Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-05-20
THE 81 IL W.
Duties Of Count usIe Ell n the Dis
trfbUfiOB Of .s-Ss...s SuPerin-
tendent TrOUsdaIe 10 West Ten
messes County SHEeTiutendent.

Duties Of Count uste eRf n the Dis
Irritation Of I ss-S...s SuPerIn-
tendent TrOusdaIe 10 "a west Ten
nessee County Superintendent.
In reply TO a letter Of inquiry from Il. W,
Pitman, County Superintendent Of Fayet.e
county, Tie State Superintendent of Public
Instruction has written the following letter
relative to the obligations Of county tTus-
tees in discussing the school funds of their
respective counties:
NASHVILLE, Tenn, MAY 70, 1STj.-
Dear Sir: In reply to your note Of the 10Th
inst, iUqUiTing ''WhOse province il is to
govern the several distributions of school
money!, and decide as to the proper time
TO make said distribution, and in case Of
refusal by the County Trustee 10 distribute
The funds on hand, what process is necesSa-
~ to force him 10 do SO, rather than suffer
the educational interests to suffer by said
delay" ! answer:
The wonder with me Is that any such
questions Should ever have arisen undert the
school law. Tie County Trustee holds the
school fund as a simple custodian
until called for by tine proper
officers for the interests OF the public
schools. He IS clothed by the law with no
power to decide when the money is needed
for the interests Of the school. Whenever
said money IS received, he is bound by the
law 70 report the same to the county super
tendents, and to the directors of each school
district. (Sce section 80. Why IS he re-
qUired TO make this report. Section 20,
subsection 10 answers this question. The
District Directors are by said sub section
required 'to draw upon the County Tus-
tee in favor Of tue Treasurer of The dis
trict for any school money in the
hands Of the Trustee fOTs distribution
This language does not limit the directors
TO any time, but is broad and cOmprehen-
sive and means all times, whenever the
trustee may have school money in his
hands Ii might as well be said that such
drafts should only be drawn every tlgO
gears, as TO say they shall be drawn only
ereTy year. The restriction i'm either Sc
would practically close the public schools;
for there are few, if any, teachers who can
afford TO wait one year for the salary for
their services. Tie power to draw on
the trustee carries with il the duty
Of the Trustee 10 honor the drafts.
If he refuse to pay, when the drafts are
drawn, aud it can be shown that ne has
the money in his hands, a mgHdUaUS should
be had to compel him to do his duty-com-
pei hun in tie first place 10 report 10 the
County Superintendent and TO the District
Directors the amount Of money in his
hands to the credit Of each district, and
next to pay the same over 10 the District
Directors, whose right and duty it is made
by law 70 ascertain when it is needed for
the interest Of the schools, aud then draw
upon tie Trustee for the same.
Having thus explicitly answered your
inquiries, allow me to add that it is the
duty Of County SUD7rintendcuts 10 initiate
proceedings against County Trustees who
O5stinately refuse 10 disbuTse the school
money according to law within their re-
spective counties, calling on the Attorneys
General, if necessary, to assist them.
Very respectfully, your obi. seUt.,
LEON TROUsDALE,
State Supt, Pub. Instruction.