Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1870-04-28
Gow,l aud County Telrs.
school Director LIMB

school Director Imbroglio.--On Monday
week last we had an election for two School
Directors. In counting the ballots it appeared
that Robert E. Chambers and Geo, Brown had a
majority. of all the votes cast. The printers
without authority, had printed on the tickets,
one for full term, and one for the vacancy. A
part of the votes cast was given for R. Z. Cham
Ders, for the long term, and part fer the short
term, and so of Mr. Brown. Sec. 2of the School
law says the qualified Electors shall meet and
choose a Chairman and Clerk and proceed to
. elect by ballot School Directors, the one having
the highest number of votes shall mold the Of
flee for term of three years, the next highest for
s.wo years and so on, and provides for an cleo
2G.on annually thereafter for the election of one
Director, Section provides if vacancy shall
, occur, such vacancy shall be nlled until the
lness annual election, when with the one an
~Iitlaty TO be elected Director shall be elected
for the remainder of the unexpired term. in the
manner prescribed in Sec. two. Section two
alsoproyides ifa tie vote shall occur between two
elected, the duration of their term shall be de-
aermined by lot in the presence of the Chair
man and Secretary Of the meeting.
The above, written by lawyer, ap-
pears iastae last Gazette as justifica
ton Of the remarkable and unprecedent
ed conduct of Messrs. Chambers and
Swaney in their attempts to deprive the
people OF this school district of their
legal right to elect their own school di-
rectors, and their discreditable efforts to
hold on to the control of our schools
against the wish of the people. As a
local question we should not devote
more space to it than we have already
given it. but, as legal question, it is
matter of iRterest to every member of
the esmmanity, and We ore justified in
looking after the &bs9rdities of this
brilliant legal genius.
We are acting urder the general
school laws of the State and our elec-
tious are held under the same provisions
of law that govern in the elections in
the sub. districts of a township, as far
as they are applicable. In order to
fairly present the question we will give
the law a. it is found in the statutes.
In the "Act to provide for the reor-
ganization, supervision aPd mainte-
nance of common schools, passed March
II, 1853, it provides:
.'Sec. II. On the second Monday of Apri IL, in
TIE year eighteen and Jgty-tu'ee, there shall be
held at the usual hour and place of holding dis
UTict meetings in each of the sub-diStrlcus of
meeting of the qualified voters resident within
the suo-district, and having the qualifications
OF voters at the state and county elections,
who, when assembled, shall organize by the
appointment of a chairman and secretary and
proceed to elect, by ballot, three school directors
sor such sub-district Of those so elected the
ptrson receiving the highest number of votes
shfsl hold his Office for three years; the person
receiving the next highest number, shall hold
the.SEtce for two years; and the person receiv-
ABs theslext highest number, shall hold the
coffee for one year; and each shall continue in
Office unti his successor is elected and qualifi-
ed. In case two or more persons so elected have
received op equal number of votes, the dura-
tion OF their respective terms of Office shall be
az chairman and secretary of the
Eaeeting; and annually Thereafter, in the same
lnaRRer on the second Monday in April, there
shall be elected in each sub-diStrict Of the pro-
three gears, &C."
''See. III And in case a vacan-
cy shall occur in the Office of director, by DEATH
resignation, refusal to serve, otherwise, it
shall be the duty of the township clerk to fill
such vacancy within ten days after being in
formed thereof by the appointment of some
suitable person, who shall hold his office until
the time of the next annual meeting, when q
director shall be elected for the remainder If any
of1se unexpired term, in the manner prescribed
IN section two."
Toevery mind capable ofc9mprehend-
ing the plainest propositions of law, or
understanding the simplest import of
language, no argument is necessary to
show that the provision for casting lots
for duration of term is only applicable
to the first election held under this law
At the first election three directors are to
be elected and as one is to serve three
years one two years, and one one year,
it was sensible in the legislature to pro-
vide the manner in which the duration
of the term Of the respective candidates
should be determined. In all subsequent
elections it is provided that one director
shall be elected and his term is fixed by
the law-three years. When a vacancy
occurs from any cause, a director is to be
elected, as the law provides: "F0r the
remainder of the unerpired tern1"-
There is no uncertainty in this matter