The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1911-04-11
STATE BOARD GIVES REASONS.
Explains Opposition to Dispensar!
Fund Act-Nill Prepare
Substitute.

Columbia, April 8-Following the
announcement today that, upon the
boards unanimous vote, Governor
Blease late last night vetoed the dis
penAary distribution act the State
board of education, concluding its ses-
sion here today issued, through Sup
erintendent Swearingen, a detailed
statement of the causes for the
boards vote, and an official outline OF
other matters considered by the board.
The following is the statement of the
board as to the dispensary distrlbu-
ton Cor the "Stevenson') act:
For the following reasons the State
board of education adopted a resolu-
ton approving the action Of the gov
ernor, in Withholding his signature.
from the bill to distribute the dispen-
sary money, and committee consist
ing of three was appointed to draft
substitute bill, which will be present
ed to the general assembly, at its next
session, with the request that it
be enacted. I
Reasons for Opposing.
"The board is of the opinion that
this money belonged to the common
schools, and will oppose any effort TO
use it for any other purpose, and the
governor will strenuously oppose and,
If necessary, use the constitutional
power given him, to prevent this
money from being used for any 9TH
er purpose than for the beneht OF
the common schools.
"ln our opinion the act providing
for regulating the distribution of the
dispensary moneys paid into the State
treasury by the dispensary winding
up commission is defective in two i'm
portant particulars.
"This act does not furnish the coun-
;ty boards of education any basis for
'apportioning,' among the schools OF
the several counties, the amount to
be received from this fund. If the
county boards of education could be
given a free hand in 'apportioning'
this money to the needy schools and
school districts Of their respective
counties, such a course would meet
a. long felt and pressing need. In the
absence of this provision, however,
the word 'apportioning' as used In the
bill requires the amount paid each
county to be distributed among the
several districts on tte basis Of en-
rolment, just as 6ther regular school
funds are apportioned and distributed.
Other Objections:
"section No. 8 provides that the bal
ance on hand July 1, 1912, 100000
shall be distributed on that day on
the basis of enrolment for the schol-
astic year ending July 1, 1912. The
scholastic year ends June 80, hence,
the purpose of the bill may be clear,
the phraselogy is inaccurate.
Furthermore, the enrolment tor
the scholastic year 1912 can not be
ascertained on July of that year.
These figures are sup~l.a: only from
the annual reports of the county sup
e~intordents of education, arc these
reports can not be compiled by or be-
fore July Of any year.
We believe, that this entirH fund
! belongs to the free public schools.
These defects in the bill render its
execution difficult, if not impossible.
, A contingent fund in the hands OF
each county board of education, to be
used in their discretion fer The best
interests of their schools, is highly de-
sirable. The trainers Of this bill de-
clared their intention of creating such
fund, but they failed to write this
Intention in the law. For the72 cea-
sons, We approve of the action OF the
governor in withholding his sigma
ture, and we would respectfully urge
him to ask the legislature to modify
the measure in these two important
particulars.
Amount of Fund.
The amount available under the act
is not as large as was thought at first,
owing to Independent appropriations
for school purposes in the 1911 ses-