Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1876-08-16
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A SCHOOL ISSUE.

CLEAnfIELn, August ", 1916.
En-. REruBLIcAs with your permission, |
wonld like to ask In behalf Of many interested
taxpayers to what extent School Directors can
conceal their Official transactions from the people,
and II tax payers have no rights which School
Boards are bound to respect i1 NHHf ~
Admitting that the rank and file OF the Ameri-
can people are becoming rather profuse in their
inquiries as TO how their officials manage the
affairs OF government, and thus, by pressing in
quiry too far, institute investigation, which In
some cases honorably nequit men acting In oh lial
capacities from gross charges Of official conup-
tion whilst In other nstances (ihe most numerous)
they have succeeded in bringing to light the most
gigantic and Wholesale frauds in the embezrle-
ment Of funds intrusted TO their care, as well rs
usurped power and assumed authority, official
mism ana cement has become the rule and not the
exception in so many departments of our national,
State, and municipal government that the people
are aroused TO q sense Of their duty, and, whilst
we may condemn these breaches OF trust and
practices so criminal, unbecoming and disgraceful
among people who boast Of their intelligence and
national integrity we must admit our utter neg
lect Of duty and indifference to our individual
prosperity by failing to correct every abuse which
comes to our notice--let II be In the departments
Of government or in our local School Board. As
citizens we have q right to hold every man In
official capacity to strict accountability, The
law governing men In places Of public trust has
wisely provided remedy as we'll Us preventive
In cases Of official mismanagement and thrown
around the Citizen safeguard against official de-
ception, by submitting every mans public acts to
the strictest scrutiny, and requiring officials to
render an account Of their transactions to the
public. Reports and statements must be Published
10 order to bring before the people every fact con-
nected with the management OF the various de-
partmcnts
In no case is the law more concise and the pen
ally for It's violation more speedy and ef5otuai,
than in the case Of School Boards who fail TO
comply with Its provisions. lis enforcement Is
not numbered with vast amount of legal machin-
cry, necessitating a slow and costly process. And
| may add in no other case have officials 80 van
tonly and negligentiy kept the people In ignor-
ance Of their financial operations as In the par
tcular case Of the Clearfeld School Board. 1t Is
now three years since they engaged in an enter
prise which, II was promised, would be Of infinite
value to the citizen, and cost comparatively little
to the taxpayer. To the citizen, It was an enter
prise to be encouraged, supported and appreciated !
to the Directors It worthy their zeaous efforts
to secure It's completion and TO the oolboy, 1t
was one worthy his admiration and determined
effort to make available the benefits II would con
fer. But the moreeonslieraie man, whose capaci-
~ enabled him to penetrate the future, stood nm
moved whilst the most extrayagant encomiums
and euogies were lavished upon those who, from
long experience, could see good investment 10
the enterprise, and whose solcitude for the welfare
Of others was only secondary In Importance. His
soliciiude was for settlement day, when oil these
lavish expenditures and boosted bequests would
assume the form Of doublc-entry account, with
a rapidly accumulating balance each year added
to the debtor side.
It isa vexod question to-day with many Of US
to know who was correct, and we suppose the
School Board are the only persons having q
knowledge Of the true condition Of things as they
exist And would respectfully suggest, as they
have failed to comply with the law BY publishing
an "annual statement" for years back, they
should at least give TO the public true and jsn
statement OF the resources and liabilities Of the
Clearheld School District from 1873 10 1876 In
elusive, as there arc some conflicting rumors
which II not corrected may place them In false
position before the people.
IT, for reasons best known TO yourselves, you
cannot grant this reasonable request, please ex-
plain the following; In your report 10 the School
Department for 1874, you claim q balance Sl,-
O533 as resources. In your report to the Depart
ment for 1875, you show a balance Of siis.53 as
your total liabilities. In your statement as given
BY the Auditors June 7th 1876 you show bal
ance from 1875 Of ss652i as resource, being
S1,4is.77 Of a discrepancy between the Auditors
rcpor, and yopr sworn statement to the Depart
ment. But, suppose we accept your School state.
ment for 1876, In which your Treasurer paid
81, s9257 worth OF orders. The wages Of all the
teachers and janitor combined amounted only TO
about 5000. We will suppose this 10 be the
chief expense, as matter Of course, allowing
s7os95 for fuel, repairs, and contingent expenses
there would still remain unpaid on teachers
salaries 8, 1900, minus $3,492.57, equal to sio74s
which add to contingent expenses, sT0s.95, equals
ss16.3s deduct this sum from z,l4s.36, balance
In hands Of Treasurer, plus s7Cs.07 In hands Of
Constable Mcclellan, and you have S2,9ls.ss,
which, minus ssl6.Ss, equals $2,l0o. This bal
ancc, according 10 your statement, would be . re-
source and sbould be carried TO your fund Of ls77.
Then, Why levy mills tar, and cut the School
term down two months Also, why reduce the
teachers wages (ercepting the Principally 10 per
cent, and dispensing with teacher entirely, u
you were eIabled with mills on the dellsr to
accumulate balance In 1875 Of t965.7l, and in
1873 Of S2,916.3S, as per your own statement
Can you explain Why . debt Of some 81 500 was
incurred last year for teachers salaries and con-
tineent cxpcnses7 Also, why debt Of some
81 300 interest accumulated on bonds Have
you complied with the provisions Of the Act Of
Assembly, consolidating the Academy and the
public schools Of Ciearheidl
Hoping you may give the desired information.
am, very respectfully, your obedient servsnt
TAx.rAYER.
To the School Board Of clearfeld borough.
IIfour critical correspondent viii cast his eye
to our advertising columns, he will see his CUES
tions answered better than we are able to answer