Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1914-01-30
THE NEW SCHOOL FUND LAW.

The NEW SCftOOs tOND LAW.
After a study of the law which
makes the county treasurer custodian
of the funds Of every school district
and abolishes the many school district
treasurers, this paper is convinced
that the new order Of things will work
to the advantage of the school dis
tricts as a whole, the teachers who
draw monthly salary warrants. and
the banks or others who cash the
warrants, and the public.
Under the old order of things, the
officers of each school district issued
warrants every month for the salaries
OF the district teachers. If there were
a bank within the district, the bank
probably had on deposit the funds of
the district. and even If there were no
funds to the credit of the district the
banker would be in a position to know
that the warrants were drawn in a
manner prescribed by law, and hence
valid and in such districts teachers
warrants would be cashed at par by
these banks, whether the actual cash
was to the credit of the district or
not. In most of the school districts,
there are no banks, and after receiv-
ing their salary warrants teachers
were obliged to get them cashed wher-
ever they could, a big per cent of them
bringing their warrants to Durant
banks All that the face of the war
rants would show was to whom pay
able, and the amount and by what dis
trict issued. On the stub end of the
warrants would appear the total es-
innate for he districts expense for the
year, warrants drawn to date, and the
balance Of the estimate for that dis
trict. Other than that the bank that
was asked to cash the warrants would
know nothing Of the warrant. Wheth-
er the district treasurer had cash TO
take It up Immediately or whether the
warrant was legally drawn the bank
would not know, and would be unable
to ascertain save at considerable time
and trouble by way CT correspondence.
Hence the bank who cashed the war
rants under such circumstances took
several chances on getting their mon
ey back We are advised that in some
cases the treasurer through careless
ness or ignorance of the law paid war
rants Of later date and issues and
number and left older warrants high
and dry without any funds with which
to pay them. Under the new order
of things the county treasurer is Gus
todian OF the funds of every district.
Each month the teacher presents to
the district sworn claim as to the
amount due and If correct the trustees
issue a warrant which is then present
ed to the county treasurer. If that
particular district has the cash, he is
sues a check Immediately. II funds
are not available, the warrant is reg
istered by the treasurer and any bank
in the county will cash the warrant
at par. II the bank is in doubt as tc
the validity OF the warrant, a tele'
phone call to the treasurer will give
the exact status Of the thing, and tn
banks are safe.
In times past persons who have
cashed school warrants have beer
made the loser, for the reason tha
warrants, while drawn in good faitt
by the district officers, would yet bc
invalid as they did not comply will
the legal requirements. Under thu
new order such thing is impossible
The same proposition. obtains as re
CARDS township warrants, amont
which more trobule has arisen thai
over school district warrants
The requirement that teachers ant
others having claims against a schoo
district present sworn claims is moth
ing new, as We understand it. It 4
a feature of the old law which is nov
being enforced. Our information Il
that some Of the districts of the coun
~ have heretofore disergarded tina
requirement in issuing warrants.