Ann Arbor Public Schools

The annual report of the board of education has just been published and shows our city school to be in a prosperous condition. The report is in two parts. One by President Jacobs of the Board, and one by Superintendent Perry. The president in his report shows that the total expenses for the year amount to $59,592.15, of which $35,351.50 was used for teacher's salaries. The bonded indebtedness of the district is $9500, on which 4 per cent. interest is paid. The report reads : A number of causes have combined during the past few years to increase the attendance of the pupils and the requirements on the teachers, lst - The city has been growing, having increased one-sixth since the 1890 census ; 2nd- The work of the truant officer has brought in from the streets many who formerly did not attend school; 3rd - The raisiog of the requirements for eD. trance to the Unlversity has neeessitated adding to the old courses, besides the offering of a new course for those who do not care to enter college. These things in the past four years have added five teachers to the AVard schools and three to the High Schools. With the new rooms and teachers have come increased expenses. lo the face of this the amounts rcceivcd Trom tu tion, fine money frum the courts, ai:d the primary school money have been decreasing. Therefcre, vvLih the best economy the Board have been unable to reduce the overdraft more than $500 (Continued on page four.) ANN aSÖRPÜBÜcIcHOOLS. [Continued froin page one.l during the past year. Consequently it would be advisablo to raise $33,000 by taxes for the coming year, which amount is hereby recornmended. The report also states that the arbitrary interference provided for in the uniform text book law does not seem to be for the best interest of Ann Arbor studente and also discourages the free text book system. Superintendent Perry in his report gives the enrollment for the year as follows:- High School 643; Grammar department 593; Primary department 1090 ; total 2326. The total number of children in the district is 2643. He says: "The number enrolled during the year was nine less than that of the precediDg year, while the average number belonging was 37 more, and the average daily attendance was 27 more. Moreover, it is well to note that the per cent. of enrollment exclusive of non-residents was 73, while the preceding year it was only 66. A year ago we set out to bring into the schools all children included under the compulsory attendance law, i, e., all between the ages of 8 and 16. The work of looking up new cases and taking care of refractory ones kept the truant officer busy a large part of the year. It became necessary to send several children to the Industrial School at Lansing and to keep a strict oversight upon other cases who were let off upon suspended sentence. Nearly all of this class of children are now known anc located and will be sharpely looked af ter the coming year. It seems probable that Ann Arbor has more than her share of vagrant children, and it is a duty we owe to them and to the community of which they will soon form an active part, to save them from the degradation and crime into which they are in danger of sinking. I am glad to make mention here of our new gymnasium recently fttted up in the basement of the High School. It is a pleasaat room 30x36x10 feet, provided with hot and cold water baths, and facilities for all kinds of indoor ithletic excercises except those of the race-track and suspended rings. It is understood that the use of the gymnasium, especially in the matter of instrucUon will be in charge of Messrs. Springer and Jocelyn of the High Schoul faculty. When some special üxtures and arrangements shall have been made tor the young ladies, thequestion of physical culture in the High School will seem to be approaehing solution.