The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1905-09-09
LETTER FROM COUNTY SUPERIN-
TENDENT OF EDUCATION.

Bay st. Louis, Miss, Sept. 5, 1905.
To the Trustees and Patrons of the Pub
| lie Schools of the County,
Owing to the fact that large number
of schools failed to run the full term
during the past summer, several losing
the entire term, there will be balance OF
about fifteen hundred dollars remaining
to the credit of the school fund at the
close of the school year (Sept. 30th),
which may be appropriated by the Board
I of Supervisors to repairing, building OF
furnishing the school houses of the coun-
ty. Foreseeing that there would thus be
a surplus, [ asked the Board at the
August meeting thereof to authorize me
to advertise that this money would be
divided the among various schools of the
county in proportion to what the patrons
of each would contribute. At first a
majority of the members of the Board
seemed to favor the plan; but later some
objections were raised, and the matter
was laid oyer until the September meet
ing.
With view of influencing the Board
to act, I Immediately sent out a circular
letter, requesting the patrons Of each
school to make written application to
the Board for pro rata distribution of
this fund. Owing, however, to quaran-
tine restrictions, the September meeting
had to be postponed, and If the matter
passes the October meeting without fa
YOrable action, nothing can be done un-
til another year, and not then, If no bal
ance should remain to the credit of the
school fund. Hence, | appeal to pa
irons of every school in the county to do
everything possible to secure favorable
action upon this matter at the next meet
ing of the Board; and to that end re-
commend that the Trustees of each school
needing repairs or fixtures send one or
more of their number with liberal cash
contribution from the patrons to meet
the Board, there to exhibit same and
ask for the appropriation.
OF course, there will be much said
about quarantine expenses andthe neces-
slty of keeping this money in the treas
the next year may not be increased; but
this will not deter any liberal-minded,
progressive man from advocating the
measure. This is a sacred fund and
cannot be used for other than school pur-
poses. To carry it forward and add it to
the school fund for another year with the
sole purpose of reducing the school levy.
thereby keeping the total tax levy with
in a certain limit, while providing for an
increase in the general county fund to
meet the additional expenses, is virtual
ly, in theory, if not in practice, to divert
it from the channel in which it was
originally intended to flow. l will ad-
nit that economy is necessary in all pub
lie affairs; but do not believe that we
should do all our econOmizing on the
public schools, There will never be much
improvement in our schools as long as we
pursue such policy. In conclusion,
let me urge again that every community
desiring to share in the distribution of
this fund send representative to the
nextmeeting of the Board of fSupervisors,
with liberal cash contribution in hand.
If this is done, am confident we will
succeed, and success here means the
most successful school year in the history
of Hancock County schools.
Respectfully,
w. w. STOCKSTILL,
County Supt. Education.