The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-04-21
iect to the orders Of the board Of school


directors.
Ex-State Superintendent Palmer, as
quoted in the papers (see Brattleboro Re-
former, March 81, is in error. Towns
do not pay for furniture districts owe
for. He is quoted as saying, "All those
districts that we owe nothing are not en-
titled to the money, because if paid it
would be surplus in the districts treas
ury which had been paid by the town.
| Those districts in debt are entitled to so
much of their shares of public money as
are needed to pay debts, but no more"
etc. l have quoted but part of his re-
ported saying, and the rest is about as
bad, but enough of such. l would not
have referred to it but if he has put him
self on record as reported Il hope not),
others and perhaps many would be mis-
led by advice from an ex-Superintend-
ent. Let every man read for himself and
reason. Perhaps few amendments are
needed to perfect the law so as to be un-
derstood alike by all. That all are act
ing as they think right have no doubt,
but some must be in the wrong, consid-
ering the different ways taken by differ
ent towns. l was not favorably i'm
pressed with the law and misconstrued
it greatly at first; but the more l study
tit, the better like it, and the palmer it
is, and if we apply it faithfully, have no
doubt our last Legislature will be gen.
orally thanked for so great an equalizer
as this law ;-notwithstanding that there
are points not generally understood
alike-I want this law to have a fair trial.
Much-very much depends on the boards
of directors, but help them all you can
that good results may follow.
"What has Readsboro done" is a ques-
ton am asked to answer in this article
and give reasons therefor. Readsboro
has no public moneys under the new law
at this time but the interest on the U. S.
deposit money together with her share
of the Huntington fund. That has been
placed in the treasury of the school dis
trict of Readsboro established by the
new law of 1892 and is $l44 and some
cents over. Public moneys are thus dis
posed of to be used by all equally for the
schools of 1898. There is not one word
in the laws of 1892 in reference to public
school moneys, except in Section II of
Acts No.2o, which declares that "The
provisions of all statutes now in force
relating to school districts and school
officers and their duties shall be in force
so far as the same are consistent with
this act; and all acts and parts of acts
inconsistent with this act are hereby re-
pealed." Now this act establishes the
town system, consequently as we have a
public school fond we must use it, and
are forbidden to further draw orders
together with one-half the interest" of
the United States deposit money
exclusive of the Huntington fund"
to make sum equal to u per cent. of
the Grand List see law 1888, No. 9,Sec-
ton 1876, which does away with Section
22S of the same act. So that by being in
the town system we had as above stated
only the Huntington fund and interest
on the U. S. deposit money as public
fund, The division of the State money
arising from the per cent. went to the
districts equally and belong to them.
Three of our districts. were entitled to
payment from the town for one-half their
expenditure of money over all their pub
lie money for last year mind), with
tax of one third of their Grand List, see
Section 23S, Act No. 9, law of 1888.
We claim to derive all powers needed
to inaugurate the new system, granted
by any law in force before this act, and
to discard any law not consistent with it.
The old law of division of the public
money reading as it does, ON Friday next
preceding the last Tuesday in March,
by virtue of consistency" must be con-
sidered so modified as not only to per-
nit us, but absolutely command such
division as that the year 1893 of school
ing may not be destitute of the public
money. In this way we can use it with
out friction, but in any other way we are
afioat without sail, compass or rudder.
"But we want it," say some districts in
debt, and 1--WE don't want it," retort
those districts not in debt. Some of our
little districts don't seem to realize that
they as such will positively be the poorer
in the end to have their way about it, but
but tbs positively so and l will show it
by figures if disputed. They may get
few dollars at first but, get less with the
money divided as they wish than to have
it in bunch for the whole bunch of
scholars as we now have it fixed. Let
us have less of Palmer's sOphistry and
more justice and equity.
DON'T DESPA AIR