The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1906-09-14
County School Superintendent
Issues Circular Letter.
PLAN IS TO OBEY THE LAW
Gives Requirements of Statutes and
Requests Directors and Clerks to
Live Up TO Their Oaths.

The Press has received from County
School Superintendent Welles the fol-
lowing circular letter. A copy of the
letter has been mailed to the clerks Of
the several school districts throughout
the county. The letter follows:
Gentlemen:--It is occasionally
necessary for me to write to your
board of directors. In all such cases
the letter will be addressed to the
directors, and sent in your care. am
required to write only 100 letters,
while If wrote to each officer separ-
ately it would require 400. You
should open the letter as soon as it is
received, and read it to the directors
at their next board meeting. If the
nature OF the letter is such that it re-
quires prompt action on the part of
the board, you should ask one of the
directors to call board meeting, SO
that the matter may be acted upon. A
failure to do this will be considered
neglect of duty. AS matter of con-
venience and in order to save postage,
letters are often sent in circular form.
These are just as important as the
sealed letters, and clerks and directors
wlll be held equally responsible for
them.
No business is legal unless it is done
by the directors at board meeting
aud minute is kept by you Of all the
business transacted. The record of
board meetings begins on page 23 of
your record book, and ON page you
will find forms for keeping the min
utes OF these and other meetings. II
is not only unsafe, but it is positively
illegal Tor you to issue warrants or to
pay out any district funds, unless the
same has been authorized by major
.lty vote of the directors when in ses-
sion at legally called board meeting,
and you have the minutes of the meet
ing IN your record book. signed by the
chairman: This makes it necessary
for the directors to meet occasionally,
but II district business is done in any
other way, it is not legal, and the law
holds the directors or clerk personally
responsible for any contract or for any
money pai6 out under these circum-
stances. just because it causes a
little Inconvenience to the directors
to hold o board meeting, is not valid
reason for you to violate the law, or
to run any chances of suffering the en-
forcement of your bond.
The last grand jury recommended
that all the district books be exported
and the district attorney tells me that
be is going to have this done. You
will thus note that it will be especial
ly necessary for both clerks and direc.
tors to see that all school business is
legally done. With the exception of
school laws. | can supply you at any
time. with all the necessary books
and blanks for use in your Office, and
the directors should furnish you from
the common school fund with neces-
sary stationery and postage.
| am making a great effort to have
our school business done in a more
prompt and efficient manner than has
been the custom in some districts. It
will mean more work for all of us,
but ! am sure that every school officer
who really has the best interests of
the school at heart, will assist me in
trying to bring this thing about. The
schools Of this county are doing an
immense business. Last year we
handled over $15O,0OO and it goes
without saying that an institution of
this size should have its business done
in businesslike manner.
Please read this letter to your direc-
TORS, and then place in your record
book for further reference.
Very truly yours.
FRANK K. WELLES.