The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-09-20
TIC rnbl.e.sehoe Eund.
lFor lie Dispasch.l

| I most respectfully aSkta short space ll fne
columns Of your very valuable paperior
1.-THE insertion OF this article, containing
few inquiries Of all responsible State Off.
GERS in regard to the causes OF the present
most depiorable condition OF the system.
! /. Are the laws regulating ard making
| provision for the support and maintenance
Of the public schools being carried OUT
1 9. ARE the teachers OF these schools, or
the people OF the State, who are beyond all
doubt deeply interested In the strict cxecu,
ton and enforcement OF the laws IN reSaLu
to them, being fairly and honestly dealt
with
There are certain funds which, by our state
Constitution, are set apart for The support
OF these schools alone; which, il applied as
the Constitution has directed and pre-
scribed, would, we believe, have been aue-
auate Tor this purpose. For some years az
ter the schools were put In operation IN the
| St,te, the teachers. after rendering their
services. had no difficulty in getting the
| stipulated compensation, which was PAID
almost Immediately upon becoming due. II,
however, they haG to wait any length of time
for pavment, which was seldom the case,
and they happened to be pressed pccuniari-
IL. their school orders were as available to
them for money purposes as money Itself.
Our merchants would take them in eX-
change for merchandise. Any OF our peo-
Die handling little surplus money would
be kind enough to advance money upon
them, &c. How is it now? For the past
two or three years 1t has been almost I'M
possible to find ii person, trader OF any
kind. who would think Of taking one at all
except at most enormous discount. Why
is this i? Persons taking them have had to
| 100, fraff inc t,I
sometimes had such doubts about getting it
al all. that they have not cared to have any
thing whatever to do with them. Thus 1t
| is that the teacher, how great soever his
need may he, finds 1t absolutely impossible
to make these orders available to him In any
way, and is compelled TO hold on to them,
exercising in many instances extraordinary
patience in awaiting the entire pleasure OF
The Government in the matter OF payment
after his service has been performed, not
withstanding the express stipulation in
the contract for his services, il / mis-
take not, that he shall he paid ut the
expiration Of each month. In some in
stances teachers OF these schools have
no other occupation. They haven't time
to do anything else for living. At
the very time they might and would resort
TO something else-farming. for instance
they are engaged IN teaching. and are CON-
sequentIv entirely dependent upon their
salaries for a living. They have to live;
they need food and rainlent as well as other
people. II they don't raise such things as
they need to eat, they must buy them. II
the Government won't pay them after they
have lost the chance to raise these things by
ging in its service with vain eXpccta-
tunS OF payment, how are they 10 get them
,+ oil u
buy country produce, which they need, at
tolerably reduced prices, il they only had
the money they have earned; but the Gov
ernment is withholding it, and they lose the
chance. Corn, for instance, which all coun-
try people particularly need, when first put
anon the market in the fall sells at from one
dollar and il half to two dollars per barrel.
Often by the time the teacher can get his
money to invest in that article it has gone
ND to two dollars and half, three dollars,
and often three and half and all other coun-
try produce which lie needs, and Is obliged
to have, just in the same proportion. One
hundred and fifty dollars per aDnum.
winch is all teachers get in this county at
most. is no healthy salary at bcst-won't
enabIe single one OF Us to live like
prince, as you doubtless well know.
Mcs<rs. Editors, il this sum be all the poor
teacher has to buy with, and he has the very
highest prices to pay for everything he gets
out Of that, you may we'll know he is pretty
hard dozen in this world OF ours, and main
tanning a desperate struggle against starVa-
ton and nakedncss, with no pleasing pros.
poet OF coming. OFF "conqueror at last"
Do YOU think so?
Can you tell us-can those State officials
whose positions afford opportunities for in
formation upon this subject tell us-why it
is that the teacher is kept out of his honest
dues in this way? Where and what the
reason and authority for withholding so
long from him that which by faithful SER
vice he has well earned and ought TO have
when it becomes due? What has become
OF the funds set apart by the organic law
for school purposes alone? Our County
SUPERINTENDENT OF Schools was in Richmond
short time since, and while there went to
to the Office Of the State Superintendent.
DR.. w. II. Rutfner, to get some information
upon this subject. The Doctor happened
10 be out, and our Superintendent did not
see him, but learned from source which
he seemed to regard as reliable that the
State Auditors books showed that 81, 100, eco
OF the public-school funds had been APP
piled to some other purpose, and such ap-
piicatlon was by authority OF our State
Legislature, every one Of whom when
sworn into office solemnly Sworc to carry
ont the provisions OF the state Constitution.
Is not the Constitution the ultimate and
supreme law upon all subjects which it
deems Of sufficient importance 10 the PEG.
pie ut large to be noticed or embraced in
organic law? II so, what authority has our
State Legislature to say that any fund sci
apart by that instrument for a specific pur-
pose shall or can be applied to any other so
long rs that instrument, which prescribes
the method OF its own alteration, remains
unaltered in this respect?
II such misapplication was without the
color Of authority claimed For it, how is it
that it has never been inquired into by
our Legislature, large majority of whom
are representatives OF q party that was
raised into power in the State upon a
platform which bound it to do all in
its power to preserve the public-school
system. to further the grand cause OF edu-
cation? Has feeling OF entire independ-
ence, inspired by the possession Of power
for time, caused them 20 forget the appa-
rcntly sacred and inriolable pledges made III
days gone by? Have our Legislature, sup
posed to be composed Of men OF intelligence
and worth, deemed the education OF tue
masses 4 subject OF such little importance
as to be unworthy Of their consideration:
Can the teachers be expected to teach gra-
tuitously? Can the schools be kept up
without funds to meet the necessary de-
mands and expenses Of the system? How
i il. Messrs. Editors, that the teachers OF
these public schools are the only ones Ell.
gage; in the public service that are treated
in this way? i never knew or heard OF
member OF our Legislature having any Diff