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


Nh. EDIroR; Permit me, through the columns
OF your paper, to allude 10 q matter which,
think, may be called "Leaky Place." and which
| DO not doubt leaks away vasttuns 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 heeks and
crooks 10 the way Of doing buslnsss. ind there
10 great confidence placed 10 District Treasurer,
and more 20 than I thlak 10 right for although
We Tessursfs aud higher or.esrs, wha handle
public moneys. are bound by . selsmn cath TO
perform the dasIss anIgrsd TO Vi, hs~ eltsn d.
ws resd In The aswspspefs u ths peeulAiiors sf
'ops county or Bipts Treasprer who enos had
tho confidence Of the people and who aiso had
bean bound BY an oath. Bat who knews how
many more saeh ofhseu have been pesulatins
perhaps on u smaller scale, and their acts and
dirty deeds ". rmain covered and which will
forever remain 20, unless osn point out the way
to more carefully watch where the public funds
20 TO.
Ny motto always has been. and always will be.
while | perform such a responsible duty. "Let
evory one watch my doings, and will watch the
doings Of thoso with whom associate in bust
ness." | fnd no fault with School Directors, for
as far as our school board is concerned, they do
their duty we'll nor do know of sny district
Treasurer peculai ing in The wny wish TO point
out hut see here
section aaib. page 80, School Laws Of P,nnsyl-
yana, Hys, "lle THE Treasurer shall receive all
state appropriations, district tax. and other funds
of the district Ae. Aud sect ION us, page 1905.
says. "Ile (the state Superint tendent) shall sign
all orders on tho State Treasurer for the payment
Of such moneys to tho Trcasurers Of the several
school districts us they may be entitled to receive
FROM the State &c. Looking over this at n
glance, without taking a sober second thought,
a,d MI hnoasf u Il al tyht but
now we will look at II carefully In detail. OF
course, when the Directors place duplicate 10
the hands Of Treasurer TO receive taxes, the
amount OF those taxes eau be summed up, and "
properly done, there 10 no way Of going behind
H. tor the Directors can know all about II. But
whtrp The money comes from "nther sources"
state appropriations, fines, ETC., how can the Di-
reclurs know what smount be receives, but only
10 take the statement Of tho Treasurer for It,
I have consulted with our DIRECTOR, and also
WITH mrn who have served on School Boards In
days aud years gohe by. as to how the School
Board 10 to know what amount Treasurer re-
ceives Ne State appropriation, and the answer Is
invari ably, "All we know about II Is what the
Trea sufrr Gays he receives" Very well. That 10
all right u the Treasurer Ia right and honest but
Il seetas TO me too much Of n one wua po,er, and
that is what | call the "Leaky Place"
by way of Illustration, will here give the
amounts have received iTou State appropriation
for the three previous years
In lsT3.... ...........,..""..,.s2si ~
In al3 40
In 3os 70
You see the increase in State appropriations
from one year to the other, and especially the in
crcase from 1874 to 1875, an increase Of S25390
over 1874. suppose the different School Boards
in this Common wealth have been aware Of a small
increase 10 State appropriations FROM year to year,
las suppose IL increases about the same In other
distficisl, and suppose Treasurer cares more for
the "almighiy dollar than he discs for his oath,
las we have too often heard that they dol. And
taking the cpse of our district for example. II
had charged myself this yoar with, say SS6s.2S
instead OF s56s2S, there would have been clear
gain Of S20O by changing one figure. and there
would still have shown a larger increase than
there was between 1873 and 1874. and would not
likely have been found out unless through the
State Superintendent. ! make this comparison
very large. but | will mike 1t smaller. Ii half
the School Tieasurcrs 10 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.
The way would propose to keep this matter
straight In the future aud shut up hole which
might in some places ''leak,r would say that
when the State Superintendent hlls out the State
draft and sends 1t TO District or School Treasu
rer, he ought at the same time make out state
nent of the same amount and mail II TO the Sec
rotary Of that School District, which would et-
icctualy stop the leaks II any hereafter. in that
quarter, aud so also the alderman or justice Of the
peace, when he pays over zines, &c.
Until that plan is adopted, shall never get a
State draft cnshed until | hrs. show the draft or
order to sumo Of the directors In Office In my dis
tfict, who sball take note Of Il, which can be
nit ,tN af tho esfflau.nuf \