The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1914-10-29
An Equalizing Fund.

An Equalizing Fund.
There is stipulation in the general
education bill that 10 per cent of that
fund shall go to equalizing the COM
mon school terms, consolidating
schools and so ON. Prof. P. P. Clax-
ton, now United States commissioner
OF education, got it UP. theoretically
| it is all right. The funds are dis
! tributed in direct ratio to the wealth
of the counties and in inverse ratio
to the population, or some way like
that.
There isn't mathematician in Ten
nessee smart enough to figure it out
1t never has been figured out exactly.
We find Prof. Bynum engaged as a
committee figuring this out, and get
ting paid for it. Truth is, Prof. By
mum and his house get about $500 or
$500 a year from the state figuring
out things, acting on committees,
grading papers and SO on.
Probably it is all right to pay out
all this under the eyes of Thompson,
but it looks little careless. 1t shows
that somebody needs to be on the job
looking after things instead of rip
ping around over the state spending
money.
Hooper and Mr.. Clark.
Gov. Hooper knows exactly what is
going on. If he doesn't he ought to.
Under the constitution he is charged
with seeing that the laws shall be
faithfully executed. The trouble is
that there is too much politics in the
department of public instruction.
Hooper has republicanized the state
board of health, the agricultural de-
partment and the penitentiary, and
now they are trying to republicanize
Former governors have seen to ii
all right that friends of the admins
tration were taken care of in legiti-
mate way. But that is no excuse for
present conditions. The department
is conducted in a loose, lax and un-
systematic manner, the money comes
and goes wastefully and the children
of Tennessee suffer.
The state auditor, Mr.. Clark, has
audited the department of public in
and will submit his report /
to Hoope1-after the election. Hoop |
er ought to make that report public. |
1t ought to wake the people up to the
carless manner in which the greatest |
of the state government is
being run.
Total Expense of $4,000.
Since July /, 1913, a little more than
| year ago, the most conservative es-
innate shows that the overhead ex-
)ense, salaries, travelling expenses
md SO on of the department is at
east $45, 900, and it is nearer $4,000.
When the biennial period closes,
lext June 30, the people of Tennessee
will be surprised to know that his ex-
,ense has gone to between $4,000 and
100000.
This is entirely to much.
Under the general education bill the
chools get 33 1-3 per cent of the gross
evenues of the state. This will
mount to about $2,SOO,OOO for the BIZ
nnial period ending next June 80. To
his must be added the $4,000 on the
imaginary school fund, about 100000 /,
f which will get to the children. The /
ther goes for overhead expense. OF
his general fund 81 per cent goes to
he common schools; 10 per cent to !
qualizing common schools, 8 per cent 2
0 high schools, per cent to libraries, =
per cent to the University of Tonnes
ee and Is per cent to the normals.
So it is that on next June 80 the
tate will have received approximate
Y $2,950000 from all purposes for N
chools. The children will get about C
2 $4,000. And if the grading BUSH
ess keeps up lot of graders will i,
ave received about $4,000 that the p
eachers put up.
OF course, one answer is that the :,
chool system is big thing, and must s
e looked after. d
1t is big thing. It's about the big a
est thing in Tennessee. The people n
( Tennessee have about $15,000.00 n
lvested in school buildings and ap- il
aratus, and they spend 100000 a
ear to keep this great machine run II
ing.
1t is a big thing. For that reason,
no other, the people have right
!, demand that 1t should be run prop )