The Kemper herald., 1908-06-11
As To That Deficit.

To THE PUBLIC:
/ suppose it is generally known
that there was a deficit in tbs
school fund ot1906 and 'Q7. My
purpose in this article is to shog
how aud why the deficit occurred
also to state some things that |
did during my administration.
In 1906 we made "a campaign
for a longer term or to extend
the SCHOOL term OF Kemper to six
months. Petitions We're clreula-
ted oyer the country which read
about as follows: "we the under
signed tax payers OF Kemper
county request the Honorable
Board OF Supervisors to levy g
two mill tag for the purpose OF
extending our school term to six
months" A large number OF
tax payers signed the petition;
more than ninety per cent of
those to whom | presented the
petition signed Il.
But the Board only made a
levy of ope mil, which was not
sufficient with the money we had
to run the schools six mouths
and pay our teachers living sala-
ries. Bgt in my anxiety TO get
the term extended and have our
county in line with the best poGn-
ties, agreed to run the schools
six months with a one mill levy,
which | did do, but lett deficit
of about $4,000. | WAS forced
to agree to make out with one
mill in order 10 get the Board to
make any levy at &ll.
Our legislature passed an act
authorizing the Board OF Super-
visors to investigate said deficit,
aud ii they saw proper to make
y levy to cover same. The
amount asked for is less than !
OF one mill on taxable property
Df Kemper, or, in other words,
about 90 and four flths cents on
100000 worth OF property. The
man who pays tax on 100000
worth Of property will pay less
than $1.00.
III | had recklessly used the
money ] would not ask the peo-
pie to pay it If it left me home
less. Bat it was done in order
to give your children che advan.,
tage of u six months school term.
During my administration the
school term was advanced fifty
per cent and the salaries Of the
white teachers twenty five per
cent per month. Lauderdale
county has $4,000 to pay to her
teachers aud Kemper has about
$4,000, and Lauderdale only
has six months term. yet Kem-
per has more schools than Lau.
derdalo. When [ took charge
OF the Superintenqent's office we
did not have a dozen school hous-
es in the country syllable to teach
school in during the winter sea-
son. Through my influence tn e
Beard used several hundred dol
lars of the school fund to help
repair 9 large number ct school
houses. 1t such was eyer done
in Kemper before | never heard
OF it and failed to find any record
OF such. We also used $500 OF
the school fund last year to es-
tablish libraries in the country.
Had none been used tor repairing
school houses or estahli hing H.
braries / would have come opt
alright.
1t is very probable that I did
not make you good Superin-
tendent, but | enGeaVorel to dc
my best. | did not neglect the
duties of tie office tor other mat
ters, but to the contrary.
| received a letter from Mr..
Briggs, President Of the Board
of Supervisors, stating that there
was some objections to the Board
making a levy to cover said def
cit. | am quite sure that those
persons did not properly under
stand the conditions. | don't sec
how any white man eag object to
it when the schools were run III
the interest OF the white people,
expect to bring the matter
before the Roard at the meeting