The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-07-06

Any intelligent men or women who vii!
examine and cquain themselves WITH
OF the school funds and =choo4 aHAltS
separate and distinct from other county
matters, such a. the county commission
erx manage. will h. convinced that the
two boards should he separate and man
aged ny different men This CONCLUSION
was arrived at by the writer several years
ago and he has had no reason TO cnanEe
his opinions since Ne VIII cite one III
stance only To sustain our position.
In q certain county Of TINS state the
county commissioners ordered that MONIES
OF the school fund should be applied 10
defrayfng certain county expenses. The
chairman OF the board OF education ia-
formed the chairman OF the board OF
county commissioners that the sCnool
fund was created by law for the cduca-
ton OF the children and he had no au-
thority 10 use IL for any other purposes
IL was not used by the commissioners
IL these boards had been composed o. the
same men the school fund would haNe
been the loser.
we do not wish you 10 infer from this
that we believe the old board or the one
| now in power. did ever. or would now.
| misapply Intentionally these fundS. We
| spoke OF this in general terms
| We see yet another decision that Will
work harGShips upon the committees. IT
| the burdens being heaped upo them DO
| not run them out: that the school census
must be taken by the committees without
cost to the school fund. We do not
| charge this sin to the board OF education
of New Hanover county, however. TOT
| State Superintendent Mehane announces
that there is no law authorizing paSmens
for this service. We don't see any Tor
buying stoves either. still We DO puy
them. We would very much like 10 KNOW
Row they propose having il done. This Is
n duty that Is seldom done as thoroughly
as ii should be, and anyone starting our 10
perform it, should be fully posted cthsT-
49, there Will he omissions and the
school districts will not have credit Tor
their fun numbers The writer once saw
the census of his district. just handed II.
and. after looking over II called attehtlon
TO the taker. of the omission TO enter
nine children, parts of whose tarnliles
were on his list. showing that he mad
failed to make all the INQUIRIES hectssats
to get out the full and correct number OF
childrent of school age in those families.
The school census is important IN making
statistics and if not correct lais III ns
p1rpose. Now, Is il reasonable TO sup
pose that a man who is qualified TO do
! this work. will saddle his horse and ride
through every hole and corner OF me
township. enter the abodes of every resi-
dent of his district, and for a week or
more apply himself to this work without
compensation? Do you know that some
people are so suspicious when the census
man enters the house that II requires an
hour or more to disabuse the minds OF
the occupants of any eVil intentions
This work is attended also with many
difficulties in the country as well as all
other duties required of the committees
and the supervisor. They have always
l been Dal0 1OT lfllS NiNt' "h' 49,
thorities will still have ii to do or dis
pense with this
Vouchers for teachers pay nave now
to be signed by at least three OF the com,
mitteemen in approval. when 1t required
two and the school districts much Smaller
than they will be. Now, much trouble
was inflicted upon the teachers TO look VI
these men for their signatures before they
could get their pay: it will add greatly tC
their annoyance to hunt Tor three OF
them to comply with the new law.
We regarded the teachers Of the puDhC
schools in the country. both white ano
colored. with great respect ana believed
them to be men and women faithful &c
the duties they We're called to perform.
and any errors or irregularities conlo
have been attributed to q misunderstand
ing of them. and not to any Wlltul
neglect or intentional disregard Of them
Why the enactment of laws TO increase
their burdens? There is not that sympa'
thy on the part of our people Tor thf
committees and teachers of the publlt
schools as there ought to be-, because
their positions are not understood ana ap'
preciated. Yet. we are not blind TO thell
faults and admit that unwlse selections
of them are sometimes made. hen the
mistake is discovered il Is hard TO cor
rect. for there are 50 many wheels with
in wheels that few men can do what they
conscientiOusly believe to be right, be
| cause of these influences.
CAPE FEAR.