The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1889-01-02

Realizing the responsibility of the
duties we were about to undertake
we, S. 4. Nettles and Joseph H
Montgomery, appeared before CLERK
Of Court James E Davis, and took
an oath before him to discharge tc
the best OF our abilities the duties
that would devolve upon us, faithful,
ly, conscientiously, without fear o,
favor. Throughout our whole inves.
tigation we have endeayored to lei
these words faithfully, conscientious.
y, without fear or favor be our guild,
ing principles.
SCHOOL COMMISSIONER
We find the School Commission
er's Office has been very poorly kept.
The books and records are worth lit
tie or nothing to the county.
The Treasurer's school book, and
his settlement sheet, show more mon
ey to be to the credit Of the schools
than do the School Commissioner
books. Prior to S. J. Bowman's term
of Office, the old books show con-
siderable Indebtedness, but we have
reason to suppose that this apparent
Indebtedness has been ali settled.
When We examined Maj. P. G.
Benbow's book, in August, 1888,
although all of the schools had. been
closed for some months, there was,
nevertheless, not the scratch of a pen
to show that there had been any
money with which to pay the school
expenses; and yet we found al the
claims paid. We found, however,
that the claims that had been spprov-
ed were registered.
This registry should have been
performed as soon as the claims were
approved, and not wait some months
and then enter them, without refer
ence to number or date, upon his
book.
Very seldom does school district
use in the same year all the funds
placed to it's credit, In our opinion
such reserved fund should be carried
forward to the next year, and placed
to the credit of the same school dis
trict- This seems to be the better
plan, but the Treasurer taking diff
ferent view allows this unused fund
In district to remain there year af-
ter year, he using for the district only
so much of the funds of a given year
as is necessary, leaving the balance, i
any, toaccumulate. The School Com
naissioners, we are informed, desired
thus to dispose of these balances, but
the Treasurers would not allow it.
In this connection we would recon-
mend that the Treasurer ct once re-
pors to the School Commissioner the
full amount Of all funds in his hands
TO the credit of the public schools;
and that the School Commissioner
and board Of examiners, together, ap-
portion this fund to the several school
districts, as seems to them best and
rust; and that hereafter the Treasm-
er upon notification by the School
Commissioner, at the close of each
year, of the amount of claims approx
ed in each school district) carry for
ward the balance to the succeeding
year, placing sach credit to the re-
spective school districts
We are decidedly of the opinion
that this Office, as generally exercised,
is largely an imposition on the peo-
pie. The officer is not infrequently
. man unfamiliar with, and incompe-
tent to perform, the real duties of the
Office, and frequently his highest am
bition seems to be- to draw his salary.
The pay of this Office as generally
understood, not only in this county,
but throughout the State, is at least
three times too much. Two hundred
dollars per snnum would be a big
salary for the work usually done. The
chief duties Of this officer should be
to visit the schools; to see that suita-
BILE school houses are used; that
proper teachers are employed, and
that they are doing their duty; to en-
deavor to awaken and enlist the deep
interest Of the people in the subject
of education,-in short, to improve
and elevate the public school system.
No wonder the people cry out against
the present system: the fault lies in
the School Commissioner. This Of
feer should be man possessing a
certificate of educational qualification
from the State board of education,
and yet a considerable percentage
Of them throughout the State could
not stand 5 second grade examina-
ton. We recommend that the Leg
islsture, at its next meeting, pass an
act empowering the constitutional
provision requiring School Commits
sioners to possess a first grade cestiiff-
cate from the board of examiners OF
their respective counties. before they