EDITOR’S NOTE: Superiorland Yesterdays is prepared by the reference desk staff at Peter White Public Library.

30 years ago

MARQUETTE — An audit of Marquette schools shows district funds plummeted almost into the red last year, forcing school officials to borrow from reserves for the fourth year in a row to balance the school budget. The ’93-94 budget was based on expenditures of $21.4 million, but new government accounting law required the district to write up an additional $1.3 million in expenditures for the past two years, bringing reserves to a low $136,000. Mike Meldrum, assistant to the superintendent for finance and personnel, said the new law requires the district to account each year for unpaid sick leave for district employees.

Meldrum said the law required the district to subtract $693,000 from its ’92-93 budget and $636,000 from the ’93-94 budget. Michigan schools are required by law to balance their budgets.

The money needed to balance both the 1992-93 and 1993-94 budgets was taken from the district’s reserve fund. The reserve for 1992-93 totaled $1.46 million. With the two extra withdrawals, the fund dropped to $136,000, about 7 percent of the recommended reserve fund balance. Board member Ellwood Mattson expressed optimism that a three-year financial plan for the district, utilizing a new state formula, would raise Marquette’s allotment of per-student funding, which is lower than most school districts in the state..

90 years ago

IRONWOOD — Frank E. Hook, congressman-elect from the TwelfthDistrict, left today for Washington to attend a conference called for Saturday morning. He said he has been assured by the administration that his plan for taking men off direct relief and placing them in various industries, those industries to be given government aid, is being studied by government officials. During the pre-election campaign, Mr. Hook stressed the point certain idle industries in the Twelfth District should be reopened through government loans. It was his contention the reopening of idle factories and the granting of aid to other industries through PWA funds would make it possible to place on salary rolls men now receiving aid. A survey ofthe Twelfth District has been made by government officials, and word received from Washington is that federal officials are interested in hearing more about the plan. Mr. Hook will meet the Michigan delegation at Harrisburg, Pa., and will go from there to Washington.