The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1901-05-29
The County superintendent,s salary.

manner by which the superintendent Of
schools of Forest county is enabeled to
draw five hundred dollars per year extra
from the tax payers of the county, the
editor of the Marienville Express pro-
ceeds to go us one better and occupies
two columns in an effort to refute the
plain, unvarnished facts, and, while not
intending to do so, corroborates every
material poiut laid bare by this paper.
Before proceeding further let us again
briefly but plainly put tie facts fairly be-
fore the public:
First. The convention of school direc-
tors which elected Il. f. Stitzinger super
intendent of schools of Forest county in
May, 1899, took absolutely no action on
the matter fixing his salery:
Second, The average school term pre-
ceding that election did not crceed seven
and one-half months, and therefore the
salary ofthe Superindent would not be
more than $1,000 per annum, unless other
wise fixed by vote of that convention;
Third. The officers of that convention,
after adjournment, in certifying Mr.Stitz-
inger's election TO the State Superinten-
dent, inserted in that certificate after the
word SALARY" Fifteen Hundred ,Sl5OO)
Dollars, notwithstanding the convention
had taken no action on the question of
salary.
Fourth. The Superintendent.elec re-
ceived and accepted duplicate certificate
from said officers knowing full well the
convention had not voted him such
sum, and has received ana accepted the
sum tipulated-fifteen hundred dollars
per year.
We want the public to keep the fore
going facts in mind so as not TO get con-
fused by and falsehood which the E.r-
press may employ to bolster up an un-
lawful transaction that is costing the tax
PAYERS of Forest county five hundred
dollars year.
And now as TO the Express wearisome
TRADE o. abuse Of individ uals for daring
to defend the taxpayers against pro-
ceedng so manifestly unrighteous, the
public cares nothing, much less do we.
What the people want is the truth, the
facts in the case, and these they are going
10 have through the columns of the RE-
PUBLICAN.
The Express, so eager to create pIeju-
dice in the minds of the people and
thus draw the fire away from the
main question, naturally gets balled up in
its reasoning. For instance it says:
When the question of salary was raised
in the convention Mr.. Stitznger was
asked to speak and said the average
school term in the county the past year
was seven and One-half months, and he
believed that fixed the salary at $500 per
year.
The words fifteen hundred dollars"
never fell from the lips of Mr.. Stitzinger
during the sitting of that convention.
He contented himself by simply saying
"that would fix the salary" Why he
avoided mention of the amount of salary
must be left to conjecture. Again we
quote from the Express:
As no person in the convention ex-
pressed different opinion and there was
no motion to fix the salary, the chair
man, i. j. Reyner. twice asked if the
convention was satisfied with that state
ment and salary, and neither time was
there dissenting voice raised.
This piece of Information is news to the
members of that convention and every
person in the audience who listened at
tentively to the proceedings. 1t is not
true in fact, but supposing it were, did
that silence give Mr.. Reyner license to
sign or Mr.. Sttzinger the legal right TO
accept, a certificate such as is on file in
the State school department? Is not
every sane person aware that it requires
the vote of a majority of the school di-
rectors' convention TO increase the Sup
erintendent's salary above $1,000 a year
1t is often remarked that "silence gives
consent" but this silence, according to
the Express, has proved the most expen-
sive to the taxpayers of Forest county Of
any we have heard of, costing them $500
annually. Again quoting IRON the Er-
press.
Before that convention was held the
length of term of each district in the
county was given to State Superintendent
Schaefer, and he was asked what under
the law and that average length of school
term the Superintendent's salary would
be, and his reply was $500.
Until that visit to Harrisburg the salary
Of the Superintendent waa paid out of the
funds appropriated for paying the salaries
of uperintendents; stnce that visit two
thirds has been paid out OF that fund and
one-third out THE appropriation to the
schools of Forest county.
There is something wrong with these
two ksentences. They don't harmonize.
IfSupt. Schaefier was paying Mr.. Stitz-
inger's salary "out of the funds appro-
priated for paying, superintendent sal
aries,' why did he change that method
and deduct the $500 from the appropria-
tion for Forest county? The quickest
way to Prove the falsity of those two sem
tences is to quote br. Schaeffers letter,
which vindicates the Doctor, and relieves
him of the awkward position in which
the Express seeks TO place him.
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
DEPT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION.
HARRISBURG, Pa, September -, 1900.
Mr.. T. F. RITcHEY,
Ti0neStd, Pa.
Dear Sir
The salary of the county superinten-
dent of Forest County has been paid on
the Certificate of Election sent by the
convention of Directors. The excess has
been deducted from the appropriation
due for Forest county. The law does not