The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-01-30
PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDS.
Superintendent Kimbrough Talks Of the Ap.
portionment.
CLAIMS sI6,lso.O2 IS DUE THE CIT,
Thinks County Officials should he
Held Liable II Matter Is Not
Otherwise settled.

MIR. W. II. Kimbrough, superintendent OF
| Houston public schools, yesterday issued
| the following statement in regard 10 the
claim OF the city against Harris county.
growing out of the alleged erroneous APP
portionment OF tho county available school
funds from the year 1883 to the present
term;
| AT the regular meeting OF the school
| board in May, 1898, the following report
was submitted:
To the Honorable Board of School
Trustees The Importance OF the subject
involved Is my apology for submitting the
following special report My experience
| In the State department of education led
| me to discover, shortly after ! had accept
ed the superintendency OF the Houston
schools that for many years the city of
Houston has suffered loss by failure of the
| county authorities to pay the city It's
rightful share OF the available school funds
arising from the investment of permanent
| county school funds The law upon the
subject is as follows: Tho county super
intendent, upon receipt of the certificate
issued by the board of education for the
State fund belonging to his county. shall
apportion the same to the several school
districts mot including the independent
| school districts of the county, making
pro rata distribution az per the scholastic
census, and shall at the Same time appor-
ton the income arising from the county
school funds to all the school districts, in
Guiding tho independent school districts OF
the county, making a pro rata distrlbu-
ton rs per scholastic census. (Sectioi,
81 OF the School Laws OF Texas, issue OF
1879
ut will be observed that this law re-
quires the county superintendent to APP
portion the income arising from the coun-
no NJ mir r.
school districts OF the county. including
the cities and towns which, like Houston.
constitute independent districts. In other
words, Houston. Is entitled to share the
income from the permanent county school
funds In the ratio OF the scholastic popu-
lation of Houston to the scholastic pop
ulation of the entire county, including
cities and towns. This is manifestly just,
because the county permanent funds come
from school lands donated by the State
for the benefit OF all the people OF the
county. whether living in city or country.
II appears. however. that for many years
the city has been denied its share of these
school funds. The following table, pre-
pared at my request, shows the facts in
the case from the year 1883 to the year
1896: Then followed the table which APP
pears later in this statement)
The report continues:
AN examination of the table will show
that the city has lost for the years named
something over $4,000. For the year
1897 and for the current year the statement
is blank but 1t is probable that not less
than $4,000 Is due the city for these two
years. making the total amount due from
the county to the city in this way some
thing over $4,000.
soon after learning the facts of the
case laid the matter before the mayor
of the city and he endeavored to secure
settlement of the claim. but without any
success. Believing as I do that the city
has just claim against the county for
this amount of school funds, and consd-
ering our urgent needs. I have deemed 1t
my duty to bring this matter before the
board in the hope that steps may be taken
the city may have in the premises. What
take, ] submit to the superior judgment of
your honorable body. Very respectfully.
wv. II. kimbrough,
superintendent OF Schools"
The SCHOOL board ordered the superin-
tendents report to be referred to the
mayor. with the request that he lay IL be-
fore the city council Soon afterward the
mayor submitted the report to the conn
ell as requested, and it was by the council
referred TO the mayor and the city attcr-
noy, with authority to act and Instructions
to bring suit upon the claim II necessary.
Some time last fall. at the request of
the mayor ] obtained from the state de-
partment of education at Austin the III
formation necessary to complete the table
presented in my May report including the
wear ending August 81 1895 The table as
completed is as follows: