The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-02-23

adheres to the old system of keeping ac-
counts and puts many items under the head
of sfncidentals" while all the law really
requires is that there shall be itemized
accounts for building and repairing, after
that everything goes down as current
expenses, +" including under the law, the
items teachers. janitors', district clerks
and medical inspectors salaries, flags,
transportation of pupils, and all other
expenses connected with the schools.
Before giving the information it may be
well to say that the books of the district
clerk may be inspected at his Office at any
time by any interested taxpayer. Also,
that the annual school meeting will be
held on the third Tuesday in March at
which time any one so desiring may ask
all questions he wishes and receive fair
answers, and the report will be read at
that time If the interest shown by the
writer is as great as appears on the. sur
face he will be present at that time, but
taking other meetings as a sample 1t will
be hard to get enough taxpayers present
to fill the necessary offices of the meeting.
OF course there is an exception to this
rule, for if there Is desire to make a
fight against some particular member of
the Board there is no difficulty in getting
400 or 500 voters out, but that little furry
over and it is as first stated. This was no.
ticeable in the past two meetings, the
larger number being out at the first meet
nag, while last year there were but 46
voters out, and there were not many in
quiries made then. Here is the COM
munication:
February IL, 1909.
To the Editor of The Her0sd:-
notice in, the published report of the
custodian of the school fund of Northamp-
ton township the following disbursements:
For teachers salaries, N,I27 10
Books and supplies, l,2l1 "a
Janitors' salaries, 400 70
Fuel, 579 AZ
Repairs. 655 Is
Balance on hand to draw from, SOS IS
s2,SOs 81
You will notice that the largest item Of
expenditures is designated ''incidentals. ="
As this is the only means the public has
of learning how the money which they as
taxpayers help to raise, Is spent, wouldn't
it be good plan to have these 'inciden.
tails" enumerated
Did the new fire escapes, and fire alarm
system cost nearly $8,0002 Or was the
balance spent for lawn mowers, snow
shoYels, etc7
AN INTERESTED TAXPAYER.
In the item of Stills there are the
following specialties: Bond and interest,
50, 157; to pay money borrowed to build
the new school house, $S,653 %; library
fund, $45. SO; water rent, 5000; new desks,
$210; insurance, $S2; making total of
So, 297. "a. So that, instead of $7,711 48
for 'incidentals" there really was spent
the sum of 81, 41S "a, somewhat of diff
ference.
This latter sum embraces about 80 items.
The fire alarm system has been in service
for over two years, and the fire escapes
were installed last year. There are two
lawn mowers in possession that were
bought when the late William Briggs was
janitor. If interested taxpayer" has
sufficient interest to go to the next school
meeting and manliness enough not to con-
ceal his identity he will learn of every
item of expenditure. If the Board of
Education is squandering money let them
be shown up, but let this be done in an
open, manly manner.