The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-02-14

simple netuOQ Is devised Dy WuiCu INC
sparsely populated and less wealthy
sections Of the State may keep their
schools in operation al least four months
in the year, without subjecting their
citizens to local taxation beyond their
capacity, and at the same time enable
them TO avail themselves OF the ser
vices of better and more accomplished
teachers. By the second would be in
sured, to almost absolute certainty,
compliance in all the townships Of the
State, with that provisions OF our law,
which declares that unless township
levy should be made, sufficient TO con-
tinue the schools therein at least four
months in the year, the township failing
to make such levy shall not particl pate
in the distribution OF the State School
Fund for tina, year-a law which, as.
shown by table az accom- panying this
report, has heretofore been more
"honored in the breach than in the
Observance. And by the third, it is
thought you will successfully provide
against an apparent compliance with
this feature of the law, by keeping up
the schools in a township four months
or more, in one school year, in part BY
money borrowed or debts contracted on
the faith of the township levy for the
subsequent year. When these ends
shall be attained, whether by these or
other means, the Legislature will have
advanced far toward the accomplish
ment Of the true intent OF section =, act
X, Of the Constitution, which declares
that "the Legislature shall provide, as
soon as practicable, for the establish
ment of thorough and efficient system
OF free schools"
While it is made a condition prece-
dent, upon which a township shall re-
ceive its quota of the State school
fund, that the additional township levy
required by law shall be made, il
does not seem to be anywhere expressly
directed what disposition shall be made
OF the quota OF such townships as fail
TO make the levy. The general school
fund il apportioned by the State Super
intendent among the several counties;
by the County Superintendent it is dis
tributed among the townships, and by
the township Boards Of Education it is
sub divided among the school districts.
After these several distributions are
made, the Auditor credits the amounts
thus apportloned to the several counties
and townships. If then township,
from any cause, shall not make the ad-
ditional levy required by law, It cannot
draw from the State treasury its quota
o. the general school fund thus placed
to liz credit but, as before stated, what
shall become of the money thus dis
tributed, credited and undrawn, is not
expressly declared by law. 10 con-
nection with the several notifications
before referred 10, il might be expressly
directed that, on the 30th day of Sep
TENDER in each year, the Auditor shall
return to the general school fund OF the
State any and all school moneys ap'
portioned for the previous school year
that may on that day be found standing
on the books OF HE Office. to the credit
Of any county or township, because OF
the failure Of such county or township
to make the levy required; and that the
money SO returned to the general school
fund shall be aided to the distrjbutahle
school fund for the next year. In other
words, expressly provide that any county
or township that shall fail to make this
additional levy, in any year, thereby
torieits to the general school funi for
the benefit OF the counties and town
ships that may make such levy the
amount distributed to it for the year in
which its delinquency occurred. If the
suggestion here male should be ap.
proved, it would then become necessary
10 postpone the distribution of the gen
eral school fund ill the first day OF
October in each year, in order that the
Auditor might include these undrawn
quotas in the amount reported 10y him
to the General Superintendent for dis
trihut;On.