Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1854-10-04
Dspar smsnt CT Common Schools.
HARRISBURG, September s, 165

To County Superintendenfs: As much mis-
apprehension very strangely preyailes In re-
gard to the construction of the THIRTY-sIxTH
section of the School Law, your attention is
respectfully called 10 its provisions and the
necessity for making prompt explanation.
The section in question provides, that s'as
soon as the Schools of any district have been
kept open and in operation at least four months
subsequent to the first Monday in June prece-
ding, the President of the Board of Directors
COR Controllers) shall certify the same, under
oath or afrmation,'' &C., and that upon the re-
ceipt of such certificate, together with the re-
port required by the TWESTY-THIRD section Of
the act of Sth May last, the Superintendent Of
Common Schools shall draw warrant for the
share of the State Appropriation to which such
district is entitled Many Directors, and 9TH
ers, have most strangely construed the provis-
ion quoted above, to mean that the certificate
Of the President should set forth, that the
Schools were kept open and in operation four
months during the School year which expired
on the first Monday in June, 1854. This con-
struction is erroneous. The provision is clear,
that the certificate must set forth that the
Schools have been kept open, &C., four months
subsequent to the first Monday in June prece-
ding the time 1T which the affidavit is made.
1t is difficult to conceive how there can be
no doubt as to which une is referred 10. The
| last June, is Of course meant. In the pres
ent instance. the certificates and affdayits must
set forth that the schools have been kept open
and in operation four months between the first
Monday in June, 1854, and the first Monday in
| June, 1855.
| A difficulty is in some instances raised as to
| what is meant by ssthe SchoOls"---that IS,
| whether the affidavit can be properly made, ur-
| less School has been opened and kept in ope-
| ration four months in every part OF the district
where one may be deemed advisable. The Law
will be fulfilled, and hence the affidavit may be
| properly made, whenever every pupil of the
district has had reasonable opportunity OF
| obtaining four months schooling.
Under the law OF 1919, the districts were en-
titled to a warrant for their pro TatG share Of
the State Appropriation, whenever they made
report of their operations under the law the
previous year, and certified that they had lev
| led tax sufficient to put and keep their schools
| in operation three months for the year to which
the appropriation applied. Under this proyis-
! ion. gross frauds were committed by making
! false reports, when no Schools had been in ope-
! ration-iSsuing duplicates and never collecting
| them or any part Of them-not keeping the
| Schools in operation as the law required-em-
! ployihg incompetent and immoral teachers
| and not requiring proper branches to be taught,
| &C., and in some instances expending the State
| appropriation for making roads and other ille-
| gitimate purposes. Hence the provision In
I the present law, that the Schools must be kept
| open four months in the manner reqired by the
| several provisions of the act of Sth May, lS5l.
! before the appropriation will be paid. When
| the reasons for its adoption understood,
| the provision will doubt be approved by
| every honest man, and particularly by the
| friends of Education by Common Schools.
! AS extensive misrepresentation prevails on
| this subject, it is suggested that it would be
| well for you to make full explanation OF it
! through your county papers.
| Very Respectfully, Yours, &C,
IiT. l.. DIEFFENBACH,
Dep. Slpt. Of Common Schools.