The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-12-10
NEW TRUSTEES
ARE INSTRUCTED
County Superintendent Tells
How They May Serve
People Well.
MERIT SHOULD RULE
PoRTANT DIVISION FOR soLv-
ING SCHOOL PROBLEMS HE
HAS MANY DUTIES.

HAS MANY DUTIES.
The last monthly NEE ting of the
present township trustees of the coun-
ty was held today at the office OF the
county superintendent. The retiring
trustees had as their guests their sue
cessors in office. Many matters of inn
portance came up for discussion and
the cooperation of the retiring trus-
tees was assured their successors. 1t
was evident there are no discordant
factions and 1t is expected that the
new trustees will assume their duties
better prepared than any set of men,
who have become identified with
these important offices for many
years. The perplexing questions of
the depository laws have almost all
been solved in advance.
Superintendent Jordan addressed
the trustees by pointing out what he
considers the requisites for the best
success in office. He spoke of the
trustee being judged from four stand
ards: as a school man. as road trus-
tee, as overseer of the poor and as a
financier. He suggested several points
as fundamental to success, among
them being:
School trustee is the most import
ant division for the solution to the
school problem answers in a large
degree the others.
The greater part of the money you
handle will be school money. The
better you make your schools the less
work will be necessary as overseer
of the poor and the more help you
will have in building roads in a proper
way.
LAS financier the trustee will keep
the rate of taxes down to minimum,
consistent with the greatest good to
his township, and will see that every
dollar of township money expended by
him bring his township 100 cents
worth of good. He must not single
his ambition to lowering tax rates and
paying public debts regardless of the
pressing and vital demands to general
welfare of his township.
"As overseer of the poor, he does
not limit himself just to buying gro
ceries. fuel and clothing to meet their
present needs. but puts forth greater
effort to secure them employment and
help them to help themselves. He
sees that the children are supplied
with the necessary books and clothing
to keep them in school.
HE does not allow INSCRIPTIONS
and unworthy persons to prey upon
the township neither does he allow
worthy and modest persons to suffer.
'He will allow nothing but real mer-
it bias bis Judgment in the selection
of his teachers.
while he always gives friendly
rons of the school, he supports the
teacher in all her sincere efforts for
the good of her school.
"He keeps his school property in
the best possible conditions. Well
fenced. sanitary out buildings, pro
tects the fuel from waste, paints the
buildings, keeps down the weeds dur
ing vacations, protects the trees and
shrubbery, builds walks.
Every school property should be a
pattern of cleanliness, symmetry and
tidiness for the community.
HE should encourage his teachers
and his patrons to come to him with
all questions that are troublesome to
them that he may be kept well inform
ed as to the status of his schools
He should listen to all suggestions
that have for their purpose the better.
ing of his schools and use those that
in his judgment are feasible.
He guards himself against dishon-
est school supply men who may seek
to entrap him with some violation of
the law
HE attends all teachers meetings
that he can so that he may thus en-.
courage his teachers, to become better
acquainted with his teachers and the
details of the school work.
In taking the school enumeration
he remembers that his school fund de.
Ponds upon the number of children
enumerated and omits none that he is
lawfully entitled to enumerate.
He knows that he holds almost SUI
preme power in all township matters,
the voters and taxpayers having but
little II any voice in the control of af.
fairs, and uses his power to promote
the interests of his township and not
himself
His duties are many and various
no officer has a greater variety of
duties and Is as poorly paid as the
tonyship trustee.
HE is bound by the contracts made
according to law of his predecessor.
He counsels his advisory board on
such matters as come under their
jurisdiction, but does not bother them
with other matters. as he knows that
he himself is responsible for his Off
cial acts"