The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-02-13
THE GENERAL SCHOOL FUND.

stitution, it is required that the Leglsla-
ture shall provide, as soon as prac-
ticable, for the establishment OF
thorough and efficient system Of Free
Schools. They shall provide for the
support OF such schools by approprl-
ating thereto the interest Of the In.
vested school fund, the net proceeds OF
all forfeitures, confscations and fines
accruing to this State under the laws
thereof, and by general taxation on per
sons and property, or otherwise. They
shall also provide for raising in each
township, by the authority of the people
thereof, such proportion Of the amount
required for the support of free schools
therein, as shall be prescribed by gen
eral laws. Section > Of article s OF the
Constitution provides that a capltatlon
tax OF one dollar shall be levied upon
each white male inhabitant who has
attained the age Of twenty-one years,
Chapter SO, section = Of the Code,
provides that the State taxes on real
and personal property, not exempt from
taxation, shall be ten cents on every
one hundred dollars valuation thereof
for the support of Free Schools. Section
3 of the same chapter provides that a
capitation tax OF one dollar shall be
levied on every male inhabitant whether
white or colored, who has attained the
age OF twenty-one years; and section 90,
OF chapter As, directs that the proceeds
OF the annual capitation tax shall form
part Of the general School Fund and
be distributed with it.
These constitute the sources OF the
General School Fund, distributable an
nually among the several counties OF
the State And the net revenue OF
about one hundred and ninety thousand
dollars it is thought, will hereafter be
produced therefrom annually. In some
wears it may exceed, in others fall short
of this amount-the difference arising
chiefly from the irregularities Of the
sheriffs in making their collections, and
the time OF their payments into the
treasury, and the amounts Of arrearages
of taxes collected and paid over by
them.
For the school year commencing
September |, 1870, the sum distributed
was 1888, 1892; and on the first day OF
September, 1871, there was subject to
distribution the sum Of STA, S96.02.
! This discrepancy was produced in part
nv the causes above referred to. The
records of the Auditors office show
that during the six mopths.nrsCedlnR 'bf
this fund the aggregate sum Of $780,
27l.6l, of which $4,000 was paid on
account Of arrearages of taxes due from
former years from the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad Company and during
six months preceding the 3lst day OF
August, 1871, there was paid in the
sum Of $50, 9O3. 90 only. This decrease
in the payments made by the sheriff.
during the six months Of tue school
Year ending August 81, 1871, is thought
to be due chiefly to the decline in the
price of cattle and other live stock
during that period, and the consequent
inability of our people to pay their
taxes promptly.
But the chief cause of the discrep-
ancy between the amounts distributed
in these two school years is attributable
to a change made about this time, by
which the school year was made to ter
inmate on the 3lst Of August, instead
Of the 3lst day OF March, as it formerly
had done.
Previous to the time the Code OF
West Virginia took effect the State
School Fund was distributed on the
first day Of April in each year, but 10y
the Code this distribution was directed
to be made on the first day of Septem-
Der. The Code took effect on the first
day Of April, 1869, and on that day the
State school fund, amounting to the
sum OF Sl49,56S.5S, was distributed.
The next distribution was made Oh the
first day OF September, 1870, the
period OF seventeen months having
elapsed in the meantime. And so it
was, that on the first Of Septem-
Der, 1870, there was apportioned among
the several counties Of the State the
distributable school fund that had
accrued during this period OF seventeen
months. In these five extra months
April, May, jane, July and August,
lS69-the sum OF S43, 369.97 was re.
ceive1 at the Treasury on account OF
this fund.
The annual amount to be distributed
from this fund among the several coun-
ties Of the State, will necessarily fiuctu-
ate, more or less, on account Of some
OF the causes above named, and per-
hays others; but from the character Of
the sources from which it is derived, the
general tendency OF this fund has been
and will be to increase, and it cannot
well diminish. From some estimates
made, it is believed, that the amount
to be distributed for the next school
year will probably reach the sum of
one hundred and ninety thousand dol
lars, as above stated; and will not in
future years fall below that sum, but
will likely from year to year exceed it.
THE PEABODY FUND.
Dr. Is. Sears, general agent for this
fund during the school year just closed,
was liberal in his contributions to the
cause of education in this State. He
has wisely adopted the policy Of aiding
the friends of free common schools in
their incipient efforts, trusting that
when once firmly established amongst !
the people, these schools will be main
tanned by them without aid from other
sources. His attention has been espe-
cially directed to the efforts of our
State, with an anxious desire TO render
such aid from the fund under his charge
as might be consistent with the claims
of other sections upon it This he has
done. This gentleman has devoted |
many years OF usefulness to the cause of
popular education, and the committee