The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1895-01-25

pIoiA tuo FeTIuOub w aICDInan we
clip the following:
A correspondent inquiries as to whose
duty 1t Is to collect the money due the
towns from the old school districts. The
only question in the matter can be as to
whether 1t is the duty of the selectmen or
the school directors. Section 2, of Art. No.
2O, laws of 1872, provides that "several
t0tDnS shall take charge of the school houses
and the property belonging thereto" etc.
The supreme court has decided that the
money in the old district treasures, April
l, 1898, aud the uncollected taxes, belonged
to the towns. Section IA of the above act
also provides that 1.-THE school Districts 4
shall annually in writing recommend to the
setectTten ~ the amount of money nee
essary for the use Of the schools, and the
selectnen shalt annually appropriate for
years the law has been that 1.-THE SeIectne1,
shall have the. general supervision of
the concerns of the town." They are
the towns executive officers. 1t would
seem clearly to be the duty of the selectmen
to collect this money from the districts, es-
given the school officers. But the money
belongs to the towns, and the districts
should pay it over without any demand.
The CORES pondents inquiry as to whose
duty tiSfto collect other school money
income from Huntington fund, United States
deposit school lands, etc.,-lS answered in
what has been said respecting the coIlec-
ton of the money in the treasures of the
old school districts. 1t is clearly the duty
of the Seleetmen to receive or collect this
money and turn 1t over to the town for
school purposes.
This is just now matter of special
interest TO every town in Vermont.
We believe careful study of Noe 20
and21 of the Acts of 1892, will Xcon.
vince one who has given, or will give,
the matter of the adjustment of the
affairs of old school districts a little
study, that the selectmen have no iur-
isdictiopin this matter. If the mem
ora.is/ ot fss.t, the supreme court
n. above refSred to, does not
el yd, int that the selectmen have au-
thoritt in the matter. The test case
whichMent up to the court from Barre
we believe was between schoo. officers.
The Substance of the supreme court
decision in nut shell is: "That the old
district officers were trustees of fund
raised Nor a certain purpose, and that
the change of the school system, chang
ed the trusteeship." Hence under this
decision the old trustee should pass the
funds to the new, and close their
trusteeship by taking receipts from the
new trustees. Where or how the
selectnen can get finger in the pie,
under the al atute, Or under the SUI
preme court decision, is not plain to
your correspondent. II
The Newburyf Village Buryingd
Ground Association held their. annual
meeting on Saturday afternoon in
town clerks office. 1t was voted to
reduce the number of trustees from
seven to three. Dan. Y. Ford. Alex
Greer and James A. johnson were
elected trustees. The matter of build
ing receiving tomb, was discussed at
some length and one hundred dollars
pledged in the meeting. d. Y. Ford.
Alex Greer and T. c. Keyes were
chosen a committee to further the plans
of this project, The trustees organ.
lied as follows: President. d, Y
Ford; vice president, j. A. johnson;
treasurer, Thomas C. Keyes; secre-
tary, Horace w. Bailey. The annual
dues of members of one dollar are now
due, and can be paid 10 the treasurer
or sent 10 him or the secretary. Let
everyone be prompt in these matters,
an annual fee of one dollar is not a
heavy or unreasonable tax. one hun.
bred fees make sum which will do
much good in the general repair and
identifying of our burying ground.
If you have not already joined the as.
ISOLATION do SO by sending in one dollar.
Died in Newbury Jan. 18th of pneu-
monia Mrs. Jane Wallace Reid, wife
of John Reid, aged 68 years. Funeral
at the house on Saturday at 10 O'Clock.
Death is making remarkable inroads
upon the General Assembly of 1894
On Wednesday, Nov. 2lst., while the
members were going to the State
House for the morning session the
representative from Athens, Judge
Andrew A. Wyman, when near the
east entrance dropped on the sidewalk
dead. He was GA years old and had
been member in 1864 81 and 70 and
was in The senate i'm 1874. The legis-
lature adjourned Wednesday morning,
Nov 2sth, the next Saturday, Dec. LIST,
ROYAL Burnham of STAFFORD died of
pneumonia. Mr.. Burnham was not
only the senior member of our County
delegation, but the Oldest member of
the House. He was IS years, 10
months and IS days old, and was
nrominent man IN Orange County.
The next member to answer the sum-
mons was Jedd p. Ladd of Alburgh of
pneumonia, aged 81 years. He was
IN the House in 1S745-6 and7 He
mas State Auditor in 1868, and was
a nrominent man in County and State.
on Monday the 14th inst, Myron
clark, the member from SALISBURY,
departed this life aged about 81 years.
ON the same date, Jan. 14th, Lemuel
Shattuck, senior senator from Wind
sor County, senior senator and senior