Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1907-09-20
TAZEWELk
HIGH SCHOOL
The Clerk of The Board
Explains

Sous anu some OF your contributors,
have some rather remarkable ideas
about the conduct of the financial
affairs of the Tazewell High School.
In as much rs l am mentioned by
name, and certain questions were
asked, and, prehaps, implied that
were not asked, | would like To
make few remarks for the consider
alton of all persons who are interest
ed in the subject of public educa-
tion.
The District School Board, OF
which | am clerk, has done all in
its power TO provide for the educa-
tion of the children of the District
with the funds, which under the pre-
sent arragemets are at its disposal,
and would be most happy if those
who alone have the power TO do SO,
would put into operation plan by
which the whole school, both the
graded departments and the High
School department, might be con-
Quoted nine months free of all tut
tion. Such plan is feasible and prac-
ticable, and l shall take great pleas
ure, little later i'm this article, i'm
presenting such plan 10 the con-
sideration of the people of the town.
But first, l desire TO answer some of
the questions and the implied criti-
cisms which were contained in your
paper last week, rs well rs i'm several
previous issues, which iusinuations |
take il are not offered in malice, but
only through ignorance OF facts and
Ignorance OF business Any man,
who will take the trouble 10 inform
himself, knows that the public school
funds are handled by the County
Treasurer, upon basis fixed by the
state law, and that no commission is
paid TO me for the part which / have
in disburisng those funds. The coun-
~ treasurer does not handle penny
of the tuition charged and collected
for the msintainance of the High
School, or the private term OF the
Graded Schools. The High School
funds are collected and disbursed by
me rs Treasurer of the TazewelIHigh
School and the commission paid me
is fixed by theDistTict School Board.
and does not average me 80 cents
day for the time which / devote To
the interests of the school. While
some OF the bills are paid promptly
on presentation, and many of them /
have TO go after several times, and
some of them | have TO threaten
with the officers OF the law, and
some / cannot get at all, altho' / am
expected 10 perform that most pleas
ant duty of continually "dunning''
them for an indefinite time. / ac-
cpeted the position against my will
and have tried repeatedly To give il
up To some one else, but as yet have
not been permitted TO do so, unless,
i should positively refuse To have
any thing more To do with it. | am
free To say here, now, and always.
that my books and accounts rs n.
public officer are always open TO the
inspection of any one having right or
authority to examine them, and that
the position of collector of theseHigh
School accounts is awaiting any COM
petentman who wishes the Job on the
same terms as that upon which |
now hold il.
Now, rs regards the complaint.
that too much tuition is charged. No
patron of the school recognizes more
fully than does the School Board.
that il is positive shame that the
town of Tazewell does not have a
nine months public school free of all
tuition. But the situation is lust
this: The public funds now avail
able are not sufficient to maintain
even the Graded School more than
seven months, therefore, one of three
things must be done, there must be
more public money provided, or tut
tion must be charged sufficient 10
q conduct the High School, or the High
, School must be closed entirely. It is
q an utter impossibiilty TO maintain a
i, High School without funds. There
, has never been "A surplus collected by
: the High School until last session,
4 but there has always been a greater
o or less deficit, and when all accounts
are paid there will be practically
nothing left of the amount collected
last year
q We pay our teachers less than i.
paid TO the same class of teachers in
/ other parts of the adjoining territor,
q and 1T is with great difficulty tha
q we can secure competent teachers OF
I, the salaries we are Obliged To pay
II The amount OF tuition paid into m,
hands for the High School and tn,
private term of the Graded Schoo
d was Sl,677.35. 1t cost 81, l35 to pa,
teachers. Besides the pay for teacher
We had TO pay for coal $40, janito
Sl25. Repairs and incidentals $50
i From this it may readily be seel
i that the tuition charged is necessari