The bee., 1914-07-24
PAYING DEBTS BY APPOINTMENT
OF TEACHERS = TRUSTEES
ELECTED BY ONE VOTE. Il
SELLING SCHOOLS FOR CASH
Four Thousand Trustees Will Be EIce1
ed Throughout State In August--Ss6
To II That the Best Men Only ~
Named at This Election-Ai PAP
ents Should Vote.

Louisville, Ky. = Especial - Wa
there ever devils broth hrwwee
that equaled what has been gazing ~
in our rural schools?
We are paying by taxation ovge
three million dollars annually out -
the State Treasury, to say nothing q
local taxation and other Contributes
for the support Of our public schccl9
1t is a question if one-third OF Il a
not wasted by incompetence ana in
difference not to mention possible
graft in one form or another.
AS a sample of what has been going
on, very recently had occasion d
look over a batch of letters from II
number of County Superintendent =
our State. / ran across one reportfno| I
some trouble in the sale Of schonk4 I
Asking what ON earth that meant, ~
reply was, why haven't you heard 81
that before?" said "in Gods nam
no; what does it mean" why thea
said, that has been complained Of -
years. but it is not as bad now az NJ
has been"
1t seems the trustees would sell tn
privilege to teach his school to tn
teacher who would agree to give hIE
the largest part of her salary. II q
reported that in some cases trading a
schools has been quite a profitahle
side issue. Was there ever anythfnG
more infamousy A man that WOOL
do It ought to be sent to the penitsn
tiary for a thousand years. AnOtA4
case of a combine, three teachers wen
applicants for a school, the final xgrus
ment was that each should teach (
third of the time, thus giving the pDu
children the benefit of a rapid chang
in teachers.
Another case (and this was not &
the mountains, either, vacancy o.
CURED, two applicants presented them
selves, one was a graduate of MOI
NAL school with a full certificate Tia
other a young girl scarcely throuE.
the High school; the school was give
to the young girl. Some of the FEY
curious enough to- investigate foun
the girls father owed the superinten<
ent debt and had promised paymar
out of the girls salary.
In one of our richest counties, wfief
a bunch of trustees were gathers
with some patrons to talk over conf
tions, one of the trustees arose m
pleaded for help, saying that ha ws
elected by one vote and he had to
out and hunt up that man to vote n
him in order to get there at all.
When it is realized that these d
trict trustees, of whom there q
about 5000 in the State, constitute q
most vital part of our educational m
chine, is it any wonder that the Sta
is retarded in her growth and
vancement.
would not be understood as &C
demning all trustees: we have ma
good ones, who are honestly trying
do their full duty, but unfortunatt
these kind are not in the majority
Now whose fault is this? 1t beion
more or less to all Of u.s. but primaxl
to the parents of the children who
too indolent or Indifferent to even
to the polls and vote for the right Al
OF a trustee, and take enough setI
interest in the conduct Of their schol
to see that they are conducted ON
efficient basis.
When this Office is filled with 4
OF the best men in each district. n
We shall see such a developanen4
our schools and State as has rot hs
dreamed of. There will be about a.
trustees elected in the first days
August next. Now will the people
that good men are put in or VIII u
continue to neglect IL and let II
hlled with ne'er do wells. the fncom
tent or those who have axes
grind?" sNf n rta
The wonder is not that We h
droughts. and other calamfties
that the God Of Heaven does not so
us from the face Of the earth.
John b. McFerran. Chairman
cational Committee, Louisville G
unarcfal Cluh