& GFBGGBSGESSSS S59 SGG9055RO5E656656 : VOL. XI, NO. 4 NOVEMBER, 1933 Research Bulletin OF THE National Education Association BEBO SSESGGoGaoooSsoaoooooaoaaoaaoage Current Conditions in the Nation’s Schools BRAaBGaaaacaaacaaaaaaaaaanaoooaooaooaaaaaaG PUBLISHED BY THE RESEARCH DIVISION OF THE NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION 01 SIXTEENTH STREET NORTHWEST, WASHINGTON, D. C., SSOSaaae BSO5S999895595S9S9999599959S595S595959655599959555559958 GOSOSSSS9S5566595598S009855559 Research Bulletin of the National Education Association Published five times each year in January, March, May, September, and November by the Research Division of the National Education Association of the United States. President, Jessiz Gray Secretary, J. W. Crasrrei The payment of the $5 membership fee of the National Education Association entitles one to receive the Research Bulletin, the Journal, the Annual Volume of Ad- dresses and Proceedings, and certain other publications of the National Education Asso- ciation for one year. One dollar of each $5 membership fee is for a year’s subscription to the Research Bulletin. The Research Bulletin may be subscribed for separately at a subscription price of $1 per year. Copies may be purchased for 25 cents, and in quantities at a reduced rate. Those entitled to receive the Research Bulletin regularly are asked to report at once any change of address, giving old as well as new address. Entered as second-class matter February 10, 1923, at the Post Office at Washington, D. C., under Act of August 24. 1912. Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Section 1103 Act of October 3, 1917, authorized February 10, 1923. Director of Research: William G. Carr; Associate Director: Frank W. Hubbard Assistant Directors: Richard R. Foster, Ivan A. Booker Executive and Editorial Offices - - - 1201 Sixteenth Street N. W., Washington, D. C. How to Secure Additional Copies Additional copies of this issue of the Research Bulletin may be obtained at the following prices, postpaid if remittance accompanies order: Single copies of this issue 25¢ 2 to 9 copies—10% reduction 10 to 99 copies—25% reduction 100 or more copies—33 1/3% reduction. Orders for Research Bulletins not accompanied by remittance are subject to trans- portation charges. Make checks payable to National Education Association. Subscriptions to Research Bulletins The Research Bulletin may be received regularly through a special subscription at $1 per year. Many of the early issues of the Research Bulletin are already out of print. The special subscription at $1 per year offers an opportunity to maintain a complete file of future Research Bulletins. Reproduction of Material in Research Bulletins Mat service: The Division of Publications will, on request, prepare and supply mats of charts which appear in the Research Bulletin at cost. Material appearing in Research Bulletins may, with the usual acknowledgments, be reproduced for the advancement of education. No authority other than this notice is needed previous to such reproduction. For further information concerning the work of the Division, address the Research Division, National Education Association, 1201 Six- teenth Street N. W., Washington, D. C. TABLE OF CONTENTS OREWORD I. A GENERAL SuRVEY: CONFLICTING ForcES AND VARYING CONDITIONS II. Major Trenps In Epucation, 1926-1934 III. EDUCATIONAL SERVICES IN RURAL AREAS..... Closed schools i nko ns a nig dre espe glbien aie Sub-code teachers CATIONAL SERVICES IN THE CITIES City school budgets Reduced salaries. . Unpaid salaries.............. Teacher load Term length Curtailment of opportunities. . . Building programs V. LIST OF TABLES . Certain Public School Statistics, 1926-1934 ‘ , ee Index Numbers For Certain Public School Statistics, 1926-1934 930 100 . Extent To Which School Programs Have Been Retarded ! . Rural Schools Failing To Open In 1933-1934 Because of Lack of Funds . Schools Closed and Children Denied Educational Opportunities, 1932-33 ahd 1933 . Short School Terms In Rural Areas, 1933-1934 . Rural Children Denied Part or All of Their Educational Opportunity 19 . Rural Teachers Receiving Yearly Salaries of Less Than $750 and $450 . Salary Arrears In Certain States and Cities ; ; . Status of Certain Schools and Classes in City School Systems, 1931 . Changes In School Conditions By States, 1930-1934... ‘ Changes In School Conditions By Regions, 1930-1934. . LIST OF CHARTS I. Recent Trends In Public School Statistics A. Enrolments Up B. Expenses Down C. Unit Costs Down D. Staff Down II. Rural Schools Not Opened Because of Lack of Funds, 1933-34 ; III. Schools Closed and Children Denied Educational Opportunities, 1932-1934 [V. Distribution of Rural Teachers According to Annual Salaries, 1933-34 FOREWORD annual report to the Board of Directors that a new emergency in education was coming. I pointed out how the National Education Association, in co- operation with other agencies, met the emergency after the War and prevented a breakdown in education. The new emergency calls for the same kinds of unselfish cooperation, careful thinking, and courageous acting. But although many people in 1930 could have predicted a new emergency in education, no one could foresee how serious that emergency would become. We expected to find difficulty in maintaining school services. We did not expect to see 2000 schools closed entirely, tuition charged in public schools, and teachers going unpaid month after month and year after year. The National Education Association is keeping in very close touch with educational conditions. This Research Bulletin presents the most recent data available on what is happening to the schools. It shows that reductions in edu- cational opportunities are not merely local; they are state-wide, nation-wide. State action and national action are necessary to remedy them. The schools and the children must not be neglected in our programs for national recovery. If education previous to the depression had been extravagantly wasteful, honeycombed with graft, or unwisely administered, it might be possible at this time to reconcile the opposing forces of declining resources and increasing responsibilities. On the contrary, however, education has been, on the whole and in view of its great social and economic importance, conservatively financed throughout its history. It has been, on the whole, efficiently administered. Opportunities for reduction in school expenditures without reduction in the scope and quality of service are, therefore, more restricted than in some other lines of private and public enterprise. Furthermore, reductions already effected have removed what little possibility existed for real economy. The issue before the country now is: Will the people withdraw children from school and slacken their demands for good educational services, or will they provide at least reasonably adequate school funds? It seems certain that the American people will prefer, and indeed ultimately insist upon, the latter choice. The people wish to maintain schools and colleges at a high level of effectiveness. If existing taxation and public revenue systems are inadequate, they must be reformed until the necessary funds are produced. If uneconomical methods of schoo! administration have prevailed, they must be eliminated. If local funds fail, then both state funds and federal funds must be provided to protect this basic social institution. All school people into whose hands this bulletin may come should present these facts to every available civic group. The material should be called to the attention of local newspapers. It should be used in talks before local and state civic clubs and other organizations. By every possible means the people of the United States must be awakened to the national danger involved in the under- mining of education and must insist that their representatives in boards of educa- tion, state legislatures, and the Congress of the United States take appropriate action to restore to American children those educational rights which have lately been unwisely and unfairly denied. I’ 1930 when the economic depression was just beginning, I declared in my J. W. Crastree, Secretary, National Education Association I. A General Survey: Conflicting Forces and Varying Conditions This bulletin provides in brief compass a re- view of some of the major effects of the depres- sion on public-school opportunities through the current school year. In presenting this general picture it has been necessary to use the best estimates and figures available at the moment. In all estimates used an attempt has been made to be conservative and to picture the situation at the present moment as accurately and fairly as the available data permit. Four Major Trends Although information is limited there are four major facts which stand out beyond all dispute. First, the responsibilities of public edu cation have continued to increase throughout the depression. In the current school year, the public high schools must accommodate one mil- lion more students than in 1930. More children are demanding educational opportunities and the new demand is coming from groups of chil- dren for whom schooling is more expensive and more difficult to supply than usual. Climbing enrolment figures are always characteristic of American education, but in some respects the depression has accelerated the normal rates of increase. The second undeniable fact which emerges from this study is the very significant decrease of the financial support available for the pub- lic schools. In spite of the increasing enrol- ments the expenditures for public schools will be nearly six hundred million dollars less this year than in 1930. Public education has shared fully in the effects of the movement to reduce taxes and the cost of governmental services. Third, given the two conditions described immediately above, it can readily be concluded that educational opportunities have been seri- ously restricted. For example, school programs in many cities are now entirely without health service, or without instruction in art, music, physical education, home economics, or indus trial arts. With more children to educate and with less funds available for doing the job, the public schools have found it necessary to elimi- nate services and to institute a wide variety of types of retrenchment. Finally, this bulletin reveals enormous differ- 1 National Education Association,- Research Division. ‘The R tal Education.” Research Bulletin 4: 1-88 the Association. Abilitv of the State t Support January and March 230-302 ences in educational conditions among and within the several states. It is a well-known fact that prior to the depression there were im mense differences in educational conditions dmong school districts and states. Educational opportunities, broadly speaking, were superior for city children and inferior for rural chil dren; superior for children attending consoli dated rural schools and inferior for children attending one-room schools; superior for chil chil- dren of the negro race; superior for children dren of the white race and inferior for in the northern states and inferior for children in the southern states. While there were many exceptions to these generalizations the existence of enormous differences of educational oppor tunities prior to the depression is unmistakable. ‘These differences have not been removed du ing the past four years. At the present moment conditions the 127,000 of the United States vary all educational among school districts the way from those which are in a sound finan cial condition to those bankrupt school districts which have no funds at hand, which have ex hausted their borrowing power, which owe money to their teachers, which have no im mediate revenue in sight, and in which the schools are completely closed without any regu lar school opportunity for the children. Novem ber 1 of the current school year finds almost 2000 schools already closed, with no educa- tional opportunity available for over 100,000 children. By April 1 it is likely that closed schools will number 20,900 and children af- fected, 1,000,000. There are, on the other hand, a few places which have maintained all of the services which the children enjoyed prior to the depression and which have even expanded the services and added others in recent years. Summary the United States then, may be summarized in these The current educational situation of eight words: Responsibilities creased; Services reduced; Inequalities con- increased ; Resources de- tinued. Education The Outlook 1926: 9 September, 1931. Washingtor [95] II. Major Trends in Education, 1926-1934 Out of the great mass of current educational statistics it is necessary for the purposes of this Bulletin to select certain items which are judged to be particularly significant in revealing the effect of the depression on the support and needs of public education. Table 1 presents data on these selected items. Scope of data presented—The years covered are from 1926 to 1934. The years prior to the depression have been included in order to give a general over-view of trends at that time. Responsibilities—Seven items have been se- lected for this table. Columns 2 and 3 give data on public-school enrolments which may be taken as a rough quantitative measure of the responsibilities which the schools are expected to meet. Separate data are given for high-school enrolments because the trends at this level are markedly different from those for school enrol- ments considered as a total figure. Staff—Two items are given in Table | relate to the staff of the schools. The ny of teachers, principals, and supervisors ind the professional resources for handling ¢| rolments given in columns 2 and 3. The age salary for these employees indicates roughly the economic status of the teac! profession over a period of years. Expenditures—The table also gives two | ures on expenditures. Column 6, total expen ditures (payments for current expense, capi outlay, and interest), shows the financial port accorded to the schools. ‘The expendity for capital outlay (the acquisition of sc} sites, and the construction and equipment new school buildings) are given separatel) cause these exhibit a distinctly different tre from expenditures considered as a total. Unit costs—Finally, the table gives the cost per child enrolled as calculated by dividir TABLE 1.—CERTAIN PUBLIC SCHOOL STATISTICS, 1926-1934 Average Number of teachers, High principals, school an enrolment Years ending Total enrolment supervisors supervisors salary of teachers, principals, and Total Capital outlay expenditures! June 30 1 2 4 5 6 7 24,741,468 831,078 24,960,582 842,654 25,179,696 854,230 25,428,856 867,297 25,678,015 880,365 26,011,586 892,466 26,275,441 26,239,194 26,353,000 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1,050 $411,037,774 397,016,965 382,996,156 376,937,062 370,877,969 320,240,159 237,120,080 154,000,000 97,600,000 277 ,320 ,364 392 420 $2,026,308,190 2,105,322,414 2,184,336,638 440 368 296 Sources of data: For 1926, 1928, and 1930: Data from U. S. Office of Education, Biennial Surveys of Education. For 1927 and 1929: Direct interpolation between 1926 and 1928 and 1928 and 1930 figures. For 1931: High-school enrolment estimated b returns for 1931 from 40 states and the District of Association. Educational Research Service Circular, No. 1 direct interpolation between 1930 and 1933. All other figures deriv: ‘olumbia, oy 1930 figures for the remaining 8 states. See: National Ed y 1932 For 1932: Total expenditures and number of teachers, princi Is, and supervisors based on reports from 10 states ar District of Columbia, the proportionate change between 1931 an 1932 in these states being applied to 1931 national fi High-school enrolment estimated by direct interpolation between 1930 and 1933. Capital outlay and teachers’ salaries are d interpolated between 1931 and 1933. Total enrolment represents advance figures from U. S. For 1933: Expenditures and capital outlay are estimates of U. S. 1 ce of Education. Office of Education and Research Division, Nationa! | tion Association, as reported in Te Current Situation in Education, p. 15. However, the estimate there given for total expe: has been reduced by $40,000,000 as this is approximately the amount of unpaid teachers’ salaries as of June 30, 1933 National Education Association. Educational Research Service Circular, No. 10, 1933. Number of teachers. principals, and visors obtained by reducing the 1932 figure by 15,000 in accordance with an estimate from The Current Situation im Educ. B 22. Average salaries are a reduction of 10 it percent below the 1931 figure. See: National Education Association. ‘Sala: School Systems, 1932-33." Research Bulletin, Vol. 11, No. 2, March, 1933. Total enrolments are interpolated between and 1934: high-school enrolment is an increase of 722,006 over 1930 figures. (U. S. Office of Education, in Umited States .\ 1 : 197; August 5-12, 1933.) For 1934: These figures are based chiefly on estimates submitted by 26 states to the Joint Commission on the Emerge: Education, National Education Association (unpublished study). The proportionate change in enrolments and expenditures in states between 1930 and 1934 has been appli 1933 figure; first, the normal annual increase of a number of extra children brought into the schools by the provision of the industrial codes of 1933 ( to 1930 national figures. roximately 240,000 and then an additional increment of 100.000, the est High-school enrolments are estimated by adding | (See: Cook, Katherine M Children’s Code.”’ School Life, ase, 1933.) The number of teachers, principals, and supervisors is calculated from ad 0 information of the U. S. Office Education that approximately 18,000 fewer teachers were employed in cities in 1934 tha 1930. On the same basis, the reduction in rural teacher situations would amount to about 20.000. In addition. approxin 2000 rural schools were closed in 1934 because of lack of funds. (Joint Commission on the Emergency in Education.) Tea salaries are estimated from the proportion of teachers receiving less than $750. (Joint Commission on the Emergency in F tion.) Budgets for capital outlay are 36.6 percent below 1933 expenditures for th's purpose. (City Schools and the E Situation. Circular No. 124, October, 1933, U. S. Office of Education.) Cost per child is calculated for each year from Columns 2 and 6. 1 Includes current expenses, capital outlays, and interest. Excludes payments for bonds, short-term loans, and sinking { [96] n 6 by column 2. This is a convenient ost for a brief review of this type. A com- statement of the many sources of infor tion utilized in preparing ned in the footnotes to it. Table 1 is con Principal Conclusions Total enrolments— Table 1 shows that from 926 to 1934, public school enrolments in eased at an approximately uniform rate.’ [here was apparently a slight decrease in the total for 1933, but estimates for 1934 show a resumption of the upward trend. Each year there have been roughly 200,000 more children in the public schools than the year previous , gain of slightly less than | percent per year. High-school enrolments—The trend in high school enrolments has been quite different from the uniform trend in total enrolments traced above. The number of high-school students has increased at a much more rapid rate than the total enrolments. It is probable that all, o nearly all, of the increase in total enrolments s now occurring at the high-school level. In deed, estimates of the United States Office of Education suggest that elementary-school en rolments in the nation at large have already begun to decrease. 1926 to 1928 the unnual rate of increase in high-school enrol 2 percent. From ments appears to have been about Since then, however, the average annual in crease has been about 4 percent. These rapid increases in enrolment at the high-school level have particular financial significance, since it is at this level that the higher costs are at present involved. Staf—The number of teachers, principals, and supervisors employed in the public schools 1Tt should be noted that in Tables 1 and 2 continued to increase through the school y 1932. There followed by was a slight falling off in 1933 1934 h a much larger decrease in There are now about the same number of tea ers as in 1927, but these employees are giving instruction to 1,400,000 more children than it 1927. Salaries | he ave! I age salary of teache principals, and supervisors continued to increas« through 1931. Since that date it has been de creasing and the h year have be reductions eac greater than those in the year previous. Expenditures tures did not 1932, 1933, hv Total public school expend begin to decrease until 1931. In 1934 the gathered momentum until in ] aecreas¢ rate of 1934 the total annual expenditures for public education in el and mentary and secondary schools will be cidedly less than the amount spent in 1926. Capital outlay—Expenditures for capit outlay show a different trend. In the period between 1927 and 1930, annual expenditures for school buildings, sites,and equipment seemed to be stabilizing at slightly less than $400,000, O00 per year. Beginning in 1930, however, rapid decline in these expenditures began, so 1934 they $97,600,000. This last figure, however, may that by reached the low figure of need to be revised upward if large sums of money are made available this year for publi school buildings by the Federal Public Works Administration. Cost per child slight The cost per child enrolled showed annual increases from 1926 through 1930. In 1931 a downward trend be gan, which in 1934 reached approximately $67 per child enrolled, as compared with $90 1930 and $82 in 1926. the years referred to are the school TABLE 2.—INDEX NUMBERS FOR CERTAIN PUBLIC SCHOOL STATISTICS, 1926-1934 (1930 Number of teachers, High- principals, school and enrolment supervisors Years ending June 30 Total enrolment 1 2 3 1926 85 1927 97 87 1928 98 89 1929 99 94 1930 100 1931 101 105 1932 102 111 1933 102 1934 100) Average salary of teachers, principals, and Total ex- supervisors penditures Expenditures Cost per for capital child outlay enrolle 5 € 7 90 11 03% 01 7 Of 101 06 91 74 Summary another point of view. It shows, for ea an the last five items of Table 1, the year in \ In order to reduce the figures of Table I it stood at the same level as it does in the s to a comparable basis they have been converted, year 1933-34, Thus, the number of tea in Table 2, into index numbers, using 1930 as principals, and supervisors is now at the the basal year. By reading, in Table 2, the m= level; their salaries are at the level of dex numbers for 1934 for each of the items, it total public school expenditures are at the is possible to secure a rapid review of changes 1924 ; capital outlays are at the level of | since 1930. These changes may be summarized and cost per child enrolled has slipped as follows: total enrolments, up 3 percent; high- gleyen years to the level of 1922. school enrolments, up 24 percent; number of Chart I presents the index numbers of ‘| teachers, principals, and supervisors, down 5 2 jn graphic form. It clearly contrasts th percent; average salaries, down 26 percent; ward swing of enrolments with the downy total expenditures, down 24 percent; capital trend of expenses, unit costs, and staff. outlays, down 74 percent; cost per child en- index numbers, represented by the vertical : rolled, down 26 percent. 70 to 120 and above, show the amount of cha: Table 3 summarizes these same trends from below or above the level of the 1930 prog TABLE 3.—EXTENT TO WHICH SCHOOL PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN RETARDED , , Year to which 1934 Number of y Educational items figures have declined of developme: 1 2 Number of teachers, principals, and supervisors 1927 Average salary of teachers, principals, and supervisors 1921 Total expenditures ; 1924 Capital outlay ; 1913 Cost per child enrolled wa , : ; 1922 UR SCHOOLS ought to be the last to feel the pinch of economy, just as they ought first to experience the return of prosperity. Undoubtedly the educational tree needs some pruning. . . . But if such pruning is necessary it should be done scientifically, b) experts. It serves no good purpose of economy and it is immensely damaging to ou: educational system to slash into a budget regardless of whether we are cutting into vital spot or not. Even in these days of tremendously pressing problems, to my mind the most impo tant question of all is, What are we going to do about our schools? That education should be universal goes without saying. By education I mean mgre than the three R’s. I believe that every child should be given all the education that he can reasonably absorb. . . This means that everyone in order to have the best chance possible for a happy and ful life should have every bit of education that he is capable of receiving and of using to advantage. He should have this not only for his own sake but for the good of the whole... . No nation in these times can hope to survive, to say nothing of progressing in the arts and the sciences, in commerce, in trade, or in industry, unless it is composed of a well educated citizenry. Least of all can a democracy, depending, as it must depend, upon an informed public opinion for the selection of its leaders and the framing of its law hope long to endure unless it consists of a highly and universally educated electorat« The individual American must be educated not only that he may be able to enjoy happier and fuller life; he must be educated in order that, in cooperation with othe: educated Americans, he may do his part toward sustaining and upbuilding an intelligen' and beneficent and capable government.—H onorable Harold L. Ickes, Secretary, Unite: States Department of the Interior. Radio address, October 29, 1933. a —— [ 98 ] CHART I RECENT TRENDS IN PUBLIC SCHOOL STATISTICS : HIGH SCHOOL iA ENROLMENT~, 7 4930 =AOO TOTAL umee! A Jf 0 n " 4 4 4 ache 70 i 4926 4927 4928 1929 4930 1934 141932 4933 1934 9926 1927 4928 1929 4930 4034 19032 1033 A. ENROLMENTS UP B.EXPENSES DOWN > / NUMBER OF TEACHERS PRINCIPALS AND SUPERVISORS 4930 =400 COST PER CHILD ENROLED AVERAGE SALARY OF TEACHERS \ PRINCIPALS AND SUPERVISORS \ ' 70 ‘ P : , 1 ‘ vm 7 . wah 4 4926 1927 4928 4999 1930 4934 1932 14933 1934 4926 4927 1928 41929 14930 1934 1992 4933 1934 C.UNIT COSTS DOWN D. STAFF DOWN Research Division. National Education Association III. Educational Services in Rural Areas Up to this point, the bulletin has been con- cerned with national totals. It has shown how the demands onthe schools are becoming greater while their financial support has been dimin- ished. Succeeding sections will deal primarily with the effect of these two opposing tendencies on the educational opportunities available to the nation’s children. This material will be presented : first, with respect to schools in rural areas; second, in connection with city school systems ; and third, with respect to the various states, territories, and regions. This section’ reviews certain educational conditions prevailing in rural districts at the beginning of the school year 1933-34. Three important matters are included: 1. Closed schools—Nearly two thousand rural schools failed to open in the fall of 1933 due to lack of funds. 2. Short terms—Eighteen thousand rural schools are operating for less than six months. Seven hun- dred of these are operating less than three months. 3. Sub-code teachers—The number of rural teach- ers receiving wages less than the amount provided in the “blanket code,” officially known as the Presi- dent’s Reemployment Agreement, is 210,000. Of this number, 84,000 rural teachers are receiving less than $450 per year. Source of data—A return postcard inquiry form was mailed on October 5, 1933, to all county school superintendents or equivalent rural or state school officers.? A total of 3520 cards were mailed. By October 24, replies covering 1886 counties or equivalent units had been received. The tabulations reported here are based on these replies. The portion of the inquiry blank used in collecting the informa- tion reported here is reproduced below. On the basis of present prospects how many schools will not open in 1933-34 because of lack of funds? How many schools will have terms of less than three months? less than six months ? . How many teachers will receive an annual salary of less than $750? ; less than $450? . Method of handling data—Replies w: ceived from all states. However, a 100 p coverage was secured in only a few state this reason, it has been necessary to est the totals for most of the states on the of the replies actually received.* It shou! emphasized, however, that in all the tab! all these estimates are indicated as such that the actual reported totals are given columns adjoining the estimate. In eleven st complete state-wide information was secure on certain items and such information was lized, whenever available, in preference to s tered replies from local sources.* Closed Schools Table 4 shows that 1343 schools were r ported by the 1930 counties as failing to op because of lack of funds. From these figures it is estimated that 1882 rural schools in the en tire United States failed to open in the fall 1933 because of lack of funds. Five or more closed schools were actually reported for twely: states; namely, Alabama, Arkansas, Colorad Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Mon tana, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, West Virginia. The location of the schools is shown in Chart II. The number of children affected by closing of these 1882 schools is about 104,100 This is as many children as are enrolled in t! entire public school system of a city as larg as St. Louis, or in the entire state of Oregon The school year 1933-34 is the second y of the depression in which considerable n bers of rural schools have closed very early « failed to open at all. The number of clos schools at certain times in the school y: 1932-33 and 1933-34 are indicated in ‘Tab! By utilizing the figures on schools which \ be open for brief terms, it is possible to est mate, in advance, the number of schools whi will be closed by January 1 and April 1, 1934 1 This section was originally published in a limited edition for the use of regional consultants of the Joint Commiss the Emergency in Education. * Town and field supervisors in Connecticut; State rural supervisors in Delaware; Parish superintendents in Louisiana union superintendents in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island; Deputy superintendents of public inst: in ee and District superintendents in New York, Utah, and Vermont. ® The basis of this estimate was the percent of rural inhabitants of the state residing in the several counties. The [ used was: Estimated total for the state equals actual total for the counties reporting divi by the percent of the state rural population residing in the counties reporting. (Data on rural population from U. S. Census for 1930.) - *Complete figures were received from Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, and replies on items from other states. ® Surveys of schools closed very early in the school year 1932-33 indicated an average of 56 children per closed sch “The Depression and the Schools,’ Joint Commission on the Emergency in Education, National Education Association MI 1933, 7 p. In the present study the figure of 50 children per school is used. [ 100 ] CHART II auf ul pajyow 2 AOHMOONPYZ 4 sUPW4IDGSG 2}D4G nq peysiuing D4{DG, = — a SJOCYIS Peso/Dd OG . SCOURS ~PPS°D Ol be SJSCCYSS PBSQOID g GE yey ve JOOUDS pesolD | : bs-s<6) 2 | SANNS JO -ADV1-4O - ASNVDIG: GINIdO -LON - SIOOHDS-TWINy | II LAVHDSD TABLE 4.—RURAL SCHOOLS FAILING TO OPEN IN 1933-1934 BECAUSE OF LAcxK OF FUNDS _— _ >. a > = Counties or equivalent school units Schools reported closed Est a BPoeet —— = mate i av : Number of total numbe War Yah ape of counties state rural child: State. \ a * «2 7 reporting population affecte eo ge” . si Numbere> Number one or more residing in Actual clo oe wu > ‘N in® report- closed counties number Estimated school s o* - . state ing schools reporting reported total 2 Columr oe DM a a a acer meen - ¥ at 4 ‘p’ 2 3 4 5 6 7 5 <<) = —. a —— EE & rt + ponies —_ — a Continent Walteg aBedtes 3,520 1,930 471 1,343 1,882 104 2 py. ‘tS ee 7 67 g* 100 11* ha «&\ zona 14 x, 0 59 0 0 re) \a> OA sas a 75 ‘ 100 4c0* 400* ar . 33 61 Q 0 em ne ge” C 63 21 3 28 7 25 vw 2§ 7 2 ‘ oh Connecticut ; ei : 16 7 0 43? 0 ) ‘ Delaware f . 3 3 o* 100 0* 0 Florida , ; ee AS 67 21 4 30 8 27 Georgia : i 161 41 0 28 0 0 Idaho ian 44 44 o* 100 0* 0 Illinois ca 102 102 0* 100 0* 0 Indiana ecw 4 92 92 o* 100 o* 0 _ 99 44 1 45 1 2 ansas Seda 105 105 100 700* 700* Kentucky ; 120 26 2 20 3 15 Louisiana ara 64 12 1 19 32 168 Maine ; 133 40 1 303 2 7 Maryland Fa 23 14 0 56 0 0 Massachusetts : 74 74 o* 100 o* 0 Michigan ; : 83 4 22 45 205 l Minnesota oe 87 27 2 33 2 6 Mississippi wali 82 23 0 25 0 0 me : 7 114 114 o* 100 pa a SE as: de sabi) Gaawennte 56 21 7 44 2 26 Nebraska .. ; ie 93 89 4° 96 : Nevada A ‘ 6 2 0 27 0 New Hampshire ........ ce 59 29 0 498 0 0 a orsey SR er 33 15 ° . ° : Se PE Sac cob bew ees 6 ¢ ED 28 Sabot eats Aware det 201 201 o* 100 o* 0 | North Carolina ae eee 100 24 1 24 3 13 7 North Dakota ‘ eee 53 27 4 51 26 51 Ohio Pe 88 43 2 50 28 56 2 Oklahoma ‘ eee eaten 77 22 1 31 1 3 0 es Ee A ari $6 9 0 60 9 0 Rhode Island ... rate She 10 10 0* 100 0* 0 South Carolina ; ; 46 9 1 26 1 4 South Dakota Sea 69 27 4 41 27 66 Tennessee saa «lke 95 31 1 38 4 11 Pe aay oe 254 48 0 He . : Ita : : 34 19 0 5 Vermont ithaa BR 99 @ we ’ = irginia in wie ; 3 IR in 0 cae 54H r 39 ee 1 37 1 3 . a ree 55 14 1 20 5 25 I ED (15.4. sad Rhebhas Ohare 72 72 1* 100 a 1 Wyoming RR 23 11 0 47 0 0 * Figures obtained from State Departments of Education. 1 Not including Kansas and Arkansas. 2 See text for basis of estimates. F . ® Estimated on the basis of ratio of replies received to number of rural superintendents in state. TABLE 5.—SCHOOLS CLOSED AND CHILDREN DENIED EDUCATIONAL OPPOR.- TUNITIES, 1932-33 AND 1933-34 Schools Children Date 1932-33 1933-34 1932-33 1933-34 1 2 3 4 5 November 1 tk ines, ee oc atte a ; 40 1,882 103 104 January 1 . am ach Pe ey SO 7 ‘ 412 2,597 1 39,068 13 =f Se = 5,825 19,893 2 467,000 1,004 April 1 . SOAS roe Source: Data collected by the Joint Commission on the Emergency in Education of the National Education Associatior Department of Superintendence. Data for 1932 and spring of 1933 based on state-wide reports from 42 states; data fo the of 1933 and estimates for 1934 limited to rural areas. 1 Estimated on basis of present prospects for term length as reported by county superintendents of schools. [ 102] IR- lable 5 shows that, in November, 1934, 1882 schools were closed as compared with only 40 closed schools at the same date in 1933. Again in April, 1933, there were 5825 closed schools ; whereas by April, 1934, there will be nearly 20,000 such schools. These figures, together with related data on the number of children ‘involved, are shown in Chart IIT. Short Terms Terms of less than three montis—Out of 1699 counties reporting on this question, only 18 reported one or more schools which would run less than three months. The total number of schools thus reported is 150. On the basis previously described, the estimated total on this item for the entire rural area of the United States is 715 schools. ‘This would affect approxi- mately 35,750 children. Terms of less than six months—A much larger group of schools was reported as expect ing terms of less than six months than were reported to expect terms of less than three months. Of the 1699 counties responding to this question, 151 expected to have one or more schools open for less than six months. The total number of schools thus reported is 5108; the estimated total for the rural schools of the United States as a whole is 18,011 schools. This would involve about 900,550 children.°® ) would be larger on the whole, than the schools which fail to open entirely. Neverthele able, the ratio of 50 children per school has been used in connection with the shortened terms as it was for the closed ® Probably this estimate is too low because it seems likely that schools which can operate for terms up to six mon 1 The detailed state-by-state reports on short school terms are given in Table 6. Summarizing at this point, rural children who are this year being entirely denied edu- cational opportunities or suffering seriously re- duced school terms may be listed as given in Table 7. Sub-code Teachers Table 8 presents data on the number of teachers receiving salaries which may fairly be considered to be below the minimums fixed in the President’s Reemployment Agreement or Blanket Code. An exact comparison between the salaries of teachers and the minimum wage rates fixed by the President’s Agreement is not possible be cause teachers are paid either by the month or by the year ; whereas the rates in the Agreement are in terms of hours and weeks. Nevertheless, an approximate comparison is possible. It should be understood that such comparisons as will follow do not at all imply that the minimum rates of the Blanket Code are accepted as a proper basis of compensation for teachers. Under Article 6 of the President’s Reemploy ment Agreement employers agree: “Not to pay any employee of the classes mentioned in para- graph 3 (factory or mechanical worker or artisan) less than 40 cents per hour, unless the hourly rate for the same class of work on ths in length since no other basis for estimate is avai } n CHART III Schools Closed and Children Denied Educational Opportunities - 1932-1934 SCHOOLS CLOSED 1932-33 NOVEMBER - 1 | JANUARY - 1 + APRIL -1 -_ + | SUMMER VACA . 1933 -34 NOVEMBER - i JANUARY — 1 (PRESENT PROSPECTS) APRIL- 1 (PRESENT PROSPECTS 300,000 [_] Schoos - 400,000 CHILDREN Research Division OOC Not drawn (40 schools 103 children) 000 700000 600000 900.0 00, O« OPPORTUNITIES _ National Education Association 103 ] TABLE 6.—SHORT SCHOOL TERMS IN RURAL AREAS, 1933-1934 Percent of Schools with terms of less than Schools with terms of less 7 total state three months six ‘months : rural . State population Children Chil residing Actual affected in Actual affecte in counties number Estimated schools in number Estimated sch¢ j reporting reported total Col. 4 reported total Col 1 2 3 a 5 6 7 8 \ sapujiehaniaaeiit ™ ; ha S Continental United States... 150 715 35,750 5,108 18,011 01 Alabama nee 38 11 29 1,450 1,592 4,189 Arizona 59 0 0 0 0 0 Arkansas 6 6 100 5,000 27 450 California ; 100 0 0 0 0 0 ’ Colorado ... ... 28 0 0 0 6 21 1 Connecticut ; 43! 0 0 is) 0 0 Delaware 100 0* 0 0 0" 0 Florida. 30 l 3 150 187 623 31,1 Georgia 28 0 8) 0 601 2,146 10 Idaho ‘ 100 o* 0 0 0* 0 Illinois ...... 100 0" 0 0 o* 0 Indiana 100 0° 0 0 0* 0 lowa j ; 45 0 0 0 0 0 Kansas ‘ 34 6 18 900 18 53 Kentucky .... ‘ 20 0 0 0 9 45 ? Louisiana , 19 87 458 22,900 159 837 4) Maine ; 301 0 0 0 0 0 ( Maryland : 56 0 0 0 0 0 Massachusetts 100 0 0 0 0* 0 ; Michigan .... 22 0 0 0 252 1,145 57,2 | Minnesota 33 0 0 0 0 0 Mississippi 25 0 0 0 91 1,564 78 Missouri 34 6 18 900 179 526 26 PE, cc iadivne 44 0 0 0 17 38 1,90 Nebraska ..... ' 100 0 0 0 50* 50* 2, 50 Nevada 27 0 0 0 0 0 if New Hampshire 491 0 0 0 0 0 a New Jersey....... 82 0 0 0 0 0 apt |i New Mexico... 20 0 0 0 0 0 can New York 100 0” 0 0 0* 0 a i North Carolina 24 3 13 650 3 13 ia North Dakota 51 12 24 1,200 67 131 6 ae dt, Ohio : 50 10 20 1,000 196 392 19 1 in Oklahoma 31 3 10 500 80 258 12 ay Oregon ' 46 2 4 200 25 54 2,7 ' Pennsylvania 60 0 0 0 0 0 ; Rhode Island . 100 0 0 0 0* 0 South Carolina 26 0 0 0 439 1,688 +4 South Dakota. 41 0 0 0 0 0 Tennessee ... 38 0 0 0 123 324 16,20 Texas 17 3 18 900 36 212 10,60 Utah ie GAs ; 57 0 0 0 0 0 Vermont Mes 100 o* 0 0 0" 0 Virginia és 38 0 0 0 0 0 Washington 37 0 0 0 0 0 West Virginia 20 0 0 0 650 3,250 162 Wisconsin 100 0* 0 0 c 0 Wyoming . 47 0 0 0 1 | * Figures obtained from State Departments of Education. ? . 1 Estimated on the basis of replies received to number of rural superintendents in state. ¥ TABLE 7.—RURAL CHILDREN DENIED PART OR ALL OF THEIR EDUCATIONAL iy OPPORTUNITY, 1933-34 > i zm : ih Limitation of opportunity ys lg A i 1 2 i | a " f i TG a eee, eee . by ; EADS » 104,100 A i Less than 3 months school.................. mere hea hememeass 35,756 he Less than 6 months school.............-...+---+. sen ae had fea 900,550 hit eR Te TE PES |: Se ee Dee RE ean Br) | oa ie 1,004,650 i: 1 It is assumed that the 35,750 children with less than 3 months of school are all included among those with less tha { } months of school. ~ j [ 104] - | 15, 1929, was less than 40 cents per may give the right to work as much as 40 hours .’ Article 3 of the same Agreement per week for a limited period of time. If the fers to a working week of 35 hours for this employee were able to work this additional Ps ' croup. A week of this length at 40 cents an time for, say, twelve weeks,’ the weekly wage “ hour would yield a minimum salary of $14 per for these twelve weeks would be $16 and the veek. This would be $728 per year. However, annual earnings would be $752. The sum of 8 the Agreement also specifies that an employer $750 was, therefore, taken as an annual salary The Agreement allows six 40-hour weeks during the period July 27 to Decembe 4 This would be. at the ate vhat more than twelve 40-hour weeks in a year TABLE 8.—RURAL TEACHERS RECEIVING YEARLY SALARIES OF LESS THAN $750 AND $450, 1933-1934 Percent of total state Teachers receiving less Teachers receiving less rural than $750 than $450 State population —- - - residing in Actual Actual counties number Estimated number Estimated reporting reported total reported total 1 2 3 4 5 6 Continental United States 73.244 57 6.012 e4 Alabama 38 3 4¢ 111 2.8 { Arizona 59 14 4 0 Arkansas 6 1 3 SO 210 California 10 0 * Colorado 23 ¢ 1 ; Connecticut $31 ) Delaware 100 Florida 30 1.690 S 632 1.055 ' Georgia 28 ) Q] > ss Idaho 100 4 167 224* Illinois 100 7 70 400* 4 Indiana 100 0 0 Iowa 45 41 1¢ 1.751 Kansas ' 2,911 562 1,243 Kentucky ) 1.992 ; 1.236 , Louisiana 19 5 1} 29 Maine 840 930 130 Maryland 56 2 475 1? Massachusetts 100 o* 0 n* Michigan 1.7 8 Oxe 671 Minnesota } 1.81 5.5 831 Mississippi Ss 22 Q 1.84 Missouri j 3,22 1 > NOR Montana 14 68 1 5? Nebraska 4 2.5 { 01 Nevada ? ¢ 0 New Hampshire 49 1 1 New Jersey 9? 35 4 0 New Mexico ? 1 515 43 New York 52 12 2 ? North Carolina 4 3.15 g gas North Dakota 51 » §R8 5 : 1.254 ‘ Ohio g 6 1 26 Ae ‘ Oklahoma 31 702? S ) Oregon 16 1 1.08 148 Pennsylvania 60 3,501 §.835 ) Rhode Island 100 AL South Carolina 26 2.294 8.8 1.207 1 64 South Dakota 41 1,71 41 686 i Tennessee 38 3,58 445 1.714 ! Texas 17 ? 20 ) Utah 57 3] 4 1 Vermont sO gsc 111 19 Virginia g 111 8 187 10! Washineton 37 497 1 West Virginia 20 1.21 é 65 Wisconsin 45 791 rapt Wyoming 47 t g * Figures obtained from State Departments of Education : 1 Estimated on the basis of ratio of replies received to number of rural superintendents in state [105 ] a aiens Stipe aie. Tithe pa nb approximately equivalent to the minimum hourly wages specified by the Agreement for a ‘““factory or mechanical worker or artisan.” It is recognized, of course, that most teach- ers are not actually employed for the entire year. Nevertheless, a teacher must Jive during the entire year and the expenses of living go on whether or not school is in session. Furthermore, many teachers spend their summers in advanced professional or other studies,—a phase of pro- fessional improvement which must be paid for out of funds accumulated while the teacher is actually employed. It was felt desirable also to have figures for comparison which would be valid even if the annual salary were considered as applying to the school term only, rather than to the entire year. The blank, therefore, called for the num- ber of teachers receiving less than $450 per year.® Table 8 gives the returns and the estimated 8 The average rural school term in 1930, the latest year for which complete figures are available, was 160 days At $14 per week this amounts to $448 per year. totals with respect to the number of tea in 1,462 counties receiving less than $75 less than $450 per year. The estimated ¢ for the United States for these two group respectively, 209,573 and 84,036 tea There are approximately 860,000 tea principals, and supervisors in the public s of the United States, of whom some 45\ are in rural areas. ‘This means that this approximately half the rural teachers in Nation are receiving an annual salary o than $750 and one in every five is receivin than $450. These facts are graphically sented in Chart IV. Many city teachers also below these levels, but the numb such is not known at present. However, it safely be said that of the entire public ; teaching force of the nation at least on four is receiving annual wages below the n mum provided for factory hands unde: Blanket Code. Wr CHART IV Receiving $4500 #750 per year DISTRIBUTION oF RURAL TEACHERS ACCORDING TO ANNUAL SALARIES, 1933-1934 Selo, Receiving over $750 per year Research Division, National Education Ass Source of data:National Education Association and Department of Superintendence, Joint Commission On the Emergency In Education Data on Closed Schools, Short Terms, and Sub-Code Teachers, 1933-1934: (Preliminary report; rural areas only.) p.7-8. [ 106] IV. Educational Services in the Cities [he United States Office of Education, the National Education and other ywencies, recently Association, have assembled important data on city the bulletin, except where otherwise indicated, yased on a recent Office of Education survey. conditions. This section of City School Budgets Current expense budgets in 677 city school systems decreased on the average of 5 percent, or $54,000,000, 1933 and 1934. Budget reductions below expenditures of the between previous year occurred in all parts of the coun t ry, except in the largest cities of the western region. Figures are also available for a group of 393 cities comparing current expense budgets for the school year 1930-31 with the current school these budgets year. Lhe average decrease in during this period was approximately 20 per cent. Reduced Salaries The median reduction in teachers’ salaries between September, 1930 and June, 1933, re ported by 363 cities, 13.7 percent. The smallest reductions occurred in the largest cities; the greatest reduction in cities of 30,000 100,000 population. Further reductions are being effected for 1933-34 in many places. A few cities, are moving to re- establish former salary schedules. Atlanta has restored more than 5 percent of its teachers’ salaries, making new rates retroactive to April 1, and planning further advances in the future.” The city of Modesto, California, has under- taken also to restore teachers’ salaries nearer to former schedules.* Milford, Connecticut, has restored domestic science, manual training, and kindergartens, eliminated from the school pro gram at the beginning of the present school year.* Ten percent of the 20% percent deduc tion in salaries of teachers and janitors has been restored, and made retroactive from Septem- ber, 1933. Salary cuts have also been restored in Hudson and Walpole, Mass., and elsewhere.°® was however, and Herlihy, Lester B 1 Covert, Timon: Foster, Emery M 124. Washington the Interior, Office of Education, Circular No ; Correspondence from assistant superintendent in charge of high schools, Octot 11; October, “Modesto Teachers Salaries.’’ Sierra Educational News 29: ¢ iiiieendeees from superintendent of schools, w: D, C.: Government P November 15, Unpaid Salaries The Research Division has recently collected data concerning non-payment of teachers’ sal aries and payment of teachers in certificates of Data states which salary arrears are reported are Table 9. Non-payment of teachers’ salaries is The owed to teachers ranged from $2400 in Clay- New Mexico to $22,000,000 in Chicago, Illinois. Table 9 does not represent the total amount of salaries owed indebtedness. ' for and cities in given in reported in fourteen states. total amounts ton, The total figure given in to teachers and other school employees in the United States. It represents merely a minimum figure which is believed to be reasonably com plete for most of the larger cities of the coun The total number of school employees in lhe data from Chicago represent a large propo try. volved in Table 9 is approximately 40,000. tion of the total amount reported by the fou: teen states. It should be noted that in request ing the information, the inquiry blank excluded actual the rates of from consideration everything except non-payment of salaries. Reductions in salary budget by means of lowered pay, dismissing employees, refunds and con tributions of salary from employees, shortening advance to of school year, and agreements in work a specified period without pay, are not included in Table 9. Seven states reported sal aries unpaid for four months or more. Teacher Load schools today employ 18,600 fewer City teachers than in 1931. This is a reduction of 4.6 percent for the nation as a whole, varying from 0.5 percent in cities of 100,000 or more population in the North Atlantic 16.7 30,000 to population in the South Central states. States, to percent in cities of 100.000 In this three-year period, the number of teachers was decreased 13 percent or more in 6 states, 10 percent or more in ten states. In 1933-34 city schools will enrol 68,100 Schools an he F rinting Office ver 18, 1933. 1933. Situation. U. S. Department of October, 1933 onomu 1933. 5 A list of such cities is now being compiled by the Research Division of the National Education Association ® National Education Association, Department of Superintendence and Resear Circular No. 10, 1933 Other School Employees. Educational Research Service, 1933. 11 p. ch Division. Unpaid Salaries of Te Wa hington, D. C.: the Associatio [ 107 ] or .5 percent more pupils than in 1932-33, and _ sion. The increase has been steady in the 1.9 percent or 250,000 more pupils than in _ ber of pupils per teacher since 1930-31 in 1930-31. Between 1930-31 and the present of practically every size and in all regio: school year, the greatest increase (6.4 percent) 1933-34 the ratio is 32 pupils per teach occurred in the South Atlantic states. all cities combined. The range is from 3] j The decreasing number of teachers and the North Atlantic states to 37 in the Sout! increasing number of pupils mean a higher lantic states. Arkansas, with 45 pupils ; pupil-teacher ratio. They also mean, in most teacher, will probably have the largest c! school systems, an increased size of class. How- ‘There will be more than 40 pupils per t ever, the general tendency in city school sys- in Georgia and North Carolina. Ten tems to increase class size antedates the depres- ‘ \t will have an average of fewer than 30. TABLE 9.—SALARY ARREARS IN CERTAIN STATES AND CITIES Amount of States unpaid salaries Date of report Proportion of state represented 1 2 3 4 Alabama ..... aaa ll i ; $7,000,000 March, 1933 Entire state. Connecticut Bridgeport 3 : 300,000 June 30, 1933 One city: Bridgeport. Illinois Chicago . June 30, 1933 Two cities: Chicago and Peoria. Indiana Indianapolis .. ‘ 320,000 June 30, 1933 Three cities: Evansville, South Bend Indianapolis. Michigan Grand Rapids. 388,979 June 30, 1933 Two cities: Grand Rapids and Flint New Hampshire... . : baad ; 4,493 July 31, 1933 Entire state. New Jersey : elleville? .... i a hoya 70,000 June 30, 1933 Twenty-one cities: Belleville, Bradley B Cliffside Park... CO oats ; 103,000 June 30, 1933 Cliffside Park, Edgewater, Elizabeth, | | rer eee 45,000 June 30, 1933 view, Fort Lee, Garfield, Hackensack, |: YY (are Sas 26,121 June 30, 1933 sey City, Long Branch, Madison, M ; Garfield Bie hd teks Sa ae 308,000 June 30, 1933 town, Neptune, Newark, Nutley, Pat: ’ Long Branch... i. 83,822 June 30, 1933 Toms River, Trenton, Pennsauken ’ Moorestown . 0 ees 21,677 June 30, 1933 ship, Spring Lake Heights. Spring Lake Heights..... : 2,355 June 30, 1933 New Mexico : i Clayton . Pi eb ead s R 2,400 June 30, 1933 Three cities: Albuquerque, Clayton Hg North Carolina “ } Charlotte ............ 156,867 June 30, 1933 City of Charlotte. North Dakota Fargo eee iia 18,000 June 30, 1933 City of Fargo ~ Ohio ee Cleveland . , ‘ 2,500,000 June 30, 1933 Twelve cities: Canton, Cincinnati, Clev £ Cleveland Heights 3 jose 30, 1933 Cleveland Heights, Columbus, Cuy Shs 3 Cuyahoga Falls..... ioe 60,000 une 30, 1933 Falls, Dayton, Euclid, Garfield H ; Daytoa ee. ne ; 110,000 June 30, 1933 Lakewood, Parma, Shaker Heights " Garfield Heights 50,000 June 30, 1933 i} Lakewood ..... red : 45,425 June 30, 1933 a 8 FP 94,671 June 30, 1933 Shaker Heights Se ee 136,500 June 30, 1933 Pennsylvania ...... ‘ 2,150,820 Sept., 1933 Entire state. Rhode Island : bane a 35,740 June 30, 1933 Entire state. Wisconsin Milwaukee ........ re 1,800,000 June 30, 1933 City of Milwaukee. ied. aetsonchs. _.. $37,833,870 as ae 4 Sources: National Education Association, Department of Superintendence and Research Division. Unpaid Salaries of Tec 7 and Other School Employees. Educational Research Service Circular No. 10, September, 1933. Washington, D. C.: the Ass 1 tion, 1933. 11 p. Also correspondence from Pennsylvania Department of Public Instruction, November 9, 1933. u 1 Emplo have been able to use vouchers on back pay in payment of taxes and rents. t 2In addition to the non-payment of salaries. school yoy salaries were issued for five months in “Regular Mun Bonds,” payable only for taxes and water rent. These bonds bear 6 percent interest and mature December 31, 1936. $135.01 28 percent of 1932-33 payroll for school employees was met by these bonds. Teachers had much difficulty in cashing them 3 No figure on the total amount unpaid was reported. School employees had not been paid for one and one-half months F #In addition to salaries, the school has accounts payable since February, 1932, and owes a substantial note at bank 4 present current debt exceeds the anticipated revenue next year. [ 108 ] Term Length In 1933-34, 1 city in every 8 reporting ex ts to shorten the school term; | out of every 5 will increase it; and 2 out of 3 do not expect to change the term length. The 180-day term shows the least change toward either decrease or increase. More than 1 out of every 4 cities has shortened its school term since 1930-31; , little over one-half have made no change in term; and fewer than 1 out of every 6 have increased the term since that date. The rela tively brief school terms for American children contrast with the much longer school terms it present available to children in other coun Curtailment of Opportunities The elimination or curtailment of educa- tional activities and services presents a com plicated and varied picture. Facts revealed by the Office of Education survey are summarized in Table 10. The various services covered by the survey are arranged in descending order according to the percent of cities which have maintained or increased them. The table shows that the least affected school services are ap- parently those for high school graduates and for physically handicapped children ; those most commonly reduced include night schools, adult classes, summer schools, and Americanization classes. It should be remembered that the data in Table 10 are intended to portray conditions 7U. S. Department of the Interior D. C.: Government Printing Office, 1933. p. 5. TABLE 10.—STATUS OF CERTAIN SCHOOLS AND CLASSES IN CITY Office of Education. The Deepening Crisis in Education, Le Further reductions were expected in many cities fot the year 1933-34. It should be remembered a ’ ] iso 1 that the reductions occurring in any particular city may fall wholly on a single item or may be spread out over many different phases of the total educational program. The interpretation of Table 10 involves a judgment as to the relative seriousness of cut tailing the educational services included in it Some may take encouragement from the fact that school health services, for example, have been maintained in four out of every five cities. Others will think of the one city in which the school health services have been reduced o1 eliminated and will deplore the detriment to the welfare of the children involved in this one city. Building Programs School building construction has been largely suspended. Probably not more than 1 city in 20 had any classrooms under construction last year. Unless the federal public works program construction, 1934 budget decrease from the preceding school years’ greatly stimulates schoolhouse even less will be done this year. The expenditures for capital outlay amounts to 36.6 percent in 507 cities reporting on this item. Since 1930, the budgets for capital outlay in 262 cities show an average decrease of 80 per cent. This decrease for the three-year period is representative of all sections and sizes of cities. iflet N SCHOOL SYSTEMS, 1931-1933 Schools or classes relating to: High school graduates Physically handicapped children Home making Industrial arts Physical education ad handicapped children rt Music Kindergartens Playgrounds and recreation Continuation wor Americanization Summer schools Night schools and adult classes Read table as follows: Five hundred sixty-nine cities reported to the U. S. Office of Ex high school graduates. This phase of the school program had been maintained or increased and reduced or eliminated by 6.9 percent Herlihy Department of the Interior the period September, 1930 to June, 1933; _ Source: Covert. Timon; Foster, Emery M.; and No. 124, October, 1933. Washington; D. C.: U.S Table 16, p. 16. l I Percent of cities reducing or eliminating this work Percent of cities maintaining or increasing this work Number of cities reporting 2 3 POS rhONKS It 47 4( 5 41 266 $7.5 42.5 ation on their school program for 93.1 percent of the cities, during of the cities. Similarly read other figures Schools and the Economic Situation. ( ular Lester B. City Office of Education, 1933. Table 10, p. 11! 109 | Textbooks and Supplies School districts of Highland Park and Kal). mazoo, Michigan, have undertaken refundino programs.® A refunding program of the enti: municipal debt in Detroit is now in pr This includes the debt of the school di which is coterminous with the city. Although 80 percent of 604 city school sys- tems maintained or increased their free text- book service between September, 1930 and June, 1933, the sale of textbooks has dropped over 30 percent since 1930. Obviously, worn- out books are not being replaced, and new text- books are not being purchased. Not quite 70 percent of the cities reporting Free public schools have been forced maintained and increased their reference and 4.6 communities, to become tuition school: other book services. Reduced expenditures for i ie tle of 15 600 population a ‘ supplies appear in cities of all sizes, but espe- stance, children standin grade eal : cially in the cities of over 30,000 population. $3 ; ei ks mew $5 6 Further reductions in supplies during 1933-34 ee eee PO a