And even that is expensive St. Johns school needs topical - maintain status quo By LOWELL G. RINKER, Editor volve extra personnel expenditures over what was The board is also figuring they'll need $16,600 More and more services are being suggested for • ing asked — 8.3 mills higher than last year — will The needs of the St. Johns School District next needed to operate the one-room system this year. additional for increases for other school personnel, the schools by legislators and citizens alike, and be rough for a lot of people to handle. But they say year are much the same as in many other school Two principals will be needed — one for the south from administrators to secretaries to Janitors. Board President Ray Parr said the board would It can be done and is being done In more districts districts — to maintain atleastthe status quo in the schools and one for the north — at an estimated Transportation, operations of buildings and fixed like to provide them, but without the money it than not. quality of education being provided children of the cost of $20,000. Four janitors will be needed to charges are all expected to rise next year to the can't. They cite figures that show St, Johns School Dis­ district. take care of the new buildings; that's $20,000. In tune of $37,500. MThe millage figure is the result of a lot of cut­ trict is not providing the local support for schools The St. Johns School Board has been repeatedly order to bring the rural program in line with the And in order to offset a$70,000deflcitthis year, ting from programs that we would like to offer." that most other districts are. Last year St, Johns stressing the status quo situation in their informal city elementary program, teachers for art, music the school board will need to build that much extra "But we've got to be practical. The 12.8 mills ranked 13th out of 14 central Michfgan districts of meetings with residents of the district and at the and physical education will be needed, at a cost of into the revenue budget for next year to prevent represents the lowest that we felt we could ask for comparable nature in millage levied for all school more formal public meetings at various school about $19,500, the school people figure. Five another such deficit. and still maintain a good program. The citizens purposes. In 19GG-67 St. Johns spent $436 per locations. teacher aides — to do the routine typing, grading of So in order to maintain the status quo next year committee agreed with us and suggested we go for child on education, while the state average was The 12.8 mills which the school board is asking11 papers, monitoring recesses, etc. — are planned and to improve the rural elementary, program, the this figure. Anything less than that would have to $536 per child. voters to approve March 23 will provide only status at a cost of $11,400. school board figures they'll need anextra$367,500 be accompanied by curtailments in the program, In state equalized valuation behind each child in quo operation next year — the same educational With salaries of all segments of the population above what they had this year. and nobody yet has asked us to cut the program." school, St. Johns ranked 202nd in the state, but in program offered this year with very few changes. going up, the board is anticipating increases for the That works out to 8.3 mills more than what was This is part of the problem. At several recent actual expenditures per child for education the dis­ The big change will be to improve theprogram in 145 teachers in the district. Some will have to have levied last year. Four andahalf mills of that levied public meetings, opinions expressed against the trict ranked 407th. the rural elementary schools. The building pro­ substantial increases in pay to put them ona salary last year expired, however, in December, so will millage have been against the millage figure itself "Costs have been going up every year," Presi­ gram there will be complete by fall, and new ad­ schedule negotiated last year; all would get normal, have to be renewed. The 8.3 and the 4.5 figures add and not against the schools and their program. dent Parr said, "and up to now we've been able to ditions will be ready to use at Eureka and East increases; and several new teaching positions will up to 12.8 mills, the amount the school board is Especially in the rural areas where many large maintain a good program with only a minimum of Essex and brand new buildings ready at Riley and be required to keep up with growing student enroll­ asking. farms represent bigtaxpayments, property owners increased spending. But costs have and are going East Olive. ment in the district. The increase in salaries paid As big as it is, the school board calls the figure feel they just can't afford the taxes.... to a point now where we can't provide even the same Putting the new schools into operation will in­ for next year is estimated at about $172,500. conservative when considering what it will buy. School officials acknowledge the new millage be­ education without this extra money." • • • • Ovid-Elsie voters =. T£F will cast ballots on March 23* too OVID-ELSIE — A wider seg­ schools this year) mills — not v ment of the citizenry of Clinton enough to qualify for any state 4\- •?• County than just the St. Johns aid. School District will be going to Beauchamp said the millage ;%ft^ the polls March 23. proposal would be brought up Ovid-Elsie School District again if it is defeated March 23, 112th Year, No 47 ST. JOHNS, MICHIGAN — THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 1968 2 SECTIONS — 30 PAGES voters will cast ballots the same 15 Cents day for a 12.75-mllls proposition for operation of the O-E district during the next year. The millage figure is 4.25 mills more than the extra-voted millage of 8.5 mills which ex­ pired this year. Supt Robert Beauchamp said the total 12.75 Elsie approves package would bring In about $308,000, enough to just main­ tain the present offerings of the district. This year the 8.5 mills of extra-voted tax produced about $205,606, but the district's op­ erational deficit this year is ex­ pected to run about $18,000. An iron removal $85,000 deficit was experienced In the 1966-67 school year. ELSIE — Elsie will get a new ballots in a good turnout at Jordon with 89 votes, John Klein • Beauchamp said' normal in­ $82,000 water iron removal plant Ovid Monday where there was a with 79 and Robert Petit with creases in expenses next year and a new $10,000 public works contest for village treasurer and 67 votes defeated Richard Frech­ necessitate an extra 3.75 mills, building, thanks to voters who for the three trustee -sports. en with 33 votes and Carl J. and the other half-mill would be gave their blessing Monday dur­ Repbulican Mrs Norma Rivest Wohlfertwith 32 votes; they were to prevent any further $18,000 ing the annual village election. defeated Mrs Audrey Bancroft both Democrats, There were 105 deficits. The proposal for the iron treat­ 156-133 in the racefor treasurer, ballots counted and seven spoiled. The new millage figure will do ment plant passed 96-40, and while winning unopposed were There were no contests for the nothing toward reducing the ap­ the DPW building was approved Republicans Harvey Darling for offices in Westphalia, Hubbard­ proximately $102,000 deficit 97-33. president with 253 votes and ston or Elsie. that's accumulated over the past •The only other area village to Duane Chamberlain for assess­ WESTPHALIA - Elected are two years. Beauchamp said the have proposals on the ballot was,, or with 260 votes, and Demo­ Elvan Pohl, president; Eugene school board intends to divert Hubbardston, where voters ap­ crat Mrs Clara Tubbs for clerk Droste, clerk; Harold Wieber, anticipated increases in state aid proved an increase in village With 257 votes. treasurer and Dennis Fandel, to retire the deficit. millage from 7.7 mills to 15.4 In the trustee race, the win­ Robert Hengesbach and William mills for one year. The final ners were all Republicans — Hanses Jr., trustees.Ther&were THE SCHOOL DISTRICT re­ tally was 32 yes and 26 no. Clifford Casler Jr. with 150 votes, 82 ballots cast. Greg Thelen re­ ceived $630,000 In basic state aid Village officials were elected Marshall Monroe with 165 and ceived the most votes as a write- this year, plus other state funds FOWLER EAGLES WIN DISTRICT "C" CHAMPIONSHIP AT IONIA in each 'of the villages of the Larry Martin with 171 votes. They in candidate for assessor. for transportation and special The Fowler Eagles appear very somber Friday evening while being presented rhe Ionia Class C District county, but In only three were defeated Democrats Waldo Rich­ HUBBARDSTON - Albert Cun­ education. The 1967-68 budget , there any real contests. ards with 140, Larry Byrnes with ningham will serve as president; calls for expenditures of $1,187,- basketball'championship trophy but soon erupted into cheers when all the formal photographing was over. 111 and John Bashore wiht 104 Virgil Tait, clerk; Manuel Cusak, 487. Tournament manager J„M„ Harrison gives the trophy to George Goerge and Joe Koenigsknecht (21), co- MAPLE RAPIDS -Therewere votes.