The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-02-22
andy misunderstanding fingers.
.sThs school Committee and the City
COuncii.O

H.
caption appeared in the Advertiser of Friday
last, and from the unmistakable marks of its
origin i think it deserves passing notice.
The writer commenced by quoting the pro-
visions of the city charter relating to expendi-
lures of money, as follows:
''Section of the CITY charter provides that
mo money shall be paid out of the city treasu-
nv except on orders drawn and signed by the
mayor, designating the fund or appropriation
from which said orders shall be paid, nor un-
less the same shall be first granted or appro-
priated therefor by the city council.
And then goes on to say:
From this sectionit is evident that no body
of the city government has any right to ex-
pend money except in accordance with an ap-
preparation of the city council"
am not aware that any one even thought
| or said they had such right. But it is never
| theless a fact that committees and boards of
| the city government do sometimes exhaust
| their appropriation before the year for which
| it was made is ended Is there any provision
| of law by which the fact of the expenditure of
an appropriation shall be brought to the knowl-
edge of the city council for their action? This
item of information seems purposely to have
been omitted by the writer in question, though
he might easily have ascertained that several
of the committees of the city government have
this year exhausted their appropriation, and
the deficiency has been made good by transfers
from other appropriations that appeared to
have a surplus. How does the city council OBJ
tain knowledge on which to authorize such
transfers OF funds from one appropriation to
another--a transaction perfectly legitimate,
and found to be necessary in the experience of
every city council. If satisfactory answer can
be found to this question, then all the anxiety
of the advertisers correspondent about the
school committee and the schools vanishes,
and he may perhaps be able hereafter to sleep
we'll o. nights.
In the ordinance relating to the office of au-
dtor of accounts will be found an unrepealed
provision that whenever the appropriation
for the specific objects shall have been expend-
ed the auditor shall Immediately commIni-
| cate the same to the city council, that they
| may be appraised of the fact, and either make
| further appropriation or withhold, as they may
| deem eXpedient." By the foregoing provision
it is plainly anticipated that appropriations
| may become exhausted and need repenishing
| at the same time authO gized method Of
| calling the city councils attention to the mat
ter is pointed out, so that they may give the
| subject due consideration, and "make further
| appropriation or withhold, as they may deem
| eXpedient"
The question now arises, has the subject
matter of the Mayors communication to the
School Committee referred to in the article in
question, ever been brought TO the notice of
the city council, by the auditor in conformity
with the city ordinance? The answer is no
and simply for the reason that the time has
not yet arrived to make such action by that
officer proper and necessary-but when that
| time does arrive you may BIS sure it will be
| done, and that the action of the city council
thereon will be such as to justify the expec-
tations of all citizens who take any interest in
the public schools of the city.
| II an impression has in any way got abroad
| that the city auditor should, prior to the May
| or's communication to the school committee on
| the subject, have served formal notice on the
| city council in relation to the expenditure for
school salaries during the present year, it is
| erroneous for there remains at this time an
| unexpended balance standing on his books to
| the credit of that account of some $4,000.
This sum, it is true, will not be sufficient to
pay teachers salaries to the close OF the imam
| cial year, and at the usual and proper time, L
| have no doubt, the auditor will so notify the
CITY council, who alone have any authority in
| the premises have L the least donbt what
the action of the city government will be-nOt-
| withstanding the writer of the Advertiser says
| sit is a matter OF much interest how the diff
Guilty will be solved
My Judgment is sthat it has not yet risen to
the dignity of difficulty"
don't know, Mr.. Editor but am encroach-
| ing too much upon your space in my criticism
of that article but the following statement
taken therefrom seems to me to deserve some
notice. The writer says, "Last year the appro-
| preparation for salaries amounted to $44, 49,
| At the close of the year. there was surplus
| remaining from this appropriation which, con-
trary to the opinion of the present Mayor, ex-
pressed in his inaugural address, and without
| any solicitation, was divided among the teach
| ers of certain grades.
| This lie has been oft repeated, and though
| denied, is still persisted in.
| What are the facts? At the close of that fl
| nanca year, there was found to be an unex-
| pended balance on account of school salaries,
| of So, 209 90. Not one dollar of which has ever
| been paid to any teacher, then, or now. in the
| employ of the city.
In December of that year, 1868, an orde
was offered in the Board of School Committee,
looking to the increase of the salaries of gram
| mar school teachers. AT the meeting in Janu-
airy following the order was taken from the ia
BILE and referred to special committee of five
| members, with instructions to consider and
| report upon the whole subject OF salaries in all
the schools. In conformity Herewith this
special committee in February last reported in
favor of increasing the salary of the principals
of the Nortb-4th Grammar for boys-Park
street Grammar for boys, and intermediate
Schools, at the rate of 5000 each per annum,
and that of the assistant mistresses in the
High School at the rate of $3.50 per annum, to
take effect September Z, 1868, and further rec
| ommending general increase of salaries in
all the schools to take effect on the first of
April 1869, suggesting reference of that part
, of the report relating to general increase OF
salaries to the next board of school committee.
The committees report was accepted and
adopted, and thus was an increase of $40 In
, salaries to certain teachers made, instead of
the sweeping assertion that the entire unex-
) pended balance of that year, 'was divided
among the teachers of certain grades"
The increase of 1915 authorized by the COM
mittee at that time has not yet been paid, be-
cause of the present Mayors opposition thereto
but remains debt against the city, to be paid
| at some future time.
I believe have made good my statement
that not one dollar of the $22O990 unexhau't
ed balance ON account of school salaries OF las
: year, has ever been drawn from the city treas
ury to pay the salary of any teacher, and nave
shown the statement of the writer in the "a
uertiser to be as false as malicious.
1.-THE above communication was handed IL
several days ago, but was unavoidably post
poned on account of the pressure OF other mat
ter.-ED.]
s. p. SOCIETY ENTERTAINMENT.-This Socl
, | ETY. has earned an established reputation TO
In i IL Lei