Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1875-12-08
A lEAkv PLACE.


Mn. EpiroR Permit me, through the columns
Of your paper, to alluds to = matter which,
think, may be called "Leaky Place" and which
| do not doubt leaks away vasttun.s Of public
school money In this great Commonwealth.
Having myself had nearly three years expert
snce in handling public funds. As District Treas.
urer. and by carefully watching the Aeeks and
crooks 10 the way Of doing business. ! Ind there
10 great conhdenes placed In District Treasurer,
snd more 80 than ! thnk 10 right for although
We Tessursri and higher ofiesrs, wha handle
public money! are bound by solsnn cath to
perform tbs daslss angnsd to W, ks~ often do
We read In The hswspsprfs " tbs peeuisiions sf
'oee eoaaty or stats TFea sprsr, who once had
the eenadsr's Of the people and who alsa had
bean bound by an oath, But who knews how
many more such onieers have been peeulating
perhaps on n smaller scale, and their nets and
dirty deeds w. remain covered and which will
forever remain ~, unless ! oan point out the way
to more carefully watch whore tue public funds
20 10. H.r
Ny motto niways has been, md always will be.
while perform such responsible duty, "Let
e'ory one watch my doings, and will watch the
doings Of thoso with whom | associate 10 busi.
ness hnd no fault with School Directors. for
us far as our school board is concerned, they do
their duty welii nor do know of any District
Treasurer pecua' ing In the vny | wish 10 point
ont, hut sce here
section saib. page 20, school Laws oi P,nnsyl-
vania, say, "lle lthe Treasurerl shal receive all
state appropriations. district tax. and other funds
OF the district Ac. Aud section rs, page i05.
says, "lle the State Superintendent shall sign
all orders on the state Treasurer for the payment
of such moneys to tho Treasurers Of the several
school districts ns they may be entitled TO receive
from the State" 6c. Looking over this at a
glance, without taking sober second thought,
and with an honest Treasurer, Il Is ali right: but
now we will look h II carefully In detail. or
course, when the Directors place duplicate In
the hands Of TREASURER 10 receive taxes, the
amount o: those taxes eau be summed up, and II
prsps'ly done, there IL no way Of going behind
u, tor the Directors can know all about II. But
whvrp The money comes from "other sources"
STATE appro rriaiions, hnesi etc., how can the Di-
reulurs know what amount be receiver, but only
TO take the statement Of tho Treasurer for it.
have consulted with our Diftctors, and also
with inen who have served on School Boards in
days and years goLe by, as to how the School
Board " 10 know what amount Treasurer re-
ceives Ne state appropriation, and the answer is
inyari ably, "All we know about II Is what the
Trea sufrr says be receives" Very well. That IL
all right u the Treasurer is right and honest but
II seeIns 10 me too much OF one wua po,eer, and
that is what call tho "Leaky Place"
BY way of illuslrsiion, | will berv give the
amounts have received irou State appropriation
for the three previous years
In lsTB...". ....."..""."".s2s1 ~
In Sl4 ~
In 5os 2S
Nou see the increase in State appropriations
from one year to the other, and especially the in.
crcasc from 1874 TO 1875, an increase Of S25390 |
over 1874. Suppose the different School Boards
in this Commonwealth have been aware Of a small
increase in State appropriations from year to year,
las suppose 1t increases about the same In other
disificts), and suppose Treasurer cares more for
the "almighly dollar than he dse. for his OATH
[ as we have too often heard that they dol. And
taking the ease of our district for example. II !
had charged myself this year with, say s36s.2S
instead OF S56S.2S, there would have been clear
gain Of S2o0 by changing one figure. and there
would still have shown a larger increase than
there was between 1878 and 1874. and would not
likely bRve been found out unless through the
State Superintendent. ] make this comparison
very large, but | will mHkc II smaller. Ii half
the School Tfeasurcrs Ia this state would each
only deduct few dollars from the sum, II would
make a very large amount of money stolen in this
State alone.
Tb. way would propose to keep this matter
straight in the future, aud shut up a holo which
might in ZONE places ''leak,f would say that
when the State Superintendent ills out the State
draft and sends Il TO q District or School Treasu
rer, he ought at the same time make out q state
iuent Of the same amount and mail II to the Sec
relary Of that School District, which would ef-
icctuaily stop the leaks, II any, hereafter in that
quarter, aud also the alderman or justice Of the
peace, when he pays over fines, &c.
Until that plan is adopted | shall never get
State draft cashcd until hrs. show the draft or
order to of the directors In office in my dis
tict, who shail take note Of il, which can be
compared with my account at the settlement.
will close by hoping this may come before State