Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1855-08-04
[For the Bradford Reporter.l
SUPERINTENDENT'S SALARY $15O0!!l
"ROTT IT WIS DID,

of the school directors assembled at Towanda
for the purpose of raising the County Snperln-
tents salary, and they dM raise II. The meet
ing was organized by calling WM. CoRYELL to
the chair, 0. j. CHUBBUcK and II. HOWELL
were chosed Secretaries. The President APP
pointed j. HENDRCK and two others to draft
Resolutions. All these persons were in favor
of the increase. state this now, as it will
explain some things hereinafter mentioned
In the absence Of the committee, Bella Cogs-
WELL Esq, offered a resolution favoring the in
crease, and in support thereof made a long
loud and affecting speech, in which he had
something to say of our :" Jail being filled with
rccrcantS r' The sensation on Con the part of
the speaker) was intense j. L. Jones offered
some resolutions opposed to increasing the sala-
ry-all of which, on motion, were referred to
the Committee. In short time, the commit
tee reported suppressing Jones resolutions, and
reporting in favor of Mr.. CogswelIs, although
one of their own covered the same ground. |
suppose they did not know that when con-
vention refers resolutions to a committee, they
are bound to report them, though it be with
negative recommendation. Ignorance, ike
charity, sometimes covers multitude of sius" +"
Instead of reporting Jones' resolutions, the
chairman put them into his pocket ; and on
being asked by II. L. Scott Esq. to deliver
them up, at first did not know" but after
wards, (Scott having gone across the room to
him, he reluctantly placed them in his hands
The report of the committee was accepted.
A motion prevailed to consider the resolutions
separately. The convention adopted two or
/ three of minor Importance. The motion then
was to adopt one making the duties of the Su-
perntcndent more onerous and eXpensivc-
| This was objected to on the ground that he
had more duties now to perform than he got
! pay for (according to his notion) and it was
best to see if the convention increased his sala-
! ry before imposing new duties the convention
could only recommend, not impose. On motion
Of Mr.. Scott, that resolution was postponed,
and the one taken up which embodied the great
object of the convention, viz: the increasing
the Superintendent's salary. Thercupon Mr..
Scott offered an amendment opposed to the of
flee of County Superintendent, and recommend
ed in its stead township Superintendents-op-
posed to increasing Mr. Guyer's salary on the
ground that his services were not worth to the
common schools more than 5000 per year
that the value received by the schools was
the measure of the value of said seryiccs."-
The amendment was also in favor of reducing
the number Of directors to three in each town
ship, who should receive for their services a
suitable compensation. This amendment was
advocated with ability bv Mr.. Scott and O. Ii
l. Kinney, Esq, but on motion it was lost by
/ a few votes. Before the vote was taken, how
ever Mr.. Guycr was invited by the Conven
ton to " stretch forth his hand and answer fo1
himself, touching all the things pertaining tc
his office, and especially to mention how many
times he had rtstted some Of tie t0aonshjps dp
ring the past year.' He began by saying, Z" if
he thought it would cost the people of Brad
ford county one cent he would not ask the di
rectors to raise his salary-that $50, 900 was
appropriated topay the county Superintendents
and if it were not consumed by them it would
go back into the Treasury for further lcgisla
ton, and Bradford county, l. e. Mr.. Guver
| SuppOSe) would lose so much" Let us ey
anime this little. The Act of 1854 creatipo
the office OF county superintendent page 39)
/ to
lntenden) shall be paid by the Superintendent
OF common schools by his warrant drawn upon
the State Treasurer, in half yearly instaments
if desired, and shall be deducted from the
amount of the State appropriation to be paid
to the several school districts for said county >
If this law means anything, the county super
lntendent is paid at the cost of the schools of
each county. The State Superintendent con-
Strucs the law he did not make it. If he
conStrneS it contrary to the plain and evident
meaning, his opinion will be reversed by the
Supreme Court. The law both of lS54-5 saws
in SO many words, "$23O, 900 are appropriated
for the support of common schools" What
right has Mr.. Guyer or anybody else to say
any particular part of that sum was intended
to pay the county superintendent But sup
pose it is as Mr.. Guyer says, part goes back
into the Treasury. 1t is to the people so much
ready money in hand and the next year saves
them so much in taxes ccteris paribuS. Sup
pose the salaries Of all the county superinten-
dents amounted to more than 10000, how
could they be paid, if only that sum were ap-
proprlated for that purpose Suppose again.
Mr. Guyer's salary was 500, 600, would it cost
the people anything? "Oh," says he, when
that question was put to him by Mr.. Scott