Archives West Finding Aid

The School District Ledgers include information of each yearly budget. The budget was divided into fourteen different categories: 1, General control, School officer salaries and expenses, Election and Census Expenses; 2, Salaries of Principals, Superintendents, Supervisors; and Teachers; 3, Stationary, supplies, miscellaneous instruction expenses, etc.; 4, Wages, Janitors and Engineers; 5, Fuel, light, water and janitorial supplies; 6, Repairs and upkeep; 7, Library and reference books; 8, Health and aid for indigent children; 9, Transportation, rent and board for children; 10, Insurance, rent and pensions; 11, New building and alterations; 12, New equipment; 13, Textbooks; and 14, Reserve Cash.

This series contains minutes to 50 years of school board meetings. These meetings pertained to the hiring of teachers and elections of school officials, school budgets, bills and payments, building maintenance and rent, procurement of heat and fuel, insurance, and enrollment. This series also includes information from 33 yearly school censuses. The school census noted the name, age, sex and birth date of children aged birth to 20, as well as name of mother and father and where the family lived. Also contained is a record of warrants drawn, which states the amount and when money was drawn for payroll and to pay any bills. Annual Reports of Receipts and Disbursements and the Trustees' Annual Reports of are also included. Information about fire insurance, withstanding bonds and school district tax levy are included as well. Finally, the series contains a Principal's Report, which discusses the number of children enrolled and days taught, the percentage of attendance, number of cases of corporal punishment, number of globes and dictionaries in the school, as well as whether Arbor day was observed and whether the school gave instruction regarding the effect of alcoholic beverages and narcotics.