The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-01-08
WILL NOT INVESTIGATE.
The School Board Decides II an Ex-
pense They Cannot Legally
Assume.
still They Thing II = Proper Sub
jeot for the Grand
Jury.
Proposltion to Close tho Schools Altar
Next Month on Account u Short
ness or Funds. Etc.

nort signed by S. w. LanGhornes Joseph
Cans and DR.. C. B. Miller, She special COM
rnittee appointed to look into the matter OF
Investigating the affairs Of the board, was
submitted and adopted. It is 40 follows:
..your snecial committee, to whom was
referred the resolution directing the IN
vastigation of the conduct and affairs OF the
eevaral school boards for several years
past. have had the same under careful con-
alteration. A number OF accountants and
experts have been interviewed a.
to the probable cost OF such
m investigation as contemplated, and as
near as we can estimate suoh cost, It would
amount to from $1,000 to $4,000. Your
committee ara not aware OF any autnoflty
nnder the law for such an expenditure OF
the money. even though there were result
ant benefits, There are no specific charges
Of corruption or misuse Of the pubic
money, but only street rumors and lnuen-
docs. Your committee are further OF opln-
ion that if any specific charges are made
that it would become the duty OF the grand
iury of tho county to make the
Investigation. Your committee, therefore,
while not averse to making tho entire
record OF the board the subject OF an IN
yestiRation, do not feel warranted IN as
suming such an Indebtedness as such an
inyestigation Would a anoal :, NJ fWr gh.u
duty in that regard" Trustee Lookey, the
mover OF the Investigation, was not pres
emit, having gone east.
Some Of tho members Of the board gave
.~ ii - +seir opinion subsequently, that When
y s;sas { grand Jury was by ne
2 - 'ddsssstriot court they would take the matter
up and handle it in much better shape than
the board could through a committee.
Witnesses before q grand Jury, they say.
would tell what they knew, while before a
committee they might or might not, a.
they saw fit. since there would be no au-
shortly to compel them to.
Trustee Miller offered q resolution. which
was referred to the finance comnlttee, to
close the schools Tor the term At the end OF
February. instead of in June, as customary.
His reasons for wishing this done, he said,
vas the state Of the school finances. Tbs
board had been running behind from year
TO year and creating . constantly anoreas,
year began the board found themselves
without funds. They borrowed $4,000
from the building fund to pay running e1-
penses until Jan. !. when the apportion-
mont should DO made. y taxing from
pense Of interest. When the apportion-
ment was made they were allowed $44.62O,
out Of which $685. 600 must be paid, leaving
Sl9,62O to run the schools for this year.
This amount Woulu QOb De suuucleAs
to keep up the actual expenses
until the close of the term in june. The
running expenses are about $4,000 q month.
Dr.. Miller declared that there must either
be more money taken in or less paid out.
He thought the best way was to cut their
coat according to their cloth. Some of the
board wanted to submit to the psople the
matter of submitting to an additional
school tax, but it was stated that even it
this were authorized, the money would not
be available this year. Tho finance COM
mittse will look into the subject.
Ths numerous complaints made by par
ents of school children against what ia re-
garded as a very bad ap~portionment OF
scholars, was discussed. It was stated that
in many cases, where children had been
taken from old and crowded schools and
sent to new ones, the reapportionment had
been made without regard to the eonye-
nience of the little ones; the larger children
being sent to the school nearest their
homes, and the smaller children sent to the
more distant building. 1t was explained
that this was made necessary by the fact
that the children had to attend the school
which contained the grade suitable for
them, and that the matter was undergoing
investigation and would probably be ar
ranged so as to suit, az far as possible, the
coEvenienoe of all.