The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-03-22
SCHOOL SUPPLIES
running THE STATE.
seem TO Detracs too Much
From Educational Funds.

The Office of state superintendent of
e{iucasioa, he began to investigate
I rumors tha. she State was being flooded
with maps and charts sold al an
exsraYagaDs price. and in large quao-
tikies. There was one chart.in particular
which represented the cost Of $3.50,
efuiyalens TO the ordinary aalary of q
public school teacher for month and g
bali.
His investigation led him to write the
coansy boards. urging them to check
the sale Of these charts.
The teachers associations OF
Salnda aad Kershaw counties have
rsasnsly adopted resolutions disapprov-
ing Of buying these charts 10 such
great quantities. Mr. MeMahan was
yesterday approached in regard to the
mater.
In Fehrnsry. 8 CONTAMINATION 10 Tde
STATE from Yorkvi.le called attention
g the indiscriminate purchase of charts
il York county. and that Mr.. Me-
Mahsn 10 endeavoring TO check the
sale sRas after Mr.. May6eld Mr.
McMahan at the time denied that be
was .safser Mr.. Msydeld, . and stated
5 81 5 card 10 The State that he was
.-ging % prevent further purchases.
"a has since been making inquiry ana
compiling figures from the several
counties Of the State. he said in his
statement, thas from the reports Of the
county supriasendenss Of education OF
she majority Of the counties of the
State. and from incomplete reports
appearing In the last annlai report OF
sbs state superintendent of education, it
appears shat between S57 900 and
S58 600 Of public money has been
invested ia charts, and like apparatus.
ea1isHy the mafhemstlcal charts sold by
N Tnswiler as manager of the
Evans Co., Of Chicago. The
chart sells for $s7 so. and consequent
III cuts OF al leass mouth g teaching
i'd she school 10 which It is purchased.
go indicate che extrsssganee OF the
principsa ID some coanties. is may be
In,sad shss IN Sumter county this item
Is reported as about $4,000 10
Florence abent 81 900 I; the proceeds
off shs three mil tex 10 the latter
seeanty being between $l0, ,009 and
ST 900 I'd one district 10 Florence
where there were four schools, the
connsy superintendent reports. shat the
total school fund apporsioDed was
$3.50. 60, and that Of this 1910 was
spent for charts. leaving So go to run
tie schools. In another district the
expenditure Is reported as exceeding
she apportionaens
Horry county where the three
n;;lI Tax raises something between
S4 ,lp0e sud S5. 900. the amount spent
for charss according TO she item in the
state saperisteudens's annual report is
sser S. 900, and it is currently report
e to have exceeded S5, 600. This Is
fpore sban was paid for the employmens
sot seaohers. aud their schools would
have been closed but for she dispenssry
supplementary fund.
The counties that bought. spent
usually about SO 600 for these charts.
ahe expeDd:ture ranging from abou.
600 TO S3. 600 In Fairdeid no
,:,sernissson 20 canvass. Sas granted
slskewise 10 Chester. Superintendent
D. Knox saying that they had
experiences Of stshe danger OF turning
loose agents rpon the school trustees .
Mr McMahan learning of the
damage being done, exsrsed himself to
stop further purchases. Tue county
s,oasd Of Abbeyills reported that they
srare 10 session considering the question
s,hen they received bis letter of
warnieg and they refused 60 permit the
5agen.s 30 canvass the coaaty.
Anderson county has also just been
reached by the agents. and permission
vas refused In Spar,anbrrg aud
Gresogilfe the canvass bad begun but
the expressions Of the state
superintendent bad become known IN
sbe county, and the agents had become
unable to sci! and abandoned she field
II Lancaster permission was granted
after the wataicg
He stated fnrtts- that 10 some
eoncsies the agents bad reeeived
permission to canvass. Whether OF not
this sonld render the contracts invalid.
hs could DO, say, aod tue attorney
general has not jet expressed 40
opiaion. The charts we're sold oo
eootraess 10 be made payable upon
delivery OF shs goods These contracts
we're. as o rule, negotiated and dis
eonused Immediately upon their being
scoepsed.
He vas asked If be eensured the state
bolbsd Of ednea.ioo for giving the agents
uernissiop to caevsss the State. He
y &