Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-02-08
THE SCHOOL CHART MATTER.

Mr.. J. L. McGill writes THE EN-
oUIRER from Bethany under date OF
February 2, as follows:
II thank you for publishing my let
ter in regard to school charts, and the
only thing I regret is that I did not
write you sooner. If the trustees had
known how badly they were being
cheated in this chart the school fund
would be much larger than it is now"
From the Columbia State, of Satur.
day, we clip the following, which re-
lates to the same subject:
The communication of your Yorkville
correspondent in today's paper regarding
the sale of charts in York county contains
the following:
"What is the meaning of Mr.. McMa-
hans letter of inquiry? Is he after ex
Superintendent Of Education Mayteid
about something? Is he trying to find
out on what conditions the slick agents
were turned into such rich pasture with
such high backing? There is good, rea-
q
I desire to state that am not 'after''
my predecessor, Mr.. Mayfield, nor am l
desirous Of making any sensation. But
having learned of the extravagant pur-
chase Of the charts in many counties, l
have deemed it my duty to write to the
county superintendents 10 secure definite
information, and to caution them and the
county boards to observe strictly the reg
ulations prescribed by the state board.
I have learned that in some counties
agents have made the canvass without
obtaining the permission of the county
boards as required by law, and that trus-
tees have been led to purchase under the
misapprehension that they are directed 30
to do so by higher authority. While quiet
ly seeking to correct these abuses, nave
endeavored to give to the school authori-
tiesin the counties that have>no been can
vassed, the benefit of the unfortunate ex-
perience of some other counties.
Very respectfully yours,
JOHN J. MCMAHAN,
State Superintendent of Education.
Soitappears that while Mr.. McGill's
letter was too late to do any good in
York county, it will be of considera'
BILE benefit in other portions OF the
state. The publication of the matter
along with the active efforts of Mr.
McMahan, will tend to head the chart
swindlers of. The experience in this
county has been rather expensive
Not in that the chart is fraud but
in that the price was many times toe
high. This is due, it seems, to the
smartness of the canvassers in, as Mr.
McMahan suggests, "leading trustees
to purchase under the misapprehension
that they are directed to do SO by
higher authority"
On inquiry of. Superintendent oi
Education Carroll, after the above had
been put in type, the reporter learns
that afterall the warning is not too
late. Mr.. Carroll has received instruc-
tions from two trustees not to approve
pay warrants recently signed by them
for these charts. These trustees have
countermanded their orders. One OF
them explained that he did not like
to 20 back on a trade after he had
made it; but now satisfied of his mis-
take, he desires its correction. Mr..
Carroll says that the warrants will
certainly not be approved by him. 1t
also develops that there are still some
90 or more school districts, into which
the chart canvassers have not offered
their wares. 1t is safe to assume that
many of these have been saved con-
siderable money.