The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1852-03-18

number Of school houses for their entire district
and for - all necessary expenses of fuel and re
pairs" out Of the general fund of the district
land this duty is not in any manner changed or
avoided by the formation Of sub-districts,l and
they are also required by law to appropriate q
sufficient sum Of money to each sub-district to
keep all its schools (such number us is necessary
to accommodate all the scholars in operation
mot less than three months" IN each school
year. After having made proper provisions for
doing these things the distribution of the bal
ance Of the funds in their possession is left en-
ure'y TO the discretion, judgement and integrity
OF the directors. 1t is certainly their plain duty
TO make the distribution in a manner that is just
TO all the sub-distriets, showing special favor to
none, but they are the judges of what is just and
proper. Tor any mal-appropriations Of school
finds they are indictable, but the Department
has no power to punish them.
The directors OF some districts appropriate
pro rata share, according to the number of schol-
ars, TO each sub-district. This plan of distribu-
ton may be very good one in many instances,
if the requirements Of the law before mentione ed
are first fulfilled, but viii not answer as gener-
al rule. \ sub-district Of thirty scholars may
require teacher Of superior attainments, one
whose services cannot be obtained for less than
tsay) thirty dollars per month, while another
having fifty dollars might be as well cared for
and its school sufficiently taught for (say) TWEEN
ty dollars per month, depending upon the attain
ments Of the scholars. The wants of sub-dis-
tricts must be considered in the distribution of
the school funds and not merely the number of
scholars
It IS manifestly wrong for the School Directors
to appropriate q sufficient amount of money to
one sub-district to keep its schools in operation
six, eight or ten months, while to another . sum
barely sufficient to keep its schools open three
months is appropriated Money can only be
Iightgully appropriated by the directors with the
view to keep the schools Of their districts, and
of the sub-districts within its bounds in opera
ton as near as may be, equal length of time,
the amount Of tax paid by any Eeighborhood
or sub district should not be permitted to infiu-
ence the amount of school funds appropriated to
each school or sub-district to the least possible
extent ! sub-district containing only twenty
scholars may pay tax Of fifty dollars, while an
other having one hundred scholars may pay on
y the same amount. The first would require
only one school, and the second at least two.
If the scholars were Of equal grade it would cost
SAY twenty dollars per month to teach the
school Of the first and forty dollars per month to
teach those of the second. Under these circum-
stances, the directors should appropriate twenty
dollars per month to the former and forty dol
lars to the latter.
10 general rule TO regulate the distribution of
school funds to sub-districts, and such distribu-
tons can only be properly made by the Directors
by complying with the requirement of the law
and then distributing the balance of the funds
in such manner as to be no positive injustice to
any.