Aberdeen’s Battle for School Budget Transparency

The school board of this district seems to be under the impression that its acts should be free from criticism. The Herald, in view of what it considers its duty to the public, can scarcely concede that the board's impression is the correct one. If the board could be brought to see that it owes a duty to the people, and not to any individual member of the board, it would begin to conceive the purpose of its existence. The people, we believe, have been able to acquiesce in but few actions of the board, and the contemplated action of the board, to increase the salary of the principal from $1,200 to $1,500 a year, is a proposition to which the people seriously object. The Herald has only the friendliest feelings toward the principal, but the only question in this case is, can a town of 2,000 inhabitants afford to pay such a sum? The Herald is of the opinion, and interviews show this to be the opinion of the principal citizens of Aberdeen, that the salary should be about $1,000 a year. There was an agreement made some time ago that the monthly salary of all teachers should be increased every year, for a term of years, by the addition of five dollars. All whom we have interviewed say if there is any increase anywhere it should be among the teachers. There should be no increase made anywhere, at this time. The expenses of the district during the next session will be much greater than in the past. The number of scholars in South Aberdeen makes a school there a necessity, and one has been ordered. The indications are that the little folks will have to have a separate school on the low land. These additional expenses will have to be met by the people, not by the board. Will the board consider or ignore the people?