The Green Forest tribune., 1915-04-30

| proved by hlm ne mas the authority to | give the teacher authority to teach in | any county in this State under this ! license for a term of two years, for which there should be paid a fee of s1 1 into the State treasury.
 we find under the two former heads 1 that in accordance with the books of 1 the department there is a shortage of $1,o50 (See page A., accountants re- port). that has not been paid into the State treasury.
 We further find by correspondence with county examiners and county su- | perintendents over the State, that there are many State and professional li | ceases issued over the State that the | records of the superintendent's office do not show; nor do the treasurers l books show receipt of the money paid | therefor. For list of teachers holding licenses, whose names are shown on | departments books. we refer you to ac- countants' report on Receipts from teachers certificates as per teachers books from page i to page 1 F. We recite one instance wherein Senator John l.. Carter of Eudora, Chicot coun- ty, Arkansas, holds a State license. good for life, for which he paid S10 His name does not appear on the rec ords of the superintendent of public in struction. We also refer to the fact that U. c. Barnett of Dermott Chicot county, Ark, holds a professional li- cense that is not shown by the records of this office, and many, many others as shown by the report and correspond ence in the hands of this committee that space prevents us from mention ing. Such acts by State official need no comment.
 S5S2 Turned In.
 we further find that examination for certificates of statewide authority has been forwarded to the department of education. according to amounts turned into the treasury, to the num- Der of 5S2, which, at S1 each, has net ted the amount of s52S to the treas ury. This sum has been turned in by said department to the State treasury since this committee began it's work, although it had been accommodating since the authorization of such certifi- cates by the laws of the State. Of these examinations mailed to the de- partment by county examiners and county superintendents over the State, being examinations sufficient to justify the issuance of first grade license by the county examiner or county super intendent, 351 have been graded by Miss Hazel Gill, who, we are advised, is the youngest daughter of Ray Gill, deputy superintendent of public in struction and a pupil in the High School of the City of Little Rock, in stead of by officials of the depart ment. We do not think such action by the department of education could pos slbly be appreciated by the examiners of the State and the teachers holding said licenses. The remaining 194 ex- aminations are shown to have been graded by w. A. Gibson, who, as we are advised. is the husband of Mrs Gib- son, an employe of the department. To Miss Gill were issued vouchers to the sum of $351, and to MT. Gibson s194 for these examinations, said vouchers be- ing paid by the treasury long before the S5S2 was turned into the treasury by the department.
 The committee draws no conclusion as to what the developments might have been had this investigation never been instituted hnt lea the h1io to drsAv it's conclusion from the facts as shown on pages 13, 35 and 36 of &C., countants' report on the file with the governor of this tSate.
 We further find from the report of our accountants a number of vouchers issued for travelling expenses to the su- perintendent of public instruction and to other persons in the employ of the department of education While we have not been able to continue our in vestfgation as we wished to do by talk ing testimony, we are advised by good authority that the superintendent of public instruction has a pass, at least over the Iron Mountain railroad. If this is true we are unable to see hoy the superintendent of public instruc- tion could incur travf4ing expenses. We also find but very feH of the warrants issued to the superintendent of public instruction for travelling expenses itemized, as required by law. On page 2S of the accountants report will be found total of $61105 for travelling expenses paid to the superintendent of public instruction personally, and none of same is itemized as the Jaw directs.
 Employment Bureau.
 Tt is quite apparent from our inyes- tgatlon that the public funds have been unnecessarily spent in utter dis regard of the State laws governing such expenditures.
 We find from correspondence that there is a Teachers Employment Bu- reau, with headquarters in Little Rock. Ark, the officials of which, as shown by their letter heads, are Mrs. Phoebe Ray Gill president, and Miss Hazel Gill, secretary, who are respectively the wife and young daughter of Ray Gill, who is deputy superintendent of public instruction, and many people be- ieve this Teachers Employment Blu feau is so organized that it may be run in connection with the State depart ment for the sole purpose of thereby using the influence of said department for personal gain: We make no charge in this, but merely make the statement that the public may be advised of the apparent conditions.
 Heating Plants.
 "We also find that the Waterman Waterbury Company of Minneapolis, Minn., J. l.. Waterbury, secretary, are manufacturers and jobbers of heating plants for school buildings, and is rec commended to the schools of the State by our superintendent, and find
 nat George B. Cook, superintendent of public instruction of the State of Ar kansas is vice president of the firm of James L. Waterbury Company, Minne- apolis, Minn., who. from their corre- spondence, appear to be dealing in real estate and otherwise. All of the above shows some apparent connection that should be more thoroughly investiga- ted as some people might infer from the connection that our superintendent is interested and using his official po- sition in boosting the sale of these heating plants for his own personal and financial gain. w make no charge of misconduct in this, but merely give the public our meager information be- cause we believe that the people have the right to know whether or not their officers are in any way connected or used in private affairs.
 Auditors Office.
 "The accountants had only comple- ted checking about one-half or two-- thirds of the office of State auditor. and it is impossible for us to give any re- port from unfinished work, but will say that it is quite apparent from our | nVestigation, so far as made that there are fragrant errors and omissions in said department, characterized with | utter and startling disregard for the l law in regard to the issuance of veuch- l CTS for money that has been drawn on