Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1908-12-10
JUDGE SANDERS
RESIGNS
OF THE BOARD OF
EDUCATION QUITS THE JOB
DURING HIS SHORT TERM HE
MAKES MANY INTERESTING
DISCOVERlES-HO MONEYS
HAVE BEEN EXPENDED.

Som interesting developments are
bang made with reference to the
Board OF Education AS soon as
Judge Sanders was made president
of the board he began TO invest gate
mat ers, and invited the co-opera-
tion of the committee from the
Chamb'r OF Commerce which had
b en- declined by the old board
IL appears that many drafts have
been issued by the board which
should not have been paid The
m mbers OF the Board of Educat' on
have paid themselves each drafts
of $4,000 for extra work; and IL IS
aid that the superintendent Of
schools had issued drafts for the
salary OF the members OF the Board
OF Education and that the board had
also issued dra Is i,sak for sa aries
which made double salarl,s. and
$4,000 for good measure.
The board paid $4,000 for the
premium on the sherin's bond VIII ch
the sheriff was requ rel to give
when the sp cial school fund went
into his hands. Judge Sanders had
an order made directing the sheriff
20 refund this premium to the board
as the law requires the sheriff %
furn sh and pay the expenses OF his
own bond.
II is said that the Board OF Eiu-
cat on paid Mr. w. :. Newenham
S350.0O for taking the bonds issued
or building purposes TO Chicago
and getting the money when the
bonds could have been sent by ex-
press with Instructions to deliver
upon receipt of the m spec fed In
the contract for the purchase price
of same, and it Is said also that the
secretary OF the board. MIR. Il. l..
Bowman. received a like amoun. for
going with Mr.. Newenham to Chica-
between chem.
1t appears also that the Board of
Education has been paying Mr.. Il
l.. Bowman a salary of $4,000 a
month as secretary OF the board
The law allows the secretary sal
ory of $4,000 year and $1,000 for
making a report. According to these
figures there WAS The sum OF $500
difference between what Mr. Bow
man was r5Cc wing and his salary as
provided by law. Th order allow
ing Mr.. Bowman the extra salary
was revoked after Judge Sanders
was made president Of the board
1T appears that Mr. Newenham
purchased from the Cincinnati Seat
ng Company and signed the con
ract for same, without an order
from the Board Of Education for
purchase Of something over $4,000
worth of desks. Judge Sanders no
tilted these people that inasmuch as
Mr.. Newenham had no authority to
make this purchase they were not
DBL gated 20 take the same. and
would not do so at the price men
toned The Cincinnati Seating Co.
thereupon sent representative
here who agreed to send the furni-
ture for $4,000 less than The stlpu-
lated price.
The old board built the two
school houses on the north side
and paid the money therefor with
out any orders authorz ng the pay
ment OF tho same. No estimates
were made or allowed. The drafts
were issue1 and the money paid
over to the contractors without any
legal authority to do so Drafts
may be issued for the payment of
eachers' salaries and the like upon
general order where a specific
monthly contract has been made.
But no drafts can properly be Is
sued under the law for the con-
structior OF any building. or any
ypecial work, W thout a specific or
der for that purpose. There may
have been a general order for this
purpose, but this was not according
to law.
There IS much talk concerning
the resignation Of Judge Sanders as
president OF the board II Is be-
ic'ei by a number OF people that
his resignation was Influenced on
account Of the fact thai he d d not
have the hearty cooperation of 9TH
or members Of the board I'm this
work He has rendered excellent
service to the public during the
short lime he served. He soon put
q stop to the detective work that
was be ng done on the high school
bu lding and .~emanded a strict
compliance W Oh the plans and spec.
iications, and it IS a source Of re-
sret that he resigned.
The people Of Beaver Pond Dis.
trict voted St5O,OOO0O in bonds
last spring for the construction oil
adequate school buildings. This
money was voted for a sacred pur.