Los Banos Rotary Club History
School Costs, Aims Explained To Club

Declaring that a highly developed educational system is the basis and very heart of our democratic form of government, L.J. Spindt, principal of the local high school, Tuesday noon told members of the Rotary Club something of the aims, ideals and costs of educating our youth, particularly in the school of which he is head.

“Here, as in other schools,” Mr. Spindt said, “the primary purpose of our schools is to develop good citizens-to train students so that they will be able to help throughout life in the American plan of living together, sharing responsibilities, enjoying protection of governments and defending the quality of opportunity which is democracy.”

Educational standards in California, the speaker said, are equal to any other state in the union. Here the schools belong to the state, and, since 1934, the great portion of the cost is borne by the state through the medium of the sales tax, which, though held in the state’s general fund, is used almost exclusively to pay for operation of our school system. Under this plan, only about one-third of the cost of operating the Los Banos high school is borne directly by the taxpayers of this district Mr. Spindt said, the remainder being provided by state funds. He added that the local tax rate for the Los Banos district would be about 32 cents this year, a decrease of 10 cents under the preceding year, due to elimination of the cumulative building fund. For the past five years the district has been accumulating a fund for the purchase of the new administration building now under construction, and the money thus raised is sufficient to completely pay for this new unit. No additional building is contemplated by the local district at the present time.

Cost of operation for the Los Banos school is estimated at $79,300, Mr. Spindt said, of which $50,590.24 will be contributed from state funds, and $28,709.76 raised by district taxes. Expenses, as set out in the annual school budget are divided: Administration, $4,200; instruction, $34,000; operation of plant, $5,500; maintenance, $2,000; auxiliary agencies and coordinate activities, $5,500; and fixed charges, $700.

August 9, 1940

 

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