|
School Section 17/Lady
Evelyn Public School - continued
|
| It is interesting to look at the expenses incurred in the operation of
SS#17. In 1889 two full-time teachers (Mr. Niles Ross and his wife) and
one part-time teacher (Miss Taylor) were employed. Salary costs were 87%
of the budget with 7% for heating; 3% for repairs and maintenance; and 3%
for expenses related to students. The table below shows the receipts and
expenses for the year ending December 31, 1889 |
|
Ottawa East Public School Board - 1889 Account
|
|
Received
|
Amount $
|
Expenses
|
Amount $
|
| Balance from 1888 |
425.32
|
Mr. Ross salary |
360.00
|
| From Township |
529.48
|
Miss Taylor salary |
39.15
|
| Interest on deposit |
97.34
|
Mrs. Ross salary |
123.25
|
| County Grant |
53.50
|
Total Salaries |
522.40
|
| Legislation Grant |
94.74
|
Mrs. Brady cleaning |
13.17
|
| Rent of rooms at election |
7.00
|
Fire Wood |
41.50
|
| Refund from Separate School |
18.56
|
Sundry small expenses |
4.28
|
| Refund closing ? 1888 |
1.75
|
Honor Cards |
2.00
|
| |
1,227.69
|
Repairing windows |
2.70
|
| |
|
New seats and desks |
16.55
|
| |
|
Total Expenses for year |
602.60
|
| |
|
Balance on hand |
625.09
|
| |
|
|
1,227.69
|
|
|
There was no listing in this year for direct support from the village
ratepayers. The inspector's report radically changed that situation.
As detailed in the History Section found here, Ottawa East came into existence
in late December of 1888. One of the main reasons for incorporation was
to escape the higher taxes that would come with the proposed annexation
by Ottawa that had been proposed earlier in the year. Up to that point
the small community was led by a group of landowners and businessmen.
It was to their advantage to keep assessment (and therefore taxes) to
a minimum. As a separate entity, the cost to the village for education
would be kept to a minimum - also! While prosperous farmers, businessmen
and professionals along Richmond Road were building brick schools (including
outdoor toilets) for their children, it was different in Ottawa East.
Mainly working class, a 24 x20 wooden box was adequate.
Or was it?
Incorporation as a village also meant that the Department of Education
would demand a "tolerable" level for the quality of education.
The inspector's report was a bombshell!
By the end of 1890 the Board had increased the budget 7 times that of
the previous year. The table below details the account for the year. There
was a slight increase in the female teacher's salary that was half that
of her fellow-teacher (and husband) even though she did the same job at
the same school. Money was spent to fix the "closet (outhouse) of
the old school" which was the only one available to students and
teachers and described by the inspector as "intolerable". The
message was clear - things needed to be fixed at once. Trustees were even
moved to purchase a tree for the children at Christmas.
The receipts and expenses for the year ending December 1890 are shown
below. Desks were promised but not purchased but they did buy a new furnace.
|
|
Ottawa East Public School Board - 1890 Account
|
|
Received
|
Amount $
|
Expenses
|
Amount $
|
| Balance on hand from 1889 |
625.09
|
Mr. Ross salary |
360.00
|
| In building stone |
66.00
|
Mrs. Ross salary |
180.00
|
| From Township Treasurer |
717.71
|
Harris -10 tons coal @6.25 ton |
62.50
|
| Government Grant |
227.40
|
Fire Wood |
13.14
|
| Interest on deposit |
11.53
|
Stationary and Postage |
2.86
|
| Use of school for election |
3.00
|
Sundry small expenses |
5.55
|
| Tuition Fees |
2.00
|
Cleaning/furnace attendance |
21.50
|
| From Council Debenture |
2,000.00
|
Election expenses to village |
7.40
|
| Interest on $100 |
1.67
|
Corporate Seal |
4.00
|
| Village Assessment - 1890 |
650.00
|
Repair closet old school |
10.16
|
| |
4,304.40
|
Insurance on new/old schools |
19.00
|
| |
|
Furnace - Butterworth and Co. |
170.00
|
| |
|
Wire screen-basement windows |
7.50
|
| |
|
6 common chairs |
2.40
|
| |
|
Tomlinson contract for school |
2,512.35
|
| |
|
Mrs. Ross Christmas tree |
5.00
|
| |
|
Rubbers |
0.25
|
| |
|
Posts |
0.03
|
| |
|
Change |
2.00
|
| |
|
Balance on hand for next year |
911.35
|
| |
|
|
4,304.40
|
|
As an interesting aside, the signatures on each of the above accounts
clearly demonstrate the politics of the Board and the village at that time.
An examination of this can be found
here.
The next year a much smaller and more normal budget was expended. Salaries
remained the same but there was a distinct increase in supplies and repairs.
Tomlinson (now living in Ottawa East) and Angel were the only signatories
for the account.
|
|
Ottawa East Public School Board - 1891 Account
|
|
Received
|
Amount $
|
Expenses
|
Amount $
|
| Balance from 1890 |
825.85
|
Teacher and Assistant |
580.00
|
| Interest on deposits |
35.65
|
Stationary and Printing |
11.93
|
| Legislative Grant Sept. 1 |
100.00
|
Honor Cards |
7.50
|
| Village Assessment, Dec.15 |
575.00
|
Furnace attendance and cleaning |
24.00
|
| |
1,536
|
Teachers desk and stand |
12.00
|
| Balance on hand |
793.94
|
Basin and pal |
1.05
|
| |
|
Scrubbing and brooms |
9.55
|
| |
|
Coal and wood |
76.25
|
| |
|
Well and pump |
9.14
|
| |
|
Repairs on old pump |
1.00
|
| |
|
Window blinds |
7.50
|
| |
|
Refitting windows, etc. |
1.45
|
| |
|
Lamps and oil |
0.90
|
| |
|
Postage |
0.29
|
| |
|
|
742.56
|
| |
|
Balance on hand to next account |
793.94
|
| |
|
|
1,536.50
|
| |
|
|
|
|
While purse strings were loosened by necessity, very little was added to
equip the school although the Board finally did purchase a desk and chair
for the teacher in 1891. For the next several years, major purchases included
19 Oxford Automatic double-desks, a map of Africa, a dictionary and some
oranges for the graduating students each year. It was business as usual.
Almost all of the Board's time was spent on controlling costs. Every now
and then a problem would arise with teachers or students. Policy regarding
educational content was rarely discussed. Discipline was maintained with
a whip. The Board minutes of December 12, 1898 tell of a Roger Yeatman,
a ten year-old "disobedient and impudent student", who was sent
home until he submitted to a whipping.
Criticism of the SS#17 reappeared again in 1901 and threats of the grant
losses were made. There were now 150 students registered with an average
attendance of 112. In 1902 average attendance had increased 20% to 139 students
with 3 full-time teachers. Attendance had never been enforced (probably
out of necessity due to space) but the Board did request funding for a truant
officer from the village. The primary grades were still housed in the old
wooden school. In July of that year the Board appealed to the village council
for a debenture to build a new school given the facts shown below.
|
|
SS#17 Student Enrolment as of October 8, 1902
|
| Room |
Enrolled |
Largest Days Attending |
| Moffat |
34
|
27
|
| Smith |
50
|
48
|
| Ross |
79
|
64
|
| |
163
|
139
|
|
Average of 124 per month
|
|
| The request was denied! |
|
|
| |
