The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1871-06-15

a -STlN6lNd LEfIEh--IhS CoFSpOSl VT fnC
, SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION RE VIEW
ED. - = -. - :. :: ~ =: ~. ~.
y CHARLESTON, s. c., ;June6, 1871: :
"a tic Eaaor of he Rzpsbsicaat:, -,
g,Sla: IN your paper ofthe- 5th instant,
you ask Mr.. Jillson, the. State Superinteud?
ent of Education, why the teachers Of our
city schools are not paid. Mr.. JiIlson is not
likely to answer that question. But l will
ussun,ethc task, as one the Commissioners
of the Charleston Public Schools.
Here are some of the facts 1.-The case ::
The CharlestonC City Board. of School Com
m;ssioners sent to the Legislature last vim
ter, petition for the passage of:a Deficiency
Bill to enable them to pay their teachers
from the 1st of July, 1870, to the fst of
January, 1871. The amount was between
$4,000 and $4,000 Such bill was in
troduced and passed-with an amendment
increasing the sum to $4,000, so as to meet
the claims of other teachers in the State
The bill originated in our Board; and it was
well understand that our schools we're to re-
ceive the sum asked. for; the balance to 60
to the other schools in the State. Ourclai
was for six months arrears.
When this claim was presented, Mr.. Jill
son refused to pay it, but consented to let
us have the amount due for three months.
He had conscientious scruples (?) against
paying us any more. Afterwards, at meet
ing of our Board, he declared that his OBJ
jcctions were removed, and that he would
send us tho'w whole amount within three or
four days. But when he returned to Col
umbia, he changed his mind, and again as
sumed his old. position And this in spite
of the Attorney-Generals written opinion,
that it was his duty to pay the whole amount,
and that he could be compelled to pay it.
He has steadily refused to do so, however,
and to this day has only given us the teach.
ers' salaries for three months.
Fortunately for the teachers, Governor
Scott. moved. by the solicitations Of the Hon.
D. T. Corbin, who volunteered to 60 10 Col
umbia for tho purpose, gave us an order on
the County Treasurer for the balance This
order.was paid, and the teachers have ac-
tually received their salaries to the first Of
January. .. =.
1t may naturally be asked, why Mr. gill
son, has behaved ..in this extraordinary man.
ner? Wounded pride-the pride of sulky
school -boy-is at the bottom of it all. Ina
letter to one Of our Board, he. says that his
Office has been ignored by the Governor, the
Attorney. General, the County School Com
missioner, and by our Board; and he doesn t
mean to be 'slighted any more! When it was
represented to him that the teachers were in
a suffering condition, and that some of them
were in want of the necessaries of life, he
,manfully replied, Il don't care a jiinks (e) if
they starve p This may seem incredible to
those who do not know the man: - =.
As to the period from the first of January
to the present time, we have had no money
to pay the teachers, and have therefore vo-
ted to close the schools, indrfnitely; at the
end Of this month Mr. Jillson gave us an
order on the County Treasurer, some time
ago, for part of our share OF! the $3.50 900
voted by the Legislature last winter for the
State schools. General Gurney promises
to pay this draft when he is in funds. But
he refuses to accept the draft; and even if
he pays it, the amount viii only be sufficient
to pay the teachers and ,janitors for little
more than two months. 81.
These, Mr.. Editor, are some of the facts
bearing upon the questions you have asked.
With regard to Mr.. Jillson's general con-
duct in office, can only say the universal
testimony is that he is entirelysineompetent
.warding the interests of sduGatiio ion ,liestapds
lin the way of whatever little IS attempted by
other people. One inst nsiiitff-
ti,ncy is, that he does not nsWsr letters ad-
dressed to him officially: ou may Write
and write, until your patience sislSxliausted ;
but what doesi matter to the State Super
intendent Of Education? He draws his
pay. A. SUMNER,
School Commissioner for Ward 5.