation and the County Commits
sioners.
Willard L. Hawkins, county SUI
perintendent. said the Commits
sioners agreed to restore the
salary for one elementary music
teacher in the northern part of
the county which had been de-
leted from the 1861 budget, and
that they also agreed to provide
a reasonable sum of money to
assist in the development of facili-
ties for the class for mentally
handicapped children.
| 1t was pointed out that under
the James bill 81 additional per
pupil would be received under the
Incentive fund. This money goes
for school building purposes and
will yield approximately $4,000
year in additional incentive fund
money.
The board proposed to withhold
| the amount necessary from this
additional income to complete the
cost of replacement of the gym
nasium floor at Northern High.
The cost of this project is S14,5OO
and the County Commissioners
had provided $1,000 for this pur-
pose.
The Board of Education pro-
posed to the Commissioners that
when sufficient income had been
received to pay for the gymnasium
floor at Northern that this addi-
tional 50 per pupil be applied to
financing the proposed two-room
and all-purpose room addition foT
the Bloomington school This prof.
ect will cost approximately S75000
Mr. Hawkins said the money could
be secured from the State School
construction fund and be repaid
over fifteen year period He
pointed out that with the addition
al 81 per pupil on the incentive
fund this could be done at no cost
to the county taxpayer.
Also discussed was the matter
of providing the 5000 additional
on the teacher salary scale that
was intended for that purpose
under the James bill Legislation.
Mr. Hawkins explained that the
5000 per teacher additional would
raise the salary scale to $4,000 for
beginners and $500 for the maxi
mum. He said this would still
mean the lowest pay scale in the
state for teachers but would bring
the scale 5000 closer to the top.
He told the Commissioners that
this 5000 could be added under
| the James bill formula and that
the county would not have to put
up as much money as it is putting
up at the present time. Under the
James bill the Commissioners
| would get the receipts from the
Scent cigaret tax amounting to
more than $4,000 a year. and also
from the Al motor vehicle funds
formerly designated for school use,
amounting to approximately SIG
eco per year, or a total of nearly
$4,000 per year
The James bill provides some
help for the county school pro-
gram and also additional funds for
other county services as well. Mr..
Hawkins said members of the
Board of County Commissioners
seemed to be favorable toward
carrying out the intent of the
James bill legislation but asked TO
withhold a formal decision until
their next regular meeting.
Other Business
Other business was transacted
at a meeting of the Board Of Edit
cation Monday A group of PAL
ents from Crellin requested a re-
port on what had been done con-
corning Improvement of facilities
for the Crcllin school. The group
was told the board had approved
constructing three-room primary
school at Crellin when such
project could be properly financed
Mr.. Hawkins said all new furni-
ture ordered for the several schools
had been received and distributed.
A donation toward payment of a
ditto machine for SWanton school
was approved. Transfer OF the
school bus owned by Clarence
Sister to Richard Charles Thomas,