The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1879-10-09
DISTRICT AND TOWN CLERKS
REPORTS.

Nv SuD0flnL6uutllt Is reg ulISQ Dy law
to make to the State superintendent,
was forwarded last week and the State
Superintendent has written that it was
the first report received at his office |
All the town Clerks reports were in
ON time except one, and most Of them
were correct, OF nearly so. The fact
that the reports are SO nearly correct
is, generally speaking, due to the eff
forts OF the town clerks, and not to
the correctness of the reports which
the district clerks make to them.
There are district clerks in the county
who take pride in having their re-
ports correct; every item is properly
filled out, and the whole report is in
business form. There are others who
seem to think that the only object of a
report is to find out the number of
children Of school age in the district.
This, they are careful TO report, so as
to get their share of the state school
fund; but all other items of informa-
ton which the report asks for, are
partially filled or left blank. Town
clerks sometimes receive reports which
are 50 obviously and glaringly incor-
rect that the town clerk can do moth
ing with them. Those reports should
be sent back Immediately; and if the
clerk of the district neglects Or refuses
to make a proper report, the town
clerk ought not to report it to the
County Superintendent. After Il dis
trict has lost Its share OF the state fund
once on twice. the clerk will make Il
correct report.
Some town clerks have labored hard
this year to make good report MI.
L. r. Wilson, of Brighton, spent week
in getting his report in shape. He
went to almost every district in the
town, and to most of the joint dis
tricts, trying TO get the report correct.
Mr.. Packman, of Bristol, sent one re-
port back, and was obliged to go after
another. Mr.. Ozanne, of Somers, wait
ed until the last minute for the report
from the joint district with the city
of Kenosha, and finally sent it without
it. He afterwards received it, and
sent q supplementary report to the Sd
perintendent In this connections, we
will say that Kenosha failed to make
q report last year; and the County SUI
perintendent went TO Kenosha and got
the figures, and SO saved the city its
share of the public money III the joint
district.
Probably other town clerks have had
the same trouble in getting reports.
Let us now look at some Of the de-
fects in those reports. The first item
of this years report should agree with
the last item in last years report
being the amount Of money Oh hand
in the several districts, August 3lst
1878.
Wheatland balances exactly III this
and every other particular. Bristol re-
ports 5000 too little; but the town
clerk explains in note how the mis-
take occurred. In every other respect
it is correct. salem reports $23.96 less
than last year, ami balances for 1879.
Somers, $3459 less than last year
and the report for 1870 does not bal
ance by $l00.O5. Randall, $3l more
than last year, and the balance for
1879 is $3SS01 too much.
Pleasant Prairie gives a difference Of
$111.27 between rs and TO. The bal
ance for 1879 is correct.
In Brighton the cash on hand Aug.
81, 1878 is reported 1904 more than in
last years report but we are inclined
to believe this years report is correct.
Tie report from Paris would not bal
ance by over $500.
Now, we wish to ask how, il the
name of common sense, can any town
clerk make correct report from this
mass of rubbish, and how can the
County superintendent, after allowing
for all the patchwork" which he is
capable of doing, make decent report
to the powers that be at Madison?
Now, Mr.. District Clerks, let you
and | have q friendly talk about this
matter. Let us understand first that
this report business is Il matter o1
statute ZaaO, and not some Mumbo jun
DO Of the county Superintendent get
TING ND. The law requires that va,