Open Letter to Parents the Editor of the *Norr-Curxa Daiwy News"
'Sm—Because it is my belief that great many patrons of the School Tead the "North China Daily News, Tam asking you to print this letter in' your columns.
Rayaton E, Bunnss.
Shanghai, Sept. 20, To Parmoxs oF tur Scutoot:
In view of the newspaper and private criticism of the new scale of fees. for the American School and fof the scholarship plan, we feel that detailed explanation of the reasons. for the action taken is in order, (a) The continuity of the teaching the School is dependent on retain= ing a large proportion of teachers: under contract from the United States. We cannot expect to retain. ur present staff and to employ re-Placements from the United States: from time to time unless our scale of Selaries, measured in US. Dollars, is in some degree comparable salary rates for similar work paid the. United States.
82) The necessity to make. the: above adjustments in salary" rates iso made it necessary to change our Scale of fees to a U.S. Dollar. basis. Owing to the fact that salary adjustments were only partially on a US. Dollar basis, and also since many of the lesser items of expense in operat Jing the School are payable in local dollars, it has been possible to set a Scale of fees which, calculated in US, Dollars, is approximately 40 per cent. less than those charged two Sears ago. However, in view of our Jorge US. Dollar commitments, It was absolutely necessary to charge US, Dollar fees this year to avoid the necessity of changing our scale of fees at frequent and irregular intervals.
(8) Realizing that a portion of our patronage is still receiving a local Sollar remuneration, without adequate compensation for the drop in. exchange, we provided a system Scholarships based on Inst year's local dollar fees.
We have a questionnaire Aitled out in applying for the scholarships, but itis only necessary to write to the School informally for applic ton for scholarships to receive consideration. Inno case are patrons desiring scholarships expected to interview anybody or to answer any questions, verbal or written, in re-Gard to their applications. Letters regard to scholarships are reviewed and by: a. small Sub-Committee and are treated as confidential and there will be absolutely no cause for embarrass ment on the part of either children parents as regards such letters, The whole system of scholarships 1s only designed to take care of an actual "situation which exists in the Ame Community at the present time owing to the very large (4) It is undoubtedly true that the announcement of the new. scale of fees came out only very shortly before the opening of the school year with some inconvenience to our pat= rons, but this circumstance was primarily due to a. desire to base our action in regard to fees on an upstodate situation. The decision to charge fees in U.S. Dollars and the necessity to get statements out an short notice resulted in some discrepancies in regard to some of the minor boarding fees, such as timm charges, but these discrepancies will be corrected, "re troaelive to" the beginning of the school year.
We deeply rey rot any. dissatisfaction which may have existed on the part of our patrons in regard to our decision to charge U.S. Dollars fees and to grant scholarships for patrons fon a local dollar income basis; and rust that the explanation given will present a clear picture of our prob-Toms and a bettor understanding of the methods employed in an attempt to solve them 7
Hoare oP Manacens, Suawenat AntEnrcaN' Seno0t.
Shanghai, Sept, 20.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.