The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1912-02-15
WANT ASSEMBLY.
TO INVESTIGATE
"Al Complaints End at the Door
of State officers, Over Whom
the County Authorities Have
No Control" Declares the
Formal Paper.

Formal Paper.
senator Watkins, OF Chester
field, announced this morning that
he and his colleagues would hold
conference i'm few days to-de-
~ tcrInine what action they should
take. - '-
r c III NJ o ND, VA--Special.-
Signed by over 100 representative
citizens of Chesterfield county, a Pc
tition has been sent to Chesterfield' s
representation in the Legislature ask
ing that suitable resolutions" be In
troduced as soon as practicable" call
ing for an investigation of the De-
partment of Bubble Instruction.
Accompanying the petition Is a
statement of facts taken from school
papers and the report Of Special Ac-
countant H. b. Boudar, showing. ac-
cording to the petitioners, that grave
abuses exist in the office of Superin-
tendent J. ID. Eggleston which griev-
ously affect conditions not only in
Chesterfield, but elsewhere.
II is claimed that the State Super
intendent has allowed reports to be
changed; that public funds have not
been properly accounted for; that
school money has been loosely spent;
that discrimination has existed in the
apporuonment of funds. and. in a
general way, that the school laws
7
stances.
Trails Led Back.
An effort was made, the petition
declares by. Chesterfield citizens, to
Straighten out the tangled affairs of
their county. 1t was found that every
trail led back TO the Department of
Public instruction, from which no
satisfaction, the petitioners say, could
be gotten. Paraphrasing the words
of the petition, They received no
IN oil
would be looked into"
Other facts" will be disclosed. the
petition promises, when they are call
ed for. and several of those who have
signed the statement declare that
these additional facts--if. indeed. they
be necessary-,will show that i'm all
probs bility abuses and violations OF
the school laws are allowed in dozens
Of counties.
An investigatiOn-not for personal
reasons-butS I'd clear-np the school
situation. is asked. No effort is being
made to attack, Superintendent Eggle-
ston personally. The Chesterfield cit
fzenS merely want school conditions
Investigated. and since. they say.
everything has been traced back to
the Department of Public Instruction.
an Investigation of that office appears
Necessary, they say. before clear
understan diug OF the alleged abuses
can be had and the violations Cor
Their Petition.
The text of the"petition is as foI-
lows:
Hon. John l.. Watkins. w. w. Baker
and Waverly S. .Ivey. Represen-
tatiyeS from Chesterfield county.
To the General assembly:
"Gentlemen.-We are handing you
herewith a written statement OF the
facts connected with the Chesterfield
county school matters which. in our
Judgment, warrant an investigation of
the State Department OF Public In
struction. and as our representatives IN
the General Assembly of Virginia we
wish YOU to introduce suitable reSo-
lutions calling for such investigation
as soon as practicable.
This written statement is given at
your suggestion AID il the result OF
the conference held with YOU several
days ago. when the question Of the
Investigation was first mentioned.
We wish you TO understand that
these statements are all based upon
the report of Special Accountant Bou-
dar: and upon the numerous School
reports and documents in our posses
sion. =.
we believe that conditions and
abuses in Chesterfield and perhaps
ia other counties demand immediate
correction. and. this correction can
best be obtained, we believe. by a full
and impartial investigation.
If the Department OF Education be
suiltless of wrong doing il will Ice
stronger and better by virtue of this
Investigation. If the contrary be true
then all the facts should be brought
out-the sooner the better.
Few Facts.
a few Of our facts are AS follows;
Il That county Supcrintcnd-
cnis have been allowed TO alter
and change their annual reports
after they have been filed in the
Office of State Superintendent of
Schools as public records.
-. That county supcrinCend-
entS have neglected TO have
printed and posted in the county
their annual reports of the va
Fious districts, reports of receipts
and disbursements of public
funds, as provided by law and
which carries "a penalty for not
complying with same. t'.
-. There have been collected
various sums Of money deposited
ana checked out by district clerks
and trustees i'm violation of this
law which says "All money shall
bc paid out by or through the
county treasurer" This money
was deposited 10 the credit of
school trustees in banks and
checked out by them.
II. Clerks of the school dis
trfCtS were not required by the
county superintendent of schools
10 keep proper books and records
ace Ording TO law.
%. The county superintendent
of schools was not required to-
file his annual report in time re-
10 quired by law. This violation car
rieS with il a penalty.
"6, superintendent reports
show discrimination in the ap-
pOrtionment of school funds In
IaV1P of bermuda district, wniCh&
was given more than third
of ALI the funds appOrtiOned to
the county.
az. Bermuda District was per-
mittcd to issue rsc hpOI wdrrants
amounting to more than $4,000,
:, while there was only $52.33 to its
credit in the hands OF the treas
| urer. -..-
! 80. From a published report
| I'm the Richmond Virginian of -
January "a, 1919, there wcro
school funds and other negotiable