xt7cjs9h779x https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7cjs9h779x/data/mets.xml Kentucky. Department of Education. Kentucky Kentucky. Department of Education. 1933-05 volumes: illustrations 23-28 cm. call numbers 17-ED83 2 and L152 .B35. bulletins English Frankford, Ky. : Dept. of Education This digital resource may be freely searched and displayed in accordance with U. S. copyright laws. Educational Bulletin (Frankfort, Ky.) Education -- Kentucky Educational Bulletin (Frankfort, Ky.), vol. I, no. 3, May 1933 text Educational Bulletin (Frankfort, Ky.), vol. I, no. 3, May 1933 1933 1933-05 2021 true xt7cjs9h779x section xt7cjs9h779x \3

226 Commonwealth of Kentucky 0

ig‘fmeMDUCATlONAL BULLETEN

UNIVERSITY 05 KENTUCKY,

CONTENTS

Interpreting the Work of the Schools—by James H. Richmond ................. Page;
Problems of Boards of Education Revealed at Regional Conferences ...... 3
Equal Educational Opportunities are Not Provided for All Kentucky
Children _____________________ 6
Answers to Questions Arising ‘in Public School Administration .................. 9

Splendid Progress Shown by Kentucky Educational Commission at End
of First Year’s Work—by James W. Cammack, Jr _________________________________ 12

ParentTeacher Congress Endorses Work of Kentucky Educational Com-
mission ........................ ...... 14

Excerpts from Supt. Richmond's Address to Kentucky Congress of Par-
ents and Teachers _

Published By

1 DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

4
JAMES H. RICHMOND,
Superintendent of Public Instruction

. “1...,

ISSUED MONTHLY EXCEPT JUNE, JULY, AUGUST

Entered as second-class matter March 21, 1933, at the post office at
Frankfort, Kentucky, under the Act of August 24, 1912.

Vol. 1 0 May, 1933 0 No. 3

LIBRARY

4’ “

INTERPRETING THE WORK
OF THE SCHOOLS

Upon whom rests the responsibility of interpreting; the work of
the schools? Is it fair to charge teachers with furthering their own
interests when they take an active part in behalf of the 700,000 school
children in this Commonwealth"?

Certainly, schools should be maintained for children and not for
teachers; and ifthe welfare of a child is to be safeguarded properly,
all of our people must take an active interest in the development of
our educational service. Those of us who have chosen teaching as a
profession, however, cannot discharge our obligations to the children
in the classroom alone. We must carry on a sane and dignified pro-
gram in our respective connnunitics and throughout the state that
will acquaint the general public with the progress and needs of our
schools.

The stress of present economic conditions has forcibly brought
to the front the need of such a program. This bulletin, like others of
this series, represents an attempt to set out pertinent facts about the
schools and the work of the Kentucky Educational Commission——
facts that the general public should have, and must have, if the in-
terests of their children are to be adequately safeguarded.

The welfare of the child, not motives of self interest, was responsi-
ble for the sixty-second annual meeting of the Kentucky Education
Association being one of the best attended and most enthusiastic in
the history of the Association. \Vhen this association of teachers
spends its money in furthering a study of the needs of our schools,
as it is doing, and launches a. program of interpreting the work of the
schools and the needs of our school children, it is a small and mis-
guided individual who charges them with selﬁsh interest.

J AMES H. RICHMOND,
Superintendent of Public Instruction.

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Problems of Boards of Education
Revealed at
Regional Conferences

More than one thousand school board members, superintendents,
and principals of county, city, and graded schools responded to the
call of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and attended ﬁve
regional conferences recently. The Superintendent of Public Instruc—
tion, James H. Richmond, and several staff? members attended each
conference. The keen interest in the conferences was manifested by
the free participation of board members, superintendents, and ,prin-
cipals in the discussion of the questions raised.

Boards of education are confronted with grave difﬁculties in
taking care of their school problems from decreasing budgets. Prop-
erty values have declined materially; yet, the public apparently ex—
pects school boards to maintain schools on the same plane as before
the ﬁnancial debacle. Boards of education throughout the state are
faced with the problem of keeping schools open for even the standard
term. For this reason especially, a great deal of interest was mani-
fested in these conferences.

The bulk of the discussion centered around problems of public
school ﬁnance, qualiﬁcations of board members and superintendents.
Among the questions that attracted marked attention were these re-
lating to the new qualiﬁcations of board members and superintendents
set up 'by the 1932 session of the Kentucky General Assembly, as
follows:

1. A candidate for board membership must have attained the age
of twenty—four years.

2. He must have been a resident of the United States for three years
preceding his election, and must reside in the district from which
he is elected.

3. A board member under the 1932 act “must have completed the
eighth grade of the common schools.”
4. A person who holds any ofﬁce, deputysliip, or agency under the

city or county of his residence, cannot be a member of a board
of education.

94"!

Under the act of ’32, a new member of a board of education who
“1s dlrectly or indirectly interested in the sale to the board of
books, stationery, or any other property,” is ineligible to serve.

A member of a board who becomes a candidate for any ofﬁce or
agency or for the nomination of any such ofﬁce or agency, vacates
his ofﬁce of board member by becoming such candidate, and his
ofﬁce is vacant without further action.

This act provoked many questions. A number of board members
had already announced themselves as candidates for public ofﬁces,
and were especially interested to know whether or not they could con-
tinue to serve on the board of education until the primary or the
November election. Such members were told that under the new act
announcement of candidacy for public ofﬁce automatically vacatcs
one ’s ofﬁce as a member of the board of education. Others were keenly
interested in the educational qualiﬁcations set up by the new act, and
wanted to know whether members in ofﬁce at the present time must
meet these educational qualiﬁcations. They were advised that the act
of 1932 has a clause exempting board members in ofﬁce at the time
the act became operative and permitting them to be re—elected regard-
less of the educational qualifications set out in the act.

The act of the General Assembly of ’32 relating to the issuance
of superintendents’ certiﬁcates also stimulated many questions, which
act changed minimum requirements. Whereas the acts of ’26 provided
for the issuance of. this type of certiﬁcate on two years of college
training plus credit for six semester hours in administration and
supervision, the act of ’32 provides for the issuance of a superintend-
ent’s certiﬁcate, provided a transcript of standard college work, certi-
ﬂed in the name of the applicant, satisfies legal requirements for the
issuance of a standard high school certiﬁcate. Provided further that
if such transcript includes six semester hours of credit for adminis—
tration and supervision, the superintendent’s certiﬁcate may be issued.
Where such transcript does not include six semester hours of adminis-
tration and supervision, they shall be earned in addition to require—
ments for graduation from a standard college.

The most universal and enthusiastic reaction of the conferences

came as a response to Superintendent Richmond’s appeal for the

school child. In this appeal, Mr. Richmond called attention to the fact
that the education of the child of today cannot be postponed until t0-
morrow, and that the child of today had nothing to do with the ﬁnan-
cial chaos in which the country now ﬁnds itself. In his plea that the
child be not penalized, he pointed out the apparent tendency through-
out the country to reduce ﬁnancial support for schools while support-
ing other functions of government to approximately the same extent
as in the past.

Mr. Richmond also urged that boards of education should not use
schools merely to give employment to favored teachers and super-
intendents, but that they should strive to secure the best teacher for

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the particular vacancy. He asserted that in. the long run, public
schools exist as a guarantee of the perpetuity of the state, and that
for this reason the people cannot afford to let a single generation pass
without providing opportunity for proper citizenship training.

At each of the conferences, attention was called to the study of
public education being made by the Educational Commission. All
were urged to study the ﬁndings of the Commission as soon as they
are available. .

Inequalities in educational support were discussed at length.
There seemed to be a general agreement with the tentative recom-
mendation of the Educational Commission that the next legislature
should materially increase the state school per capita, and that a cor-
responding decrease in local taxation should be encouraged.

DO YOU KNOW THAT—-

The wealth per inhabitant twenty—one years of age or over in
Kentucky, is approximately $2,800. The estimated wealth per in-
habitant of college age—eighteen to twenty-one, is a little in excess
of $20,000. Seven and ﬁve—tenths per cent (75%) of Kentucky’s
total population is of college age. Approximately three—eighths

(3/8ths) of these were enrolled in institutions of college rank last
year.

Decreases in income were experienced. by all state institutions
of college rank (during the school year ended June 30, 1932). For
the University of Kentucky, it was 21.4% ; for Bowling Green, 24% ;
Richmond 20%; Murray, 16%; Morehead, 16%. The percentage of
decrease for the negro colleges is not available.

Revenue derived from state-wide taxation is distributed to roads,
education, charities and corrections, and other governmental agencies.
Forty-two per cent (42 %) ot' the total revenue realized in 1907 was
allocated to public education; in 1916, 38%; in 1931, only 17%.

.Tn 1910, 18.4% of children from ten to ﬁfteen years of age in
the United States were employed in gainful occupation; in 1930,
4.7% of these children were employed in like occupation.

Nearly three-fourths (3/1ths) of the school buildings in Kentucky
are of the one-room type. In each of these buildings, one teacher is
employed to teach eight grades.

EQUAL EDUCATlONAL OPPORTUNITIES ARE NOT
PROVIDED FOR ALL KENTUCKY CHILDREN

Careful studies of public education in Kentucky point inevitably
to the conclusion that there are almost as many levels of educational
opportunity as there are school districts. Boards of education in many
school districts that levy the mam'mu-m tax rate do not realize from
district taxation and state per capita funds adequate to ﬁnance prop-
erly even the mininmm educational program. The ability of a school
district to provide ﬁnancial support for the educational program de-
pends not so much upon the tax rate. levied as upon the property
valuation behind the census pupil. There are vast differences in the
ability of various school districts to support an educational. program.
The property valuation back of each census pupil in many districts is
approximately $500; in others, it ranges from $5,000 to $10,000, and
in a few instances it even exceeds $50,000.

The result is that boards of education in many districts with the
least wealth are levying the highest tax rates, but are unable to pro-
vide adequate educational opportunities for the children of their
respective districts. The Chart 011 the opposite page shows in a strik-
ing way that frequently the distiicts levying the highest tax rates
realize the low est pe1 pupil 1evenue.

For instance, during the school year ended June 30,1932,F01t
Thomas city schools 1ealized from an 85c district tax 1ate approxi-
mately $9.00 for each dollar received from state-Wide taxation (state
per capita), While Corbin city schools realized from a $1.50 district
tax rate approximately $1.73 for each dollar received from state-wide
taxation. VVoodford county school district realized from a 30c dis-
trict tax rate approximately $1.67 for each dollar received from state-
Wide taxation, While Russell county school district realized from a
75c district tax rate approximately 65c for each dollar received from
state-Wide taxation. Burgin graded school district realized from a
550 district tax rate approximately $4.50 for each dollar received
from state—Wide taxation, while Albany graded school district realized
from a $1.25 district tax rate approximately $1.19 for each dollar re-
ceived from state-Wide taxation.

Thus, gross disparities in ﬁnancial support arise in all types of
school districts. They may be traced to:

1. The complex organization of the public school system;
2. The plan of ﬁnancing a school program largely through district

taxation,‘used to supplement an inadequate state school fund.
(Continued 011 page 8)

.m‘

TYPICAL DISPARITIES IN
FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

$70 WV $70
Read Corbin City School District Bar:
1.5tate Per Capita —————— S 9.00(L1nes "A" to "8")
2.Distri.ct Per Capita-—-— 15.56(Ltnes "B" to "13")
3.?up11 Instruction Cost 17.80(L1nos "A" to "0")
60 _ 60
Read Burgh: Graded School District Bar:
1.5tate Per'Capita ------ s 9.00(Lines "A" to via")
2.District Per Capita——— ho.h6(L1nes "B" to no")
3.?up11 Instruction Cost 33.23(Lines "A" to "0")
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City Districts Graded Districts County Districts

The financial support directly determines the educational opportunity
that may be provided for the children of any school district. This iChart
pictures amaz‘ing disparities that arise even though each school district has
the same amount of state aid. It shows on basis of the census pupil for each
of three city school districts, three graded school districts, and three county
school districts, school year 1931-32::

1. The aggregate revenue;
2. The school district revenue;
3 The instructional cost.

It also shows the tax rate levied in each district.
NOTE: The heavily shaded part of each bar shows the per capita realized

from state-wide taxation; the hatched part of each bar shows the per capita
realized from district taxation.

.—_.
7

These causes suggest remedies, but until these remedies are ap-
plied there will continue to be gross disparities and unequal educa-
tional opportunities. In many instances, the merging of districts
would insure increased efﬁciency and more economical administration,
thereby providi1'1g' greater advantages without additionalcost. A sub—
stantial increase in the state school per capita. would stabilize the
educational program for the state as a whole. It would enable many
boards of education to reduce their district tax rates tend to correct
prevailing1 inequalities and provide greater assu ‘anee that a uniform
system of publ 10 education w ill be available to the mom than 7,00 000
Kentucky children.

DO YOU KNOW THAT—

Thc public schools are financed by—
l. State—wide taxation, and
2. School. district taxation.

The revenue derived from state-wide taxation. is distributed on
per capita basis. For the school year ended June 30, 1932, it was
$9.00; for the school year ending June 30, 1.933, it is $7.00; for the
school year ending June 30, 193-1, it will be (‘?)

Revenue derived from state-wide taxation and expended during
the ﬁscal year ended June :30, 1932, was distributed as follows:

Roads ....................................................................................................... 42.9%

Education, including“ the University and Teachers College

Charities, Corrections and Dependents .
Other Governmental Expenses .................................. 19. %

Five-tenths per cent (5%) of the revenue derived from state—
wide taxation or 2% of the revenue derived from state—wide taxation
and from district taxation was used for the maintenance and opera—
tion of the State Department of. Education.

Seven and one tenth per cent (7.1%) of expenditures for public
schools was expended for janitor se vice Jucl, and liOhts Two and
eight— tenths per cent (2.8% ) was expended for 1eplacc1nents, and re-
pairs. _____

Three and seventh-tenths per cent (3.7%) of expenditures for
public schools was expended for transportation, health service, and
compulsory attendance. Approximately 2% was expended for insur-
ance and r ges.

Each of the. other forty-seven states of the Union expends a
larger percentage for operation, auxiliary agencies and ﬁxed Charo-es
than does Kentucky. . ___.__

Seventy—seven and nine-tenths per cent (77.9%) of total ex-
penditures was for instructional service, approximately one-third of
which was for salaries of high school teachers.

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ARISING IN PUBLIC
SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION

Hundreds of questions are addressed to the Superintendent of
Public Instruction and his assistants COHCCI‘Illng‘ administrative pro-
cedure in the public schools. Many of these questions are of minor
importance, but some relate to the most vital and fundamental prob-
lems in school administration, and require very careful consideration.
Many of them are referred to the Assistant Superintendent of Public
Instruction, Mr. alordie Young. He lists a few of these questions and
the information given in response to them :

“Does the law passed by the Legislature at its 1932 session, settingr edu-
cational qualiﬁcations for board members, apply to members of boards of
education of independent graded school districts?”

“This law states that ‘A person to be eligible to membership on a board
of education,’ etc., ‘must have completed the eighth grade in the common
schools’, etc. This law applies to members of any board of education,
county, city or independent graded school board."

“What standards shall be used to determine whether a. person has com-
pleted the eighth grade in school ‘1‘”

“An opinion from the Attorney General’s office, dated January 20, 1933.
states “It is our opinion that any person is eligible to become a member of
the county board of education who either has a certiﬁcate showing his
graduation from the eighth grade of the common school or who can furnish
satisfactory proof that he has completed an education, the requirements of
which are equal to or greater than that required to receive an eighth grade
certiﬁcate or diploma at the present time.‘ ”

“\Vhat steps should be taken in case a person who is believed does not
possess the educational qualiﬁcations required by law becomes a candidate
or is elected as a. member of the board of education?"

“The law requiring the clerk to place the name of a candidate on the
ballot, does not appear to give him authority to question the educational
qualiﬁcations of a candidate, nor does the law setting qualiﬁcations speciﬁ-
cally set out that the board of education may refuse to recognize such a
person as a member of the board. In case a person becomes a candidate
for membership on the board of education, who is not believed to possess
the educational qualiﬁcations required by law, proceedings might be brought
against the clerk to enjoin him from placing the name of such a person on
the ballot."

“Did the law requiring county school superintendents to be elected by
popular vote, and which was declared unconstitutional, affect the law which
provides for the election of three subdistrict trustees ‘2”

“The section of law providing for the election of subdistrict trustees
is not a part of the section of law providing: for the election of county school
superintendent by popular vote, and, therefore, was not affected by that
court decision.”

“I have been informed that there is to be an election this year for
trustees in May. Has the time for the election of subdistrict trustees been
changed to May instead of July?”

“The election for subdistrict trustees should be held the ﬁrst Saturday
in July. Some confusion has arisen since the Court of Appeals gave the

decision to the effect that the election of members of the board of trustees
of independent graded school districts should be held at the voting pre-
cincts which are wholly or in part within the territorial limits of the graded
school ditsrict. That decision affects only the independent graded school
districts and does not apply in any way to the election of subdistrict trus-
tees.”

“May subdistrict trustees recommend teachers who are related to
them?”

“The Attorney General’s opinion dated January 20, 1933, interpreting
Section 4369195, Ky. Statutes, states ‘We do not believe that the Legislature
intended to create a board of trustees by Section 4426b—1, Ky. Statutes,
merely because it transferred the duties of the former trustee to three sub-
district trustees.’ It may be seen that the Attorney General does not be-
lieve that the section of law which prohibits board members from voting
in the employment of certain relatives applies to subdistrict trustees.”

“Does the law prohibiting members of boards of education from voting
in the employment of certain relatives apply to members of boards of edu-
cation of county, city and independent graded school districts alike?”

“This section of law which was enacted by the Legislature at its 1932
session, and which is Section 4369k-5, Ky. Statutes, applies to members of
all boards of education, and states that ‘no member of such board shall vote
regarding the appointment. or employment in any capacity of any person
related to such member as father, mother, brother, sister, husband, wife,
son or daughter, nephew or niece.”

“If such a relative of a board member is appointed by the other mem-
bers of the board, does it disqualify the board member from serving?”

”The fact that such a relative of a board member is appointed by the
other members of the board, does not disqualify the board member related
to such person as set out in the law.

“After subdistrict trustees have made their recommendation, may they
Withdraw such recommendation, and if so, how do they proceed?”

“The Court of Appeals has held that the ‘trustee’ in office at the time
teachers are elected has authority to make the effective recommendation of
teachers in schools where no high schools are being conducted. A law
passed by the Legislature at its 1932 session gives the three subdistrict
trustees the same authority that the one subdistrict trusee had‘ For this
reason it appears that a majority of the three subdistrict trustees in office
at the time teachers are elected have authority to make the effective recom-
mendation of teachers in schools where no high schools are being conducted.

Trustees may withdraw their recommendation in one of two ways. (1)
In writing, ﬁled with the county school superintendent for the consideration
of the county board, or (2) appear before the board in session and orally
withdraw the recommendation.”

“May subdistrict trustees recommend more than one teacher for one
position?”

“The law provides that subdistrict trustees may not recommend more
than one teacher except in cases Where more than one teacher is employed
in the school.”

“If more than one teacher is recommended, which teacher should the
board employ?”

“The ﬁrst recommendation legally ﬁled for the consideration of the
board should be the one acted on, unless it is legally withdrawn.

If the trustees recommend a second teachenwithout legally withdraw-
ing the recommendation of the ﬁrst teacher, the second recommendation

.ﬂﬂ.

cannot legally be considered. For further information in this connection
persons interested will do well to read the following court decisions:
Logan County Board of Education v. Fowler, 241 Ky. 166;
Logan County Board of Education v. Funk, 245 Ky. 723;
Cartee v. Lewis County Board of Education, et al., 242 Ky. 749;
Johnson, et al. v. Elliott County Board of Education, 245 Ky. 856;
Butler v. Muhlenberg Co. Board of Education, 241 Ky. 66.”

”In case only two s‘ubdistrict trustees were elected at the election held
the ﬁrst Saturday of July, 1932, how many trustees should be elected the
ﬁrst Saturday in July, 1933?”

“Since only two trustees were elected, the board should ﬁll the vacancy
on the recommendation of the county school superintendent. The person
so appointed by the board would serve until the next regular election. After
this vacancy has been ﬁlled, the three trustees should cast lots to determine
the length of term which the three would serve had they been‘ regularly
elected. If the person who was appointed draws a term length of more than
one year, there should be a person elected, this July to ﬁll this unexpired
term. ‘Also someone should be elected for the regular term of three years,
to take the place of the person who drew the one year term.

In an instance like the above, there 'would then be two people to be
elected this July.”

“We have a school which has both a high school and the grades, and
in which there are several teachers employed. Do the three subdistrict
trustees have authority to recommend to the county board of education all
the teachers for this school, or only the teachers for the grades below the
high school?”

“The Court of Appeals has held that in schools where high schools are
being conducted, all the teachers should be elected by the county board of
education on the recommendation of the county school superintendent.
People interested in this connection should read: Rhynerson v. Mercer
County Board of Education, et al., 244 Ky. 292; Floyd County Board of Edu-
cation, et a]. v. Hall, et a1., 24?. Ky. 680; Hale, et al. v. County Board of
Education of Galloway County, 213 Ky. 366; Moss v. Eubank, et al., 176 Ky.
739.”

“May the colored people of a subdistrict vote in the election of white
subdistrict trustees, or should the colored patrons of the subdistrict who
send their children to a school in another subdistrict go to the other sub-
district to vote for subdistrict trustees?”

“Section 4426b-1, Ky. Statutes, provides that ‘Subdistrict trustees in
county school districts shall be elected by the qualiﬁed voters of such sub-
district.’ A colored person living in the subdistrict, who is a qualiﬁed
voter, should vote in the subdistrict of his residence for subdsitrict trus-
tees.”

“Is it advisable for a board of education to employ a principal of a
high school and a principal of the elementary school, unless it is a large
school unit?”

nSuperintendent Richmond. in answering a question like this, said
“Such a policy has no justiﬁcation. It is unwise and has no legal sanction.
It is a misnomer to refer to the principal of a school as the principal of the
high school. He is the principal of. the whole school. The board should
elect a. princpial of. the school who has authority over the whole school,
upon whom the superintendent and board may place the undivided responsi-
bility for the proper functioning of the school.’

This is his answer to a member of a board of education at Clearﬁeld,
Kentucky.”

5,4

SPLENDID PROGRESS MADE AS KENTUCKY EDUCA-

TIONAL COMMISSION COMPLETES FIRST
YEAR OF WORK

JAMES W. CAMMACK, JR., Secretary
Kentucky Educational Commission

EDITOR'S NOTErThis issue of the Educational Bulletin goes to press
just prior to the meeting of the Commission. Reports of this meeting will
be released to the press of the State.

One year ago this month the Kentucky Educational Commission
held its first meeting. Instead of the usual plan of. employing a few
experts to make a survey, the Commission decided at that meeting
to call upon some eighty-five Kentucky educators and laymen for as-
sistance in making a thorough study of public education.

On May 13, the Commission will convene in Lexington for a two-
day session. Before that meeting adjourns, every committee, with
the exception of the Code Committee, will have submitted a report.
The splendid progress which these committees have made has earned
for them the highest commendation of schoolmen and laymen alike.

Two reports which have been adopted, subject to final modifica—
tion, have been mimeographed and copies distributed to school ad—
ministrators. The report of the Committee on Aims and Functions,
of which Dr. H. L. Donovan, president of Eastern Teachers College.
is chairman, formulates a philosophy of education from the ﬁrst grade
through the. university, and provides a background for the other
reports. The report of the Subcommittee on School Costs, of which
Dr. H. H. Hill, Superintendent of Lexington City Schools, is chair—
man, gives a clear picture of how monies have been expended to pro-
vide educational facilities for the children of the state.

These splendid papers are typical of the work that is being done
by all the committees, and provide a sample of what may be expected
in the ﬁnal report.

A special meeting of the Commission was held in Louisville, April
21, during the meeting of the Kentucky Education Association. At
that meeting J. B. Holloway, chairman of the Sulmonnnittee on Ad—
ministration, presented the report of that committee, which gavv a
picture of the organization of the present system of public education
and contained recommendations as to administrative reorganization.
After consideration of the report, the Commission directed the Sub-
committee on Administration to make certain minor changes and ad-
ditions, and submit a revised report at the May meeting.

At the meeting to be held in Lexington 'May 13 and 14, partial
or complete reports will be submitted by the following committees:

Administration, Employed Personnel, Financial Support, Extension
Work, School Buildings and Grounds, Financial Administration.
Negro Education, Education of Handicapped Children, and Adult
Education.

On page 16 of the current issue of the Educational Bulletin will
be found an interesting chart showing the value of school property
and the amount of school debt in Kentucky as compared with the
United States as a whole. These and other striking facts are contained
in the report of the Subcommittee on Buildings and Grounds, which
will be submitted to the Commission by John W. Brooker, chairman.

Although the number of one—teacher school buildings has de—
creased almost 800 in the last decade, there remain 5,741 such build-
ings in Kentucky, the report shows. Kentucky has more one-room
schools than any state in the South, and only ten states in the United
States have a larger percentage of this type of school.

For the year 1930, the average value of school property per pupil
enrolled was $179.00 for the city school districts, $106.00 for the inde—
pendent graded districts, and $39.00 for the county school districts.
Approximately ninety per cent of all the school buildings in the State
are of frame construction.

The total value of buildings and grounds used for school pur-
poses in Kentucky, on June 30, 1931, was $48,446,54700, the total
value of equipment was $5,815,035, and $610,492 represented the value
of libraries.

This report includes not only a study of the present school build-
ing conditions in Kentucky schools as well as recommendations for
improving them, but it also contains a detailed survey of practices in
all the other states and