St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-07-21
The school Fund.
PicnYune.

L
The non-payment of public school
teachers throughout the State has been
the subject of loud complaint Tor some
months, and there have been frequent
INQUIRIES as to why it was that so large
a sum to the credit of the school fund
had been so long undisbursed. There
has been 10 little nlisapprehenslona as to
the exact facts OF the case, and the
school Board of New Orleans has been
subjected to some injustice OF criticism
because her position in the premises
has not been properly understood. But
without undertaking to review the
grounds OF the suit instituted by our
local School Board, we propose III this
| last reached by the executive authofl-
tias to whom the matter has been re-
| ferred. =,
The monthly statement of the fiscal
agent, June /, 1888, showed S7s,5S6 % |
cash on hand in the State Treasury to
| the credit OF the school fund. On the
| 25th of the same month the treasurer
renorted to the State Superintendent OF
Education as follows: February II,
/ 1883. the amount reported to you SUB
| iect to apportionment, was S25,Sb! 70
| March 6, 1888, there was an additlonai
St5, 900; June /, 1888, amount accrued
since to date, S24,943 As. Ioral' So5,-
30 49," a;s,
| ence of some $4,000 between the am
omit reported to the credit of the
school fund and the amount reported
/ as subject to apportionment. This diff
4 ference. does not seem to be accounted
| for by the $4,000 set apart to satisfy
1 any claim or cost arising from the IN
/ innetion suit instituted by the New Or
leans School Board as the Treasurer
1 Includes that amount iii the items MAX
/ ing IN the S63,210 48 subject to the APP
nDrtionment, Owing to this and one or
two other confusions OF statement, 1t Is
difficult without further 1nvestlgatlon,
| to furnish an intelligent account OF the
exact condition of the school tuna upon
the basis of the Treasurers monthly
/ statement of June LIST, coupled with his
report to the Superintendent OF Educa-
ton. Postponing, then, that attempt
for the present. we may simplify the
whole matter by taking the monthly
statement of July LIST, 1888, IN connec-
i tion with Auditor Jumel's letter to the
SUPERINTENDENT of Education filed on
! the 9Th inst. In that last statement the
Treasurer reported $77,8S6 Sc cash to
4 the credit Of the school fund, and the
i Auditor instructs the superintendent
4 that he will issue warrants for the
whole amount minus the $4,000 now
A claimed by the city of New Orleans,
i and still awaiting the issue OF litigation.
4, We may conclude, therefore, that
!, some S69. 1000 are now Immediately to be
anportioned and paid out for the re-
Lief Of the needy scoools of Louisiana,
} New Orleans to gel. her due pro rata,
with a prospect for $4,000 more 1T the
end of the suit now pending before the
Supreme Court.
J. The Auditors decision will be regard
! I'd as d very proper one, and the only
,, Question now seems to be why it was
not sooner arrived at. For the last
three months there have been over
i S7J 900 in the Treasury which might at
any time during the period have been
applied to the payment of the salaries
of teachers and other school expenses
just as we'll as to-day. or o-morroW !;
but it has only been after q clamorous
{ demand from all quarters OF the, State
that the Superintendent has made the
! requisite application, and that this very
simple and satisfactory conclusion has
been reached.
III Il