The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-04-23

sworn statements. Vouchers amount
ing to $2,79S.2S also appear in the
sworn statements though dated subse-
quent to the dates of atfidavits taken
by school managers.
Unreceipted bills amounting to ST.
6960S have also been accepted as
vouchers, passed upon by the male in
spector and accepted by the Superin-
tendent.
Additional vouchers to the amount
of S5,493.7S were rcceipted subse-
quent to the date of the male Inspect
or's approval on sworn statements.
Vouchers for S2,542.l2 were receipted
subsequent to the dates of the affida-
Wits of the school Principals, of which
amount, Sl,619.69 was receipted for
after the close of the school year to
which charged.
Although the regulations require the
examination of all bills by the Inspect
ors, the female Inspector approved bills
for S2l ,20S.95 out of total of x47.-
706.74. The male Inspector approved
only Sl2,S3S.S2 of this total, but the
whole sum was passed by the Superin-
tendent without full compliance with
the regulation of the Department. OF
the bills not properly chargeable 10 the
year which ended May 81, 1885, the
female Inspector approved vouchers
amounting to Sl55.34. and the male
Inspector approved vouchers of the
same class amounting to 5 ,660.Sl.
There were bills for $l,89S.63 made
out by principals or managers for sup
plies not properly vouched for and
there were discounts for for Sl57.55
which were allowed by dealers and
which SO appeared on the vouchers.
The allowance, however, was marked
out on the face of the bills and the
State was charged for more than the
school manager really paid out.
1t is shown that at four of the
schools the State paid for $50 pairs of
stockings that were not furnished TO
the children. In the same category
there are l49 hats, caps and hoods,
5,15l collars, gloves and mittens, l66
pairs of boots and shoes, 1873 jackets
and 63 pairs of pantaloons. Some of
the school managers claim to have dis
trbuted 1882 handkerchiefs of which
no trace can be ionnd in the vouchers.
Bills tor bridge tolls and expenses of
trips to Philadelphia have been accept
ed from one of the schools as repre-
senting part of the value of the cloth
ing received by each child.
The issue rolls which showed the
distribution of clothing to each child,
aud which served measurably to pro-
tect the orphan as we'll as to check the
manager, was on October l., 1884,
abolished by the Superintendent for
reasons which are not satisfactory. At
the same time the allowance of the
department for the making of clothing
were changed, and while reductions
were made on some items there was an
increased price fixed for making Sun
day dresses. Part of the work thus
charged for was done by the children
of the schools, AMI the State was
thereby forced to pay to the managers
was sustaining AT two Of the schools
it was admitted that the children were
not receiving the amount of clothing
which the law entitled them TO- Prior
to the year 1885, the Soldiers Orphans
Institute Of Philadelphia did not make
any return of its expenditures for
clothing, though the female Inspector
was President of the Board of Man
ayers of that school.
A system that permits of the farm.
ing ont Of children TO school managers
at given price per head is radically
wrong and necessarily productive Of
evil results.
The surroundings of the ownership,
management and official superintend
ence of the schools are suspicious. A.
combination of four men owned or
managed four of the schools. The
Chief CLERK in the Department OF Sol.
diers' Orphans Schools was pecuniarily
interested in two of the schools, and
while so interested, remained in office,
until January last, resigning then with
a certificate of the highest character
from the Superintendent, TO whom this
pecuniary interest was fully known.
One of the lnspecto was stock
holder in a school The combination,
or syndicate of owners, seems tD have
had the favor of the Department, and
undoubtedly received larger number
OF orphans into lts schools than were
sent to other schools. The syndicate
schools were often overcrowded while
other schools had less number of
children than they could accommodate.
The State Superintendent is authorized
to contract with the schools for the
care of the orphans AZ not mere than
$50 per annum for each child over 10
years of age and Sll5 for each child
under 10 years of age. These maxi
mum sums were always paid and no
attempt seems to have been made to
ascertain the amount actually expended
by the schools for each child
The act of 1867 empowers and au-
thorzes the Superintendent to contract
with School Principals for the main
tenance of soldiers orphans. No con-
tracts were made excepting in one in
stance. Section of the same act sets
forth that the contract made by the
Superintendent shall be characterized
alike by wise economy and by Just
regard for services rendered. The
management shows a disregard of this
wholesome provision, and has undoubt-
edly given rise to the abuses which this
investigation has developed.
The profits which the combination
of owners derived were enormous,
reaching to fabulous percentage on
the capital invested. So profitable had
the business become that some of the
owners or their agents were paying
premiums to persons recruiting or
phans Tor the schools. The entire sys-
TEN shows inhuman greed, speculation
and hea.rlless bargaining in the charity
of the State, The laws have been re-
laxed and disobeyed, Salutary regu.
auons have been abrogated. Officials
have been blind and unfaithiul. Neg
lect or Incompetence wherever found
Itanlol