Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-10-08
OFFICIAL CORRUPTION

Of the Office Of the county superin-
tendent of schools, as 10 which there
ought 70 be a thorough and searching
Investigation. Nothing can be OF
greater Importance % our country
than the progress and development OF
our public cshools and 10 the majority
Of our people and act which materially
interfercs with such progress and de.
yelopment seems more criminal than
siimiar offences against other insti.
tntions.
IN utter disregard of law, for years
how many cannot readily be stated
It has been the custom Of the county
school superintendent to draw war.
rants on the treasurer for oil kinds Of
charges and expenses and for the
treasurer without question 10 pay
these warrants out of the general
school fund. The superintendent has
no lawful authority to draw any such
warrants or the treasurer any author.
ity 10 pay them. Every bill for such
expenses should be submitted To the
board OF county commissioners, Item
lied and sworn 70, as the law requires
all bills against the county to be, and
that board alone has the power To al.
low such bills and to draw warrants
for their payment.
In one ase only ran tho superin
tendent draw directly Of the treasurer.
and that Ia for moneys In the county
institute fund" to pay the expenses
or the county institutes. That fund
Is TO consist. In counties Of the first
class, OF 500, to beasta apart annually
by the county treasurer. from the gen.
eral school fund. and Of the fees col
lected by the superintendent from per-
sons attending the institute, and the
law declares that the county treasurer
shall be the custodian Of the fund.
Our present superintendent has re-.
Gently drawn amounts OF money for
these expenses. greatly exceeding the
amount OF 800, which have been paid
from the general school fund, but he
has not turned TO the treasurer a
dollar OF the money collected by Min,
although the law distinctly says he
must deliver II all 10 the treasurer 20
be placed TO the credit Of the institute
fund.
The law provides that the county
superintendent and two competent
persons 10 be appointed BY the Judge
Of the district court shall constitute
a board for the examination Of appli-
cants for teachers certificates. and
that the superintendent and n OF
the other members shall be a quorum
Of such board. the members OF which
receive So each per day for their serv
ices. Regular examinations OF appli.
cants for first and second class certii-
Gates are held on the last Fridays In
August ami November on questions
sent to the county superintendent BY
the territorial board ~ education. and
special examinations 81 such april.
cants may be held at other times Ia
counties OF the first c~las4-that Is. in
Bernalillo and San Miguel counties. in
the discretion Of the examining board,
Examinations for third-grade cerlifi.
Gates shall occur at the same time and
place as examinations held for the
examination OF applicants for eertif-
Gates Of the first and second grades
Provided, that those seeking third.
grade certificates may also be exam.
ined by said board on the last Satur
day In September and October at the
discretion Of the county superiptend.
ent. and at no other time.
Under these provisions Of law an ext
amining board. consisting OF the su
perintendent. Rev. A. NJ Mandaiari
and Mr.. Nestor Montoya. met on Au.
gust 2s. 1902. the last Friday in the
month, and examined applicants for
certificates. on September ~, 1908,
the superintendent drew three war.
rants on the treasurer for 800 each
In favor OF the respective members OF
the board In payment for their sery-
fees This would mean 20 days at
s. per day. From August 2s 70 Sep
TENDER 12, both dates inclusive. ani
excluding sunday. August 30, there are
but II days. Father Mandalari did
not even know that the law provided
any compensation for this labor until
be received his warrant, and would
have been entirely satisfied II the stat.
ute had given him nothing. AMI whom
he received the warrant he did not