The Hartford herald., 1880-06-23

My ODject IN referring 10 these OfflcerS
Is not to brand them with any derelie-
ton of official duty, but because their
official actions bear directly upon the
school interests, for, ON the efficiency
of the former, the prosperity of the
school system depends.
Many counties i'm the State-36 1 be-
lieve--failed to pay their revenue; Of
this number Is were without sheriffs,
and few counties had paid no taxes
for q or years These counties drew
from the general fund, though they
had not contributed one dollar to that
fund. This was nothing short Of shere
injustice to those counties which have
always been prompt i'm the payment Of
their revenue. The amount due from
the delinquents would have prevented
the suspension of payments by the
Auditor, and would have yielsied very
handsome revenue to the schools.
This is an additional argument in proof
Of the universal laxity existing with
regard to the collecting Of the revenue,
and certainly il becomes n matter of
very grave consideration for all eiti-
zens having Mt heart the success Of the
most important institutions in the
State; involving, as il does, very
great outlay of money, and being more
Intimately connected with the indi-
vidual advancement Of the citizen
whether rich or poor, than any other
department Of government
Every laudable means taken to aug
ment the school fund means a great
deal To our half million of children. IL
means their future usefulness as citizens.
Ii means the utter needlessness Of all
ditional jails and Penitentiaries. 1t
means the probity and efficiency of
public officers. Ii means the wisdom
and patriotism of the law makers. In
short it means all that go to make
people good. great, prosperous and
happy.
Another obstacle to the real advance
ment of the school system, is the dis
crepancy existing between the eollec-
tion of the revenue, and the payment
of the school indebtedness.
The school year is i'm advance OF the
fiscal year, so that the amount of rev.
enue accruing to the school fund is only
estimated, that is, guessed at, and this
curious condition of things gives rise to
another, equally eurious-a rich Com
monwealth asks a pOverty-stricken
teacher to work ON a credit Of from 5 to
10 months, never stopping to consider
how impecunious the latter may be.
The cruel injustice Of this mode of pro-
eeedure can be fully appreciated when
it is borne in mind that no teacher of
Common Schools has engaged i'm any
great banking or commercial enterprise.
The legislature could have remedied
this evil years ago. The simple bor-
rowing from the Sinking Fund Of the
amount distributable for school purpo-
ses for any one year, would have ae-
eomplished the desired result, doing no
injury to amy other department., or to
any person whatever. The sum bor-
rowed could be refunded from the
school revenue when collected, and
thereafter the fiscal year would be in
advance of the school year, as indeed it
should be.
The teacher, while actually engaged,
is a. much an officer of State as the
governor, circuit judge, or any other
person occupying an Official position;
and, beyond peradventure, his labors
are as valuable to the public as the
labors of the Others Why then should
not he be. paid as promptly as they are
paids JOHN OFLAHERTY.