Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1871-08-03
Tor the A duartisnr

MIR. EDITOR.-NOI pelIlS apie w Se'"
reply from the County Treasurer or
School Commissioner, I ask space in
your columns for. further commentsson
the Educational Fund. In asietter from |
JsK. Jillson, State Superintendent ofd
Education, toll Editor of aColumhiass1
DAILY Union, in thesissue of the 24ths
July, Mr.Jillson states that @out ofsthea e
Fee School D efficiency Appropriation Of
10000, the same to be applied to the pay
ment of Teachers claims up to date OF
january 1871, Charleston City and County
have received the snug little sum OF
S2S, ,642,23, and that it is not the first ana
only instance where Charleston City has
gobbled up school funds belonging IN
fact and in justice, to other portions OF
the State.,,'. .s.a..s,= - =
Now I would respectfully ask Mr.
woolly and Mr.. McDevitt, what amount
of this fund Edgefeld County received
There are thirty Counties in the State,
and vet Charleston County gets more
thai, one-half of this special appropria-
ton. EdgeHe1d being the next largest
County should have received at least one
third of theamount Charleston received.
The taxpayers would like to have the
figures; they are anxious to know aoout
this matter. The public schools were
kept open in Charleston County during
the summer months Of 1870, when our
schools (what few there were in Edge
feld) during that year were closed.
Out of the s15O,OOO appropriated for the
Free Schools for the present year, this
County is entitled to $1,000, or near that
amount, while the Capitation Tax should
be at least So, 900. There is voting popu-
lation Of over 1000, and the Treasurer can
very easily collect $4,000. If he fails to
do so, he should be made pay the deficit
out of his salary. If the sum Of $4,000
has been spent in paying the drafts given
Teachers for their, services during the
present year, give us the evidence; il
not, give us the reasons. If such sum
has not been spent upon the Free Schools,
then some one is in fault!
I would respectfully inquire of the
County Treasurerwhatamount of money
he now holds in his hands collected from
the Taxpayers of this County for Capita
ton Tax, during the past three years
since the adoption of the new Constitu
ton. am informed that in at least one
third of the Townships there is no Puo-
lie Schools. In fact there are very feW II
anv in the 9th Regiment. Under the
present law, the Capitation Tax collected
from these townships, cannot be eapplied to
any other portion of the County, but must
be paid only to Teachers in the Town-
ship where collected. AS this fund has
thus been accumulating for three years,
| it is we'll worth the trouble of the per-
sons who have children to educate to look
after this money. would here state that
this money. and all money appropriated
for schools, is payable to all scholars
alike, to the rich rs wen as the poor.
There is no distinction now; all are en-
titled to their distributiyeshare. The pay
of teachers ranges from $500 to $4,000
per month, according to the grade of the
school.
am aware that no money passes
through the hands of the County School
Commissioner, but it is his duty to see
that no more drafts are drawn upon the
County Treasurer than there are funds
wherewith to cash such drafts, and to see
further that all drafts are paid up prompt
ly. If not thus paid, he shouldknow the
cause and report tho Treasurer to the
State Superintendent of Education. This
has not been done heretofore. His
duty is to see that this County gets every
dollar due for Educational purposes, and
that proper application is made of the
money, each wear.
A4lsts @.s HOWARD.