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About The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903 | View Entire Issue (April 5, 1902)
;- VOL. XVIII, NO. XIII LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, SATURDAY, APRIL 5, 1902 ESTABLISHED IN 188G LINCOLN'S 4 PUBLIC 0 SCHOOLS ' They are Advancing Rapidly Along Educational Lines Despite the Depressing Influence of an Overlap which Prevents Proper Development Eighteen public school serve to edu cate the young of Lincoln, many of the surrounding country and even a few from surrounding states. It costs a great sum of money and yet little more is expended now than in 1892 when there were 1,000 less students and the means for raising money were no bet ter. During the hard times an over draft began to grow and it attained such size that years will be required to wipe it out, If the present rate is maintained. Meantime the growth of the schools will be retarded. Even under the circumstances they have made an excellent record for advance ment. But O that overdraft! It is a black cloud that overhangs the school board. Whenever anybody speaks of raising the salaries of teach ers or janitors, whenever anybody' talks of libraries and supplies that would facilitate the work of the stu dents, two or three members point trembling fingers at the cloud and then they all shudder and pronounce the magic word "economy." It is the big gest word in their dictionary. This overdraft is $77,291. As a re sult of the vigilance of the economy committee of the board this was re duced $3,000 last year and now the esti mates are that $20,000 more will be lopped off by the end of the present year. Were this $20,000 devoted to school purposes, says Superintendent Gordon, things would be running finely and the teachers would be receiving salaries something like those paid their fellows in other towns of the same size. Some other way should be devised to subdue the overdraft. It could be funded into the bonded debt, says Mr. Gordon. This has been suggested before, but no one has shown an inclination to push the project. If It were done payment could be made In another way and money that is switched from the ne cessities of the schools could be turned to much better use. The levy of twen ty mills authorized by the last legis lature Is not very big. It would do the work if the assessment were high er. The trouble Is that the legislature which raised the levy at the same time lowered the county assessment and counteracted Its own efforts. People think twenty mills is heavy taxation. They are hurt before they feel It. They pay school taxes on the county assess ment and with that at low ebb they really suffer not at all. By all means the schools should be severed from sa loons, says Mr. Gordon. 'It was a brilliant move on the part of saloon men," says he. "when they propelled to success the idea that the license money they pay should -be de voted to the schools. It was a scheme to hitch the two together in a way to make the saloon seem a necessary in stitution. Now 'the people hesitate to separate th"in for fear the schools will suffer. If wujv clever. The proper way to keep the schools in funds is by direct taxation. The present levy of twenty mills would be wholly suffi cient If the county assessment were only raised." And the Lincoln schools deserve bet ter financing. ' They have made ad mirable progress but they could make more If they only had leeway. The average membership Is 5,485 and the average per capita expense of each one is $21.54. In 1892 the average mem bership was 4,443 and the per capita expense was $25.19. This is a difference of over $3. That much more was deT voted to the education of the young folks in those days. The total enroll- estimated they will be $93,538. Jani tors, last year, $7,715.20, this, $8,250.75; repairs, last, $4,603.33, this,. $4,500; fuel, last, $4,026.91. this. $4,000; rent, last, $366.73, .this, $174; stationery, last, $1,064.82; supplies, this,, $2J336.90; office expenses. last, $2,280.43, this, $2,300; supervision,, last, $3,999.80, this, same; printing, Jast, $640.40; fire Insurance, last,. $922.50t this, $1,000; census, last. $473.68,' this, $352.96; legal, last, $158.53. this, $155; furniture, supplies and printing, this year, $3,000; Interest on warrants, last, $5,388,37, this, $5,300; interest on bonds, last, $4,382.36, this, $3,000; miscellaneous, last, $2,819.45, this, $3,000; real estate and buildings. 1S91 1 108,133.43 1892 111,924.72 1893..: ..... 91.017.29 1896 ....' S9.993.ll 1S97 .7 95,111.56 1898 97,299.67 1899 103,524.87 Four new buildings have been erect ed this year or are at Botne stage in the process. They are the Capitol an nex, at a cost of $8,000 with $3,960 added for heating and plumbing; the Whlt tier addition at $8,000, $2,000 more for heating; Randolph, new building, $9,800, heating $2100; Central, the new grad ed school, growing on the old high ..i - I ' -.. V 'tiMir1. . l""""L.r"MtL 'Wift- .B i a. IIRiHHKaV v ?x fc1HpH""!""""'j"""""""""""""""""""""" HKHHa& --'lMrLBHaQi:ll """"""K2IIH""Ha3l I HaiHv.r" KflflHaLjJ-lvJay iEHHHHUmflal HaflHIIMBBBSBEpH i ''rH f- .bB - ' "- 'fsz,LK' -"a"""""""" """"""""""""""""""""""""KA r t""""""""""""""""""""""""""r- """"""""""""""""""""""""""r """"""""""""""""""""""""""" ?"r - - - - '"p - - e '-Bti A GROUP OF LINCOL X SCHOOL BUILDINGS. ment Is 7,147; In 1892 it was 6,400. The average attendance Is 5,156; In 1892 It was 4,196. The average attendance at the present time is thus about 1,000 In excess of that of 1892. The total ex pense of running the schools then was $111,924.72. Last year the cost was $118,257.47 and the overdraft was re duced $3,000. Last year the salaries of teachers amounted to $87,272.68. This year it Is Inst, $4,401.45, this, $60,325; school fur niture, last, $636.81; teachers library, $3.65; office furniture and fixtures, last, $17.50; text books, last, $3,422.37, this, $4,404.37. These are the total sums expended to run the schools in past years. No books were kept prior to 1887. 18S8 $100,553.00 1889 93,451.00 1890 .-104,557.00 school campus, $23,347, bids for heating to be opened at the next meeting of the board of education. Mr. Gordon thinks there Is a need for a new twelve room mate for the Bancroft, a six room Hayward twin and another high school. At present the two high schools are overcrowded. The basement of the old one Is used as a common school and the pupils here will be transferred next
