The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1904-01-22


provement in the present plan OF
textbooks would certainly
help solve the problem Of esficlcnt
county supervision, and let US hope
that this question will receive due
consideration when contracts are
again entered into for supplying
books to the school districts OF Idaho.
q Another requirement Of county
superintendent in Idaho, calls for
q useless expenditure OF time and
clerical labor, from the fact that it
is OF little or no assistance In the
work OF supervision. refer to the
requirement OF keeping a separate
financial account with each school
district in the county. The county
auditor and-treasurer, as well as the
school district clerk, are required to-
keep the same accounts: and 1t would
seem there could be no good reason
for requiring THREE officers at the
county seat to keep the same accounts.
/ think 1t just possible there may
be those who will take issue with me
upon this point, but / can see no ad-
vantage to be gained by this extra
account that could not be secured
WITHOUT it. I believe that one Of
the advantages supposed to be secured
is that the county superintendent
may intercept orders that are not
regularly issued, or that are drawn in
payment of Indebtedness illegally:
crea ted. There is no reason, how
ever, TO believe that County treas
lrer would no be as competent to
Judge of the legality or illcgality OF
an order as the County superinten-
dent. In fact he should be MORE
competent to Judge in such case, as
it is In direct line with his official
duties.
1t can hardly be claimed that the
keeping of this financial account is of
any particular advantage in aiding
the county superintendent to know
the financial condition of the school
districts Of his county. In the first
| place the law intends that the busi-
ness of the school districts shall be
conducted upon cash basis. Then
again II for some particular reason
the county superintendent desires to
know the exact financial condition of
any particular district, it Is only a
step to the county treasurer's Office.
l wish to be understood as heartily
endorsing any and all movements
! that have for their object the elini.
nation of needless routine duties from
the Office OF county superintendent
(or any OTHER office for that matter
in order that more time may he de
voted to the ESSENTIAL duties.
l recognize the fact that condition.
in the great State of Idaho, are yer.
different in the different counties
and for this reason there may be som'
who will attribute little Significance
to what 1 have just said respecting
needed relief in the work OF count
supervision; but am just as wei
satisfied that there are those from
counties that class with Kootenai
who would heartily appreciate sucl
relief. In Kootenai County alone
\ during the year just past 400 text
book orders passed through the count
superintendent's Office, and th
accounts were carried through tn
proper channels Of record. Nearl
one thousand quarterly and annui
financial balances were made besid
all statements rendered upon reques
About 5000 financial entries wei
made exclusive of those required /
the textbook accounts.
While there are undoubtedly man
= radical changes that might with GOO
reason be urged in connection wit
the office OF superintendent, it Is pc
haps wiser that we should first unit
our efforts to secure those chang,
: which will meet with the least OPP,
sition, and at the same time be ,
!, the greatest value. Is there ar
! good reason why the county superb
tendent together with the auditt
and treasurer should carry the
:. financial accounts? Are not tho
OF the auditor and treasurer sufflcien
= II might not be profitable to occur
. your valuable time In the recitatie
. Of other changes which would seem
= be in the line Of improvement; bl
! with your patient indulgence. l sha
refer to advantages which are entire
70 within the power and discretion
10 A. ro,,otv c,,nori nj fondonf and