The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1901-05-09
THURSDAY. MAY 8, 1901
CONCERNING SCHOOL ELECTIONS

The editor has received two COM
munications this week from we'll
known citizens relating to the time of
holding school elections, and it would
appear from their letters and from
local investigation that the only notice
which school clerks and directors in
this county have had as to any change
I'm the law fixing the time has been
gained from the columns of the ISL
AMBER, except in 81 far as school Off
GERS may have seen similar notices in
the news columns of other papers. One
gentleman writes:
1--WE have on two different occasions
been notified through your paper that
school elections will be held on May ii
this year, instead OF June as formerly,
but fear the election in many districts
will go by default, as the school superin-
tendent has failed to either give official
notice of such change, or to furnish blank
notices for calling said election.
If there was an emergency clause in that
act making it operative May IL please let
us know in this weeks paper, as some
think you may be in error and thus ac-
count for the superintendent silence"
This gentleman sharply criticses the
superintendent for not visiting schools
more frequently and says that las for
getting replies on matters affecting our
school, we could get answers from New
York or Chicago in much less time
than from the wilds of WaIdron."
The other gentleman, who is in the
same quandary, says:
81 am not officially advised of any
change in the law relating to the date of
election, and am of the opinion that a
clerk is not warranted in acting upon cas-
ual observation or unofficial information.
] would like to know what clerks who
don't read the newspapers are expected
to rely upon as guide if the law is not
furnished them. 1t seems to me that
superintendents should advise whenever
school laws are changed"
This gentleman is quite correct in
his conclusions. A mere rumor, or re-
port, or published news item, is not
official notice, even though there may
be no reason to question its reliability.
IT is at least questionable whether in
the absence of any official notice of a
change in the law the directors would
have right to assume from mere
newspaper reports that a change had
been made and OH such assumption
direct the clerk to post notices accord.
ingly. The old law makes it the duty
of the clerk to post notice of election
shy order of the board of directors" at
least ten days before the date fixed for
holding the election. Whether this
provision, as relates to the directors, is
mandatory or merely directory,
1t seems clear that clerk, under the
circumstances now existing, would
certainly be exceeding his authority il
he were to post notices of all election il
not expressly directed to do so by the
board. If the board were to give such
instructions, acting upon unofficial IN.
formation, the election would be legal,
If the information should prove to have
been correct, but it would be manifest.
ly void if it should traEspire that no
change had been made in the law OF
that. If made, it had not yet become
operative.
The ISLANDERS information was
obtained from unofficial sources and
while we believe it to be correct we do
not pretend that it is authoritative. AS
to whether or no. the bill reported to
have been passed at the recent session OF
the legislature and signed by the gov.
ernor carried an emergency clause we
have no other information than that
contained in the statement published
In the Seattle papers at the time that
Under the new law school elections
would be held this year on the 18th
day Of May. In this district the direct.
ors, one of whom is a lawyer, are as
Stunning this information to be correc,
and have directed that an election be
held accordingly. 1t is not author
ifative, however, in the sense of being
official. Very likely the county su
perintendent has had no official notice
Of a change and the probability is that
that accounts for his not having sent
notices to the various districts. AS re.
CARDS delay in getting replies to letter.
addressed to the superintendent, We
cannot presume to explain or to apolo
gize for him further than to say that 4
the law were more liberal i'm establish
Ing decomposition ofsuperintendent.
IN counties of this class the probabilit,
j. that Mr.. Allen would feel able t.
move from 1.-THE wilds of Waldron,
10 the county seat and give his full
time to his official duties.