The weekly Panola star. [volume] (Panola, Miss.) 1857-1881, 1872-05-25

newton HcffyhNl, ~ Holiei0ntainc
was requested to write n pocm 20 Ne
read NJ the approaching CONVENTION
A fall attendance j. rcsrcetiull
urged.
KisLocn F,lcoyrr, prest
H. +. Joxts, Secy. O
Public Education. Board Of School
Directors.
The Carruiten Conscrruirc pub
fishes a true copy Of the accounts
presented by two rncmbsr Of TIC
school directors Of Montgomery
county, ,s,sd htowel by the board,
aud the items ate principally
tor services and milcaee
claimed to have been rendered tho
county in locating schools, travelling
to different portions Of the county
and doing those things which Il the
duty OF the county superintendent
The C6%nserrohce says:
"Thcse directors ire only entitled
to pay for the days Of their attend
ancc Mt tho board meetings at the
county seat, and mileage, aud to
nothing more. THIS thing Of run
ming over tho country to see after
schoo! -houses, etc, Is the business OF
the superintendent of education, who
unhappily has been 20 oppressed BY
multifarious official duties that lie
could not attonj to these. The law
should require the publication of the
proceedings oil the school board that
tho public may be assured that the
public fund is not being swindled
away. We don't know these diroc.
tors, but presume they are for Gran,
and the purity Of the Radical party"
While this state of facts exist in
Montgomery county, We cannot say
what is the condition of affairs in
lanola county, as our board Of
school directors have never made
any publication of their proceedings,
and what they have done for tho
last twelve months is as a sealed
book to the great mass OF the peo-
pie, and while we have free access
to their books, they may claim, yet
they would no doubt regard an IN
spection Of their books by an indi>
vidual as wholly unauthorized and
as an net of presumption, and very
few citizens will take this step. We
do not know whether our board OF
directors have spent the peoples
money in wasteful extravaganza, us
has been the case in many counties
III the State, we and call upon the
board Of school directors to make n
showing OF their expenditures. We
claim that, in all honesty and fair
ness, they should publish their pro.
cecdings of eacl, meeting IN some
public county journal, and we are
determined that there shall be no
excuse for n failure to do this upon
an economical basis. And we o
propose to publish the proceedings
of every meeting, If they will only
furnish us a copy; and il the board
and the people think that we are
not entitled to any pay for it, we
will make no charge, but rely upon
the support Of the honest citizens Of
the county for Our remuneration.
The publication should be made
and All honest, reasonable price paid
for thom- TO tho publisher, for the
county will DO saved hundreds of
dollars by bringing the healthiul
criticism and Inspection OF the pub.
lie to their actions. Accounts are
now fled and allowed that would no
more be presented, il the patties
knew the items were to be made
known to the public, than they
would strike off their rigl.t hands.
Our school directors are good
men, and we do not believe they in
tend to do wrong in anything, but
the actions Of oil public officials will
bear the critical review OF the pub
lie, and it will mako the members
more careful aud discreet in the al
lowauce OF claims aud the dlsburse.
ment Of the public funds. There
can be no harm in. the publication
of their proceedings, while there may
be great good land we ask, in the
name 81 Vie people, that the proper
showing be made, so hat they may
be the Judges Of what is right or
We extract the following notice
from the Memphis appeal Of Sunday.