Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-01-05

w uell lie loIG Une place laSG summer IOI
recreation, he turned over the business of
his office to the matr0n, who purchased
what, when ard where she pleased without
even consultation with much less direction
from the principal. Furthermore, when
upon the advice Of an eXpert-Mr. F. M.
Dung, an acknowledged authority on
wooden goods, and a gentleman from whom
the Institution has never purchased a
cent S worth during my administration
directed the purchase Of our boys winter
clothing, at less cost than that of last
year, the steward grumblingly assented,
with the declaration that it was an inter-
ference with the prerogatives of his office.
Under this condition of affairs, the pur-
chasing OF supplies proceeded until the an :
nual meeting of the Board. In the mean
time, finding that | had no real control of
the expenditures and being monthly con-
fronted by complaints from the Executive
Committee that the vouchers were larger
than they should be under an economical
administration, after collecting the data
for my annual report, Ipresented itemized
statements of the expenditures and showed
where the responsibility rested. The EX-
ecutive Committee cited both MIR. Davis
and myself before the Board at its annual
meeting, instructing us to present such
facts as each could in order to locate the
mismanagement where it properly be-
lOnged. and also to meet the charges OF
inharmony and disagreement between us.
In obedience to the instruction, | pre-
scented a paper to the Board setting forth
the extraordinary character of some OF the
expenditures and plainly showed that there
were articles purchased by the steward.
which were not necessary to the interests
OF the Institution. and some OF which could
not have been designed for use in our
household Among other things L no
ticed the exorbitant bill for whiskey and
cigars 80 yards of cloth at $1.25 per
yard, quantity at 81 per yard. which
was never designed for pupils, who are the
only ones we provide clothing for from
the Institution funds: $3.50 for water
closet paper $50 hats for so boys and other
items of a similar character. These pur-
chases were made before my term COM
menced. To not one of these charges could
Mr.. Davis give other than the lamest OF
explanations.
The paper he submitted was the same
DIS that pauiished iii the V5atl6edtor, to
which | will now advert. In the first place
it was not responsive to the instructions
of the Executive Committee, in that it
failed TO touch upon the expenditures for
supplies, which was the principal item in
the charge OF mismanagement. He went
back beyond the last fiscal year to charge
DR.. Vaughan with SS3.35 for "a pleasure
trip North" That trip was taken by DR..
Vaughan by direction OF the old Board, it
having been the custom for years for the
Principal to visit Northern Institutions
with a view of noting their working, and
gaining valuable information from his OBJ
servation. Another item in the account.
under heading Of Amounts paid for
which the Institution received no bene-
fit, as you will see by the Vaadieator, was
1922 to J. S. Lipscomb. This was for work
done Oh water closets by Mr.. Lipscomh,
under contract. during the administra
ton of DR.. Vaughan. When the present
Board came into control, Mr.. Davis made
violent objections to the payment of the
bill, declaring that the work was not prop
erly done, and the price charged eXorbl-
tant. In view of this objection, the
Board authorized an examination and re-
port upon it by an expert. Mr.. w. r.
Smith, of Stanton, was employed. and
after thorough investigation both as to
the character of the work and cost re-
ported that it was an excellent job and had
cost the Institution $40 less than he would
have been willing to do it for: may add