The Forrest City times., 1892-08-05
4 DECISION
To Protect School Directors From gents
 For Map-, Charts. Etc.

To Protect School Directors From gents
 For M.ps. Charts. Etc.
 To School Directors of Arkansas:
 A circular signed by D. l.. r. Webb has been sent out to newspapers and directors which attempts to break the force of d decision rendered by this de- partment as to the rights of directors to purchase charts, maps, globes. etc.. etc.
 It is needless to say that this circular emaDates from agents whose sales have been materially lessened By the decision, and that they Use many licti- tioiis signatures and distort many facts to attain their ends.
 These circulars quote an opinion said tu have been rendered by my pre- decessor. Hon. w. E. Thompson, on December Is, 1886, and affirm that this opinion is law until changed by a decision Of the courts of the coutry.
 l. Hon. W. F.. Thompson says that he never made tie decision that IS quoted.
 2. Ex-Attorney-General Jones, in an opinion given to Mir. Thomson on February 2, 1886, printed in the di- gest of the school laws, page Fl, among other things decides "that in other than separate school districts, the school directors may apply such funds to no other purposes than those directed by a majority of the electors of the district at their annual school meet ing.n This certainly does not support the position of the agents who send out the circular. This opinion places the whole matter in the hands of electors and takes it out of the hands of the directors. This supports my opinion as far as it goes.
 3. Attorney General Atkinson goes A step further. Tn an opinion given to this office dated March 30. 1892, he says: Il am therefore of the opinion that the directors of the common school districts have not the authority to pur- chase furniture, maps, plats, etc, for their districts without having been previously authorized by the electors at the annual school meeting and tax voted with which to pay therefor" From this opinion at from that of Mir. Jones there flows no right to directors to purchase any of these things with out d vote of the electors. It goes be- yond Mir. Jones in holding that the district must vote tax upon itself to purchase these appliances.
 If these things are desired the cleo tors have the authority to authorize the directors to purchase them and to provide tax for their payment.
 The circular asserts that the decision of this department was gottOn up in haste to put stop to the work of some Chicago agents. My decision was arrived at after mature delIbera- tion upon appeals from county treasu- rers. The cases cited involved from $500 to 5000 in each case. My infor- nation is that nearly $i0,000 of the common school fund was turned aside from its legitimate end during the last year to illegal purchases of maps, charts globes, etc. Three county treasurers refused to honor the warrants and the cases were appealed to me. My decis- ion was put in circular form and sent to each county of the state for distribu- tion 10 directors.
 That decision is protection to school officers and has put an end to these irregular practices. It is an easy mat ter for any chart agent who is ag- grieved by the decision to appeal the matter to the courts. I shall be under many obligations to the newspapers of the state if they will publish this letter. J. II. SHINN, Supt. Pub. Ins.