The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1886-03-19
THE GRAND ARMY,s REPORT.
Result OF the Investigations OF the Sell
diers' Orphans Schools.

Ihe cOmmlLt6o OF JDe GEduu AIuy VI
the Republic appointed by General 90
/ bin to look into the alleged mismanage-
ment of the Soldiers Orphans Schools
have forwarded to him their preliminary
report. Their examinations, with the
official workings of the Soldiers Or
phans' Department at Harrisburg, were
: adverted to in Saturdays issue or the
Post. The following is the main part OF
the report
An official communication received by
YOUR COMMITTEES was from the CHIEF
clerk of the Soldiers Orphans Depart
ment at Harrisburg, who, under date OF
. March 22nd, stated: 1.-The act whleh
will be found on page 174 of the Pam
phlet Laws fixes the price to be paid for
the education and maintenance of the
children. There is no ioritten contract or
agreement other than this. - tIhe
italics are ours
Our next meeting was held to day IN
the Office of of the Superintendent OF
Soldiers Orphans Schools. DR.. Il. Il.
Higbee and his clerk were present ana
submitted for our consideration the
blanks in use. and also the reports OF
the inspectors of the department. On
inquiry we found that the statement
that there were no written contracts
or agreements was correct, and there
was no evidence to show that such con.
tracts had ever been made. The act or
1867, under which the schools were first
established in their present torm, IS so
plain and positive on this point that we
are unable to comprehend how those
charged with its execution have for
nineteen wears ignored this, one OF It's
most essential provisions.
Your committee further found that
the bond required to be filed with the
Secretary of the Commonwealth by the
Superintendent. under the act of ISL,
consolidating the Department of Sol
diers' Orphans with the Department OF
Public instruction in the sum OF S2O,-
600. with three sufficient surities to be
approved by the Auditor Ganeral, had
. not been fled, but that in its stead one
: in that amount with two sureties had
been approved by the Governor and hled
: with the Secretary of the Common
2 wealth
I Special INJURY was made By us for the
3 names of the trustees, proprietOrs and
. principals of the institutions now en-
ployed as Soldiers Orphans Schools,
- for the purpose of asceTtaining those re.
{ sponsible for the ctTe and custody OF
the children. Here we were again IN
able to secure the desired information,
and only by a visit to the Auditor Gen
3, ( eral's department were we able to find
8 out who drew the moneys paid by the
t State for the support of the schools.
9 The bills certified by the Superiutend'
!, ent were made in the name OF the school,
j verified by the affidavit of some one
e whose official status in connection with
2 the school is generally not stated, but
i who swears that the charges made are
in accordance with the contract be
tween the State aud prOpTietOrs of the
= school
s The Auditor General, being asked
T what knowledge he possessed Of the par
O ties entitled to receive moreys due fol
the support of the soldiers orphans
: stated that the contracts between the
q State and the pTOpTietUTs of the school:
Y were on file in the Department of Sol
& diers' Orphans, and that the Supe:in
, tendeut certified the correctness of tht
= vouchers. and the affidavit attached
l. testified that they were in accord
e ance with the terms OF such contract.
e A detailed examination of the vouch
t. ers aud warrants submitted developed
p the fact that James l.. Paul, formerly
Chief Clerk of the Department of Sol
dieTs' Orphans Schools, and now one e1
the owners of the Chester Springs school
g bad i1dOrsed a warrant for S6.352. n
q due on August 81. 1885, as Manager o
the Chester Springs Soldiers Orphans
: School, he being at that time Chic
IL Clerk as above stated. More startling
g. and requiring no comment from u:
n is the fact that the warrant for The
quarter ending May 81, 1885. was fol
: s. 54S %. and the one for the quarter
IL ending February IS, 1885, was s. 594
l. 54. both heing endorsed by NJ. 5. Nc
II CullOugb.
The warrant for the quarter ending
% February %, 1885, still pending in The
It Auditor Generals department, is fol
d 81, ,232 21. The number of scholars al
q this school on February %. 1885, wher
: NJ. s. Mccullough was proprietor, wa'
y 153. On tte same date this year, wheI
+ J. L. Paul had resigned his Chief Clerk
{ ship early In the year and publicly as
T. sumed the management of The school, i
was 312.
A similar condition of affairs, though
/ not to the same extent. exists in the
e other schools, reported to be the prop
It erty of the parties owning the Chester
% Springs School.
= Our inquiries, so far, satisfy us thai
u the enforcement of the laws establishing
and maintaining the Soldiers Orphans
/, Schools has been neglected by those
% charged with their maintenance, and il
= is not surprising that, under these cir
] cumSta0ceS. those VINO Ddnageu J0'
3 schools should do so with an eye only t
e the profits to be derived therefrOm, anC
O not with desire to properly care for
10 maintain and educate, at the expense
Of the State, the children of our dead o.
&c disabled comrades.
IS The remedy for the present deplOra
> BILE and disgraceful condition of affairs
. as developed by the investigation of tn,
II Governor and Attorney General, is en-
tirely within the control of the Superin
81 tendent of the Soldiers Orphans school
D, and the Governor of the Commonwealth
,t who may at any time annul any or al
"A the contracts if any of the conditions o
:. such contracts have not been fulfilled b.
II any contractor. We feel assured tha
t, such annulment of contract, agreemen
Ia or arrangement of any kind existing o
10 supposed to exist between the State an,
! the prOprietors of these schools Wi
have the hearty approval of all GOO
v citizens
OF Such action would not be a novelt
rs in the administration of Soldiers Or
, phans' Schools. Superintendent Higbe
: having heretofore exercised this powe
% in connection with one of the schools
10 Good, and good only can result from
IS similar exercise of power in the pTesen
juncture Of affairs, removing those wh
have failed to comply with the laws G
the State and violated the laws of com
n, mon humanity, and placing the chi
I'd dren under the care Of men and wome
is who will faithfully execute the inter
- s. = !.