The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1891-07-09
ANOTHER CARD
FROM MR.. THACkSTON IN REFERENCE
TO HIS SCHOOL JOURNAL.

ho Explains How Hc Came to be Mistake
| en- About tho Resolution of tho St,,c
Boavd of ENamincrs.
COLUMBIA, 5. G., July 2.-MIr. w j..
Ihackston, clerk to State Supcriulcn-
dent OF Education Mayiicd, has asked
for the publication Of the following:
10 the Public: | feel that it Is due TO
myself and to the public that should
say that not until l read the statements
o. Superintendent Mayiicld on his return
TO the city and Of Prot Johnson, pub
llshed in the Record of Monday, the Doth
ult, did | know | had misconccivcd the
action OF the State board of examiners
with regard to the Palmetto School Jour-
nal.
IL mad been until then my honest i'm
preston that the action Olthc board had
Deen what was stated by me N an cd-
tomal i'll reference thereto, witch an
pearcd in the April number of the Jour-
nal, page 2G3. In that editorial, which
was widely circulated, but which the
Doard OF examiners evidently did not
read, II they saw a copy Of The journal.
| wrote rs follows:
Inc 81 ltc board Of examiners adout-
cd resolution urging the trustees
| throughout the state to become SubS,.rj-
Dcrs, aud allowing them to pay for their
subscriptions out OF the cOnlin~cu. fund
| OF their district"
Dur'ng the meeting of the board Of en-
amncrs on the lth OF April, of which
board l amby law clerk. Imadc orally
the proposition in question, namely,
that tho board should officially endorse
the Pa mctto School journal as its or
gan, and should urge the school trustees
to become subscribers. PAYING for ii cir
subscription out of the funds for tlcr
districts. That proposition included ,nc
oier OF all space free Of charge ncccs sa-
ry Tor the publication of the Official mot-
ter OF the board and of the department
OF education. | then asked to be ry
cused from the meeting that the board
might consider the proposition without
my presence.
When returned the board had pas, ed
10 other subjects and | was informed
mat the board had endorsed the Palmct-
to School Journal. Nothing else WAS
sad TO me III reference to the matter aL
Ihat TIME or subsequently by any mcm-
Der OF The board, and knowing of no
other proposition, | mutually supposed
| lhat what was said referred to the nro-
position l submitted. Under this M
| preston | wrote the editorial in thc
journal mentioned, the circular letter to
inc trustees and the statement recently
prepared by me Tor publication. had
no IDEA L was mistaken until saw The
statements III Mondays Record.
III Is lnconcciVablc that should have
attempted to prevent a resolution Of the
board where detection and exposure
would be SO certain to follow. COM
mlttcd the error OF not verifying my I'M
precision simply because | did not sus-
pcct the possibility Of mistake. Had
entertained any doubt | could easily
nave done 50, as | am clerk of the board
and keeper OF its record. The PROPOSE
tlon was made openly, in perfect good
laith ana with sincere desire to advance
the interest Of public education. IL
seemed to me to be justified BY prccc-
dent and to lie within the legitimate
powers Of the board.
In this State the State board of exam
lncrs on the lTth Of April. 1889, rasscd
the following resolution IN rc(crurc to
the Carolina School Journal:
"tcsolved further. That the chair
copies OF the Journal for the use of the
board"
II the board Of examiners could sub
scribe Tor five copies O! the Carolina
School Journal, one for each member Of
the board, and pay for them out of the
public iunds, they certainly have the
right to authorize thc trustees To sub
scribe Tor school Journal for their use,
and pay for 1T out of the public funds,
II 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 il con-
tans much more?
The twcnty-lirst annual report of the
State superintendent of Education for
1889 (pagc 2O) shows this entry: "Sub.
scrIption to Charleston WOrld.$7.n If
III the past 1t was thought cXpcdicnt TO
pay for daily ne Sspapcr for the head
OF the educational department orLh
State ont of public funds, what improp-
rlcly could there be in paying for an cdu-
catonal journal for subordinate school
officers of the State out of the publ,
funds, which journal contains Official in
formation from the State board and the
department OF education?
II my information is correct, IN several
other States. including PENNSYLVANIA and
Virginia., educational journals arc raid
Tor directly out Of the State funds. The
acceptance ofmy propostitn II was Qucs-
ton for the board. felt sure they would
adopt no plan which was not advisable
and right, and supposing they had adopt
ed my propositions as submitted. | felt
at liberty to proceed on their authority.
! now sec | committed an error in not
verifying thcir action, but positively
d;sclalm all intention OF misreprescnt.
ing the facts. | have acted throughout
i'll entire good faith and without intcn-
tiOnal conccalmcnt.
1t is due to Superintendent Maylicld
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 knOWicti,FH and lur;p,, ,,;x