American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-09-06
educational lepartmeat
Questions and Answers.

ANSWER AS there may bo cases in
which irregular examinations need to be
held, it is advisable for Superintendent
to devote the three Saturdays succeeding
the close of his regular examinations, to
irregular applicants bringing the required
certificate from tho directors, which ex-
aminations shall also be open TO the pub
lie, and advertised. Private examina-
tions, or such as are held for the accom-
mediation of those who do not attend
the public inspections, should never be
granted unless the applicant presents
written request, signed by at least three
members of the board, stating that they
wish to employ said applicant in their dis
trict, and giving a satisfactory reason also
for non-attendance at the pubic cxami
nation. When regularly advertised Sc
ries of examination has been held in a
county, the Superintendent should net
postpone the commencement OF his school
visitations for the purpose of attending
to private examinations.
.. QUESTION Has Superintendent
the authority to renew old certificates, or
endorse those given by other Superin-
tondents?
ANSWER There is no authority given
to Superintendcnts by law to renew Ger
tificates that have expired by their own
limitation, or to endorse certificates issued
in other counties Either practice is per-
nicious and should not be INDUCED in
Much trouble arises from these practices.
If teachers are to have their certificates
renewed whenever they see fit to stay
away from examinations, many will al
ways find excuses for being absent, and
they may as well have permanent certif-
Gates at once, as to make them virtually
so by annual renewals Indorsing certif-
Gates is still more Objectionable. The
better way is to be examined in the pres
ence of the directors by whom they are
to be employed. Circumstances may oc-
cur where it would he advisable to renew
a certificate but no certificate should be
renewed that was dated more than two
years, previous to the time of the renew
al. The request required for a private
examination should be required for re-
newal. Superintendent, before endors-
ing certificates issued by Supcnntendents
of other counties, should require the per-
sons holding such certificates to present
evidence from the officers who issued them
that the holder is at the time properly en-
titled to the certificate A certificate that
has expired by its own limitation cannot
be endorsed. The endorsement takes ef-
feet from its date, and not from tho date
of the original document; neither can it
continue in force longer than does the pa
per endorsed.
3. QUESTION Is person who IL re-
turned in the last adjusted valuation as
infrm, liable for the one dollar occupation
tax;
ANSWER Every resident malo taxable
of the age of Fl years, whose name is
found entered upon the last adjusted val
uation is to pay the one dollar tax. Per
sons who are unable from ipfrmity and
poverty to pay the tax, should be exon
Grated by the directors. But the fact
that man is infrm, should not be con-
sidered a reason for exoneration. Inabil-
ity to pay, and errors made by the Secre-
tary in making out the duplicate, are
the only legal causes for exoneration from
tax against a resident taxable. A man
Of large property may become infirm
from age, or disease 1t would not be
reasonable to exonerate his tax while he
is abundently able to pay it,
4. QUESTION Can the School Direc-
tors collect the one dollar occupation
tax for both school and building purposes,
or collect two dollars from any resident
male taxable, if in one year school and
building tax are both raised?
ANSWER: They cannot. 1t has been
decided repeatedly, that the taxes, altho'
apparently two, are in reality but ono tax
They should be voted for separately, and
each vote should be entered upon the
minutes, and the whole amount put to-
gethcr and apportioned as one, and every
resident male taxable should pay only one
dollar occupation tax.