Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-04-20
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
A Resident of Charlotte Questions tho
Educational CommiS too's Explanation
of the school Law

Resident of Charlotte Questions tho
Educational Commuters Explanation
of the Sob DOL Law.
To the Editor of tho Free Press;
l am quite surprised at the decision OF
the COMMITTEES on education and Superin-
tendent Stone in regard to tho division of
the public money and the disposition of the
surplus Iuulic money, which they say the
districts have right to dispose of as they
see fit-pay it back to tax payers 10 the
districts if they choose and quote their
authority, which says: The selectmen shall
annually, on the last Friday in March, di-
vide the school moneys, etc. Now, | would
like to refor the committee to section 2So
of chapter 4, OF laws of 1883, which reads;
III the income appropriated for the use
of schools in a town amounts to less sum
than IL per cent of the grand list OF the
town, the selsctmen shall draw an order on
the town treasurer for such amount as such
sum is less than ~ per cent for the use OF
schools in the town. Also to section 30 OF
the same chapter, which reads; 'lf the &C.
lectmen do not draw an order as provided
In the preceding section and appropriate
the amount Of such order for the support of
schools, tho town shall forfeit a sum double
the amount for which the selcctmen were
required to draw an order ETC., etc"
Now the selectmen of the town OF Char
lotte drew an order on the town treasurer
for S032 81, which in addition to the
income from the lease lands aud in
terest on United States deposit money,
amounted to II per cent of the
grand list OF the town, as the law requires.
Does the committee, with all their united
wisdom, pretend to say that board OF Sc
lectmsn are fulfilling the requirements of
the law as laid down IN those sections and
appropriatng the public money for the sup
port of schools when they distribute the
money to the several district treasurers,
knowing that they will use the money for
their own private use. or ''as they sec tit ?"
| happened to be present AT meeting of
| the board when one district treasurer came
in and demanded his money for his district,
aud was told by the board that il he would
assure them that it would be used for the
support OF schools no could have it.,
to which he replied that they were
going to buy them cigars with it, etc.
Then the selectmen directed the town treas
urer, wisely | think, not to distribute his
portion of the funds but to retain the same
in the town treasury to be appropriated for
| the support of schools as the law directs.
| | would also cali tho attention of the com
| mittee to case like this. There is one
district in this town which paid into the
town treasury 500 as its portion raised on
the grand list OF the town for public
school money, yet in tho division OF
the fund its portion was $40, owing to the
larger attendance than in some of the smaller
districts. Then over $40 of this money was
raised in other parts of the town
for the support Of schools as the
law requires. Would this committee let this
$40 20 to the Taxpayers which raised only
$50, when not one cent OF it came out Of
their pockets-to buy cigars or dispose OF
as they ace fit?' To my mind it is clear
that no board of seleC.men are ans weriug
the requirements of the law when they dis
tribute the public money to districts, know
ing that 1t Will not be used for the support
of schools, the purpose for which 1t was
raised.
Furthermore, | agree with ex-Superin-
tendent Palmer, who Is good lawyer, and
certainly has had good an opportunity tc
inform himself on the school laws Of the State
as any member OF the COMMITTEES, chat il
does net necessary follow that because the
section reads that the selectmen shall
divide the money certain day
that they shall also direct the distribution
of 1T on that day" Mind you that the law
reads that 1t shall be distributed according
to the direction OF ths selsctmen. There
are other questions in this law which
need an inve,tigat on. II the committee
say that the surplus public money is The
property OF the district, which they car
dispose Of as they see fit, and to which the
town has no claim, then why are not the
schoolhouses the property Of the districts
and by what principle OF law orjustic car
you claim them as town property withou
compensation? JUSTICE.
Chariot, April II, 1893.