Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1867-10-08
10 the Spirit Of Jeffergon,

! been levied for Educational aud School House
/ purposes, to which desire very briefly, as
one of the board, to reply. First, when the
tax was assessed it was done under the law of
/ 1856, and assert here, most positively, that
the Board had no knowledge, whatever, at
that time, that there was in existence such
law as the Amended Law of February, 1867.
The 18th Section of that Law names the sum
| of two Mills per Dollar as the lowest amount
/ to be assessed for Educational purposes, and
in the absence OF any lights to guide US in
the matter, (fOr certainly saw none as to
what amount two mills would produes) we
took the smallest amount named IN the law.
Second, as to the one and half miEIs for
School House purposes 4: We took as basis
for our estimate that there would have to be
D School houses-three to be built. and the
Fleetwood and Wiltshire houses to be had on
the best terms we could get them. The tax
book shews an aggregate sum of about IS 800
arising from the tax of mills for building
purposes. | have the experience Of one Of
the most intelligent gentlemen of our Coun-
ty, who served as School Commissioner last
year, that the deficit between the tax book
and what was realized was one sixth and that
in Township second only to ours in point of
wealth and population, and find upon the
tax book hundred thousand GoHarS worth
of properly taxed that is not in our Township.
which will amount to $3.50, TO be deducted
| from that fund The incidental expenses as
Pro0ided By Iung for the collecting and disburs.
! ing of this fund will amount to six per cent,
| which will make $3.50 more to be deducted
from this fund
Now, if You follow me through this calcuIa-
ton, you will find that in all probability about
$500 will have to be deducted from the amount
shewn upon the tax book leaving in round
numbers about So 600 for the building fund.
This assessment was made under the I4th
See. OF the law which says 1.-THE board shall
levy tax not more than mills per dollar
for that purpose" Now for the other side |
Of the question: The Stone School house in
CharlestOwn has been rebuilt at a cost of S465. !
to furnish the same, fence the lot &c. will
cost Sl3O more. Take your own estimate in
your article Of last week, and am sure it !
will fall short Gas we have lot the to buy to |
erect one OF the houses uPon) Of coo for two |
more; the gentlemen who own the Fleetwood |
house have demanded OF the board. as think |
they have perfect right to do. pay for that
house aud lot, and have named the sum Of /
$500 for the same. Leaving the Wiltshire |
house to be provided TOR and we have the sum !
Of $1,000 to be met by the building fund, |
which, according to my showing above, will. |
probably amount to $4,000. The above esti- |
mates are based upon the law and tax book. !
and [ will cheerfuIIy produce the same for |
inspection OF any one lwho may desire TO see
them.
As to the tax of two m ills for Educational !
purposes. | confess the board had no idea of |
what amount it would produce, and | do |
Messrs. Myers and Lcisenring the Justice to |
say that they manifested all the disposition
possible in conformity to the law to make the
tax as low as possible. and we took the small !
est amount named in the law that was before us |
tI,o
tnsburg Bank which you say was received by !
former assessment: There never was anv /
assessment by the board for this fund. and it |
was only procured by the board at the very
last day, by the hearty CO operation of MIR |
Barry, the County Superintendent. from the |
State tax. Our share of that tax for &c and |
81, and out of which the expense of the |
schools and other expenses have been met |
since the organization of the school board, |
was Sl,O96. l paid for myself and those |
whom | represent, over one hundred dollars !
school tax for 1866, and having children to !
educate that had not been inside of a school. |
house since 1862, l did put myself to some !
trouble to secure whatever might be coming I
to Us from the school fund. You saw some.
thing about inefficient teachers, the length of /
time they teach, &c. The school law makes /
it the duty of the school board to employ on
ly for teachers persons who have been ex- /
amined by the County Sunerintcudant. and
who have his certificate for competency. &c
and out Of that number the board have made /
the selections. aud if you will take the trouble
to examine the minutes of the board-for I
they are open to the inspection of yourself or /
any one else-that there is an order there re- |
quIrlng the teachers to teach six hours rer
day. and in the School in my own neirhbor- /
hood it has been complied with Now as to
your remark about iDexcusabIe ignorance in I
the matter, L put 1t to any candid aud intelli- |
gent man to say if the foregoing statement /
and facts develop very great amount of ig- !
norance, and to having aspirations to office
l don't think any sane man would ever aspire
to the Office of School Commissioner because
of any profit or honor that attaches to the
othce, and IN our day when the article of pa
triotism is at such a discount. | cannot inn
aGine why any one would even consent to
serve in that capacity, unless he was honest
IN his intentions to try to do some good to-
ward the cducation of the young. The school
board hold their office by appointment from
the County Superintendent | think there
Is no man who knows better than Yourself
that l have never aspired TO anv office. |
never was candidate for auy Office. and GER
'ainly never intend to be. Some one it seems
| put me IN nomination for Township Treas
urer, and am sure whoever did it will do
me the justice to say it was done without my
consent or knowledge.
As to the disposition, spoken of By you. to
oPpress, l leave that TO those who know me
best to say if they believe am capable of
any such quality if l had the power. In
| conclusion. will say. that think and feel
that it is illberal aud unkind in you to put
| forth the impression that l have So 600 in
my hands, when l have only collected about
| Sl,uOO, aud when it will be recoIlected that
up to the date of your article. would have