Every Sunday, “Back in the Day” looks at an article that ran on this date in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. The items are verbatim, so don’t blame us today for yesteryear’s bad grammar.
HILO, Hawaii >> The State Board of Education last night passed "in principle" a resolution asking the Mayor and Council of the City and County of Honolulu "to take appropriate steps to provide free student transportation services for all public school students on Oahu living more than three miles from school.
Oahu member Seiko Shiroma, who introduced the resolution, noted that costs have risen as high as $35 or $40 a month per student, and that some families have two to four students.
"I think it is well for this board to go on record supporting such action," he said.
No objection was raised, but David Yogi, also of Oahu, said the action should be taken at the State level through the Legislature.
The board chairman, Dr. Katsumi Kometani, observed that the resolution would at least be a "first measure" to start action on school transportation. The resolution pointed out that Neighbor Islands have free or subsidized transportation and mentioned lack of it as a possible cause for drop-outs.
It was passed "in principle" pending minor changes in language.
The board also approved revisions in rules for school bus transportation.
Among other things it set age limits of drivers between 20 and 65 years, extending the maximum to 70 for drivers over 65 now employed provided they have semi-annual physical checkups, and it provided appeal for driver applicants with disabilities.
State Schools Superintendent Burl Yarberry won the board’s promise to operate through proper channels.
The members backed his plea to route communications between board members and his staff, and vice versa, and between his staff and other government agencies through the superintendent’s office. …
Yarberry told the board the budget is still in process of revision because of the change in administration, but promised an early budget next year.
First tentative figures put the budget in the neighborhood of $58,476,000, or nearly $4.5 million over last year’s total.
