The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-07-08

Board of Examiners.
COLUMBIA, S. c., July 2.-Mr. W..
Thackston, clerk to State Superinlen'
dent of Education Mayfed, has asked
for the publication of the following:
To the Public: l feel that it Is due tc
myself and to the public that l should
say that not until l read the statements
0. Superintendent DlayGeld on his return
TO the city and of Prot Johnson, pub
lished in the Record of Monday, the 29tt
ult, did know l had misconceived the
action of the State board Of examiners
with regard to the Palmetto School Jour.
nal.
1t had been until then my honest in,
preston that the action ofthe board hac
been what was stated by me in an edi'
torlal in reference thereto, which ar-
peared in the April number Of the Jour.
nal, page 2G3. In that editorial, which
was widely circulated, but which the
board Of examiners evidently did not
read, if they saw a copy Of the Journal.
l wrote rs follows:
1.-The State board of examiners ADOPT.
ed a resolution urging the trustees
throughout the State to become subscci.
bers, and allowing them to pay for their
subscriptions out OF the contingent fund
of their district"
During the meeting of the board of ex-
aminers on the 4th OF April, of which
board am by law clerk. made orally
the proposition in question, namely,
that the board should officially endorse
the Palmetto School Journal as it's Or
gan, and should urge the school trustees
to become subscribers, paying for their
subscription out of the funds for their
districts. That proposition included the
offer of all space free of charge necessa-
ry for the publication Of the official mat
ter OF the board and Of the department.
of education. l then asked to be eX-
cused from the meeting that the board
might consider the proposition without
my presence.
When l returned the board had passed
to other subjects and 1 was informed
that the board had endorsed the Palmet-
to School Journal. Nothing else was
said to me in reference to the matter at
that time or subsequently by any men,
Der of The board, and knowing of no
other proposition, l mutually supposed
that what was said referred to the pro-
position I submitted. Under this I'M
preston l wrote the editorial in the
Journal mentioned, the circular letter to
the trustees and the statement recently
prepared by me for publication. l had
no idea I was mistaken until I saw the
statements IN Mondays Record.
1t is inconceivable that 1 should have
attempted to prevent {; resolution of the
board where detection and exposure
would be so certain to follow. I COM
mitted The error of not verifying my i'm
preston simply because did not sus-
pect the possibility o. mistake. Had I
entertained any doubt I could easily
have done so, as am clerk of the board
and keeper of its record. The PROPOSE
ton was made openly, in perfect good
faith and with sincere desire to advance
the interest Of public education. 1t
seemed to me to be justified by prece-
dent and to lie within the legitimate
powers Of the board.
In this State the State board Of exam
iners on the 18th of April. 1889, passed
the following resolution IN refernce to
the Carolina School Journal:
'sResolved further. That the chair
man be resquested to subscribe for five
copies Of the Journal for the use of the
board"
If the board of examiners could SUBJ
scribe for five copies of the Carolina
Schoo, Journal, one for each member Of
the board, and pay for them out OF the
public funds, they certainly have the
right to authorize the trustees to SUBJ
scribe for school Journal for their use,
and pay for it out of the public funds.
If a School Journal paid for by the State
is good thing for the members of the
State board OF examiners, why is it not
equally as good for the trustees, who are
supposed to need the information it con-
tans much more?
The twenty-tirst annual report of the
State Superintendent Of Education for
1889 (page 20) shows this entry: ''Sub.
scrlption to Charleston World-S7." If
in the past it was thought eypedient to
pay for daily newspaper for the head
Of the educational department of the
State out OF public funds, what improp-
riety could there be in paying for an edu-
catonal Journal for subordinate school
officers Of the Stale out of the public
funds, which journal contains official in
formation from the State board and the
department Of education?
Ii my information is correct, N several
other States. including Pennsylvania and
Virginia, educational journals are paid
tor directly out Of the State funds. the
acceptance ofmy proposition was aques-
ton for the board. 1 felt sure they would
adop! no plan which was not advisable
and right, and supposing they had adopt
ed ray propositions as submitted, felt
at liberty to proceed on their authority.
| now see l committed an error in not
verifying their action, but l positively
d;sclam all intention OF nlisrepresent.
inc the facts. 1 have acted throughout
in entire good faith and without inten-
tional concealment.
1t is due to Superintendent Mayfeld
that should say that the editorial in
the Palmetto Journal the circular letter
to the trustees and my former statement
to the press were written and published
without his knowledge and during his
absence. He was not consulted by me
because he had no interest in the Journal
and was not responsible Tor my action
as its editor. 1t is also due TO the mem
bers Of the board of examiners to acquit
them ofa.l responsibility for my mistake.
This statements made public as soon
as possible after had discovered that l
had been all along mistaken as to the