The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1903-01-17

1902:
. DR..
To balance Oh hand Dec. 81. 1901 .-....S rs 2
To receipts since:
Current school fund -.. s12, ,9S5 IA
ron tax.-----.---.--.- 7,946 90
Police Jury .----.----.--.- 5000 %
Rent OF school lauds. $50 o.
Interest on 10th Sections. ,607 so
All other sources. 1856 65
Total receipts for year. s33,l25 $751; ,i25 8
Cr 32,2O2 o.
Teachers pay s2l,237 80
Rents aud repairs. .--...- 58 Is
Superinteudent'S salary 800 20
Treasurer's commission. 66T Is
Assessors - 59i S5
Tax Collectors - 39T so
| All other expenditures 8Ds SO
Total disbursements . s27,702 46-S17. .752 A
By balance on hand Dee J, 1902 ..-- 4,449 6;
These are interesting figures,
and the fact that the Parish
School Board has not given the
public any figures at all Of late
makes them still more interest
ing. Probably the most interest
ing item, however, is that giving
the commission paid the treas
urer, amounting to the sum of
1867. The rate of commission
paid seems to be about 215 per
cent, though the President and
Superintendent, who signed the
warrants therefor. protested at
last weeks meeting, when the
matter was first inquired into,
that they did not know what the
rate was. They simply signed,
and remembered nothing more.
As these claims are not submit
ted to the Board-though they
should he-it will be seen ut once
how carefully and in what a busi-
| ness-like manner the Board and
its officers handle the sacred funds
in their charge.
At this weeks meeting the as
sistant Or acting treasurer, Capt.
beg pardon-Major Thompson
sent word to the Board that the
rate charged was 21& per cent,
and that in his opinion the re-
duced rate of about II per cent
fixed by the State Board of Edu-
cation in 1901 did not apply and
could not lawfully be enforced
until 1904. Some good lawyers,
we understand, entertain a differ
ent view. The Board took no ac-
ton, however.
At this weeks meeting, also, IL
strong pressure was brought to
bear upon the Board to raise the
salaries of the four or five $40
teachers in the ST. Landry High
School to $50 per month. This
was to be expected, since the
Board last week raised the low
est salaries in the Washington
school to $45 and $50 per month.
But, inasmuch as the funds to the
credit of this ward are only suffi-
cient to run the schools therein
seven months, and it will be nee
essary to pass the hat around
again this year to raise the money
for one whole months salaries
if we are to have an eight months
term in Opelousas and through
out the first ward-the request
had to be denied; though several
of the country members manifest
ed willingness to make the raise,
and thereby reduce the first ward $
funds SO that even seven months
term would be still further short
ened.
As happened last year, several
wards have to their credit, under
the pro rata distribution, more
| funds than necessary to run their
schools eight, nine and ten months
while others have only enough to
run theirs five, six and seven.
This condition should not be en-
dured; and Mr.. T.. A. Sandoz, the
1st ward member. made an earn
est and impassioned appeal to the
Board to change it, since it IS un-
derstood that the law as it now
stands does not absolutely require
the pro rata distribution. The
Board refused. Hence, existing
inequalities and abuses will con-
tinue to exist, and, we fear, more
of them will continue to crop out.
eb@&-
The warehouse and stock of
goods of the st. Landry Whole