Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-06-06
A Pretty Game-Hoggmg the School
Fund.

1t now comes TO light that some o
towns in the state have been systemati
cally stealing from the state, county
and township school funds by sending
| in a false enumeration of school chill
dren.
| Two of the most noted cases are Wash.
ington and Columbia. In Franklin
county an Indignation meeting was
held and over sixty districts represent
ed. 1t become apparent to all upon ex-
| animation that the Washington school
district had for years been drawing
money upon about $50 children who
did not belong in the district, who
w re under age or who were over age.
This matter was taken in hand, charges
preferred and the state board of educa-
ton called upon, through its chairman,
to appoint an attorney to investigate
the case and stop the illegal applicati ton
ofschool moneys. But the school board
at Washington considered "discretion
the better part of valor" and ordered a
correct enumeration, which gives
Washineto nearly 700 less children
than last year and over ST 200 less than
she received last year. From papers
now on file in the hands of the state
superintendent who is chairman of
the state board of education, it is evil
dent that Columbia school district has
teen playing the same game on tie
state, the county and township school
monies by annually drawing money
on from 300 to 500 more children than
they legally haye. The law requires
each child over and under 20 to be
enumerated In the district in which
it is resident; and the law of
1888, page 112, says, The place
where the family of any person shall
permanently reside in thiastate, aud
the place where any person having
no family shall generally lodge. shall
be deemed the residence of such person
OF persons" Notwithstanding the
fact, that the law is thus plain, the
school board of Columbia has allowed
its enumerator to secure and return
the names of all those of school age at
tending the university. Christian ool-
lege and Stephens college, aud when
called to account they claim they "have
done SO heretofore and the state super
in,endent has no jurisdiction over
tbem.n
From the county clerks office in
Boone county Sup. Coleman received
this information: "The clerk of the
Columbia school board has sent in the
enumeration list of Columbia school
district, having ,705 children. of W hich
some 500 are only attending the nniver-
sity and the two colleges; they are only
living here for the school year, their
parents living in other counties of the
state, some who live in this county, but
not in Colum bia district" On these 500
children Columbia draws nearly $500
Illegally from the state and also pro
portional part wrongfully from the
county and township school moneys ap-
portioned annually in August.
County Commissioner Hall more
than a year ago called attention to
this irregularity. This school. board
had foun'i out how to run a public
school on low local taxation by enum-
era ating children who are annually
in other school districts,
and who they would not allow to at
tend their public school free. Such
conduct should be Investigated, and as
the law gives the state board ample
power in the premises this board must
reduce its enumeration from / 1,7O5 to
about 200.
The Columbia school board had bet
ter acted wisely and reduced its enum-
Grafton, for it will soon find that the
state and its officials are stronger than
the Columbia school board. Supt. Cole
man says be means business in this
matter, and that Boone county shall
never draw money on such a false
from the state treasury
jefferson City Tribune.