The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-01-17
SCAOul system

CONTINUED From First Page.)
made at the last adoption-changes
/ which cost the parents OF this state
many thousands of dollars, the cover
4 NOT, the attorney-generai and the SUI
usrlntendent of public instruction. re-
sponsible to the people. voted against
the most of these changes. and the
Esthrse professors and the two division
euperfntendents voted for them.
/ n The last primary illustrated the prac-
teal impossibility of fixing RESPONSE
hility. In that campaign each candi-
date for the office of superintendent OF
public Instruction was trying TO prove
TO voters that his opponent voted for
more changes in the school books than
he ala.
Under such conditions the people the
! puxsled and cannot get the informa-
ton upon which to base intelligent
action.
In Little Mere Than Clerk.
Section I31 Of the constitution pro-
yides that the superintendent of pub
! iio@ Instruction shall be chairman OF
the state board. of education. but he
4 is merely the presiding officer of the
board, and has no legal power what
ever ertcept his individual vote, which
| In ono among eight. The same section
provides that his duties shall be pre-
4 mora than the clerk of the board. Thus
Il we have this anomalous condition that
4 q great officer of state, elected by the
H people an. responsible TO them. is con-
: vrolied In every detail of the perform
snce OF his duties by board, the ma
jortty of which Is not elected by the
4 people and responsible to no one. IL
/ the board really does control the su"
pertntendent, as under the constitution
It Theoretically should. then the super
/ int ndent IL at a great disadvantage
because he has responsibility without
u power.
II IL the superintendent controls the
board. he has power but can divide re-
sponsibility with the board.
The fact 10. the constitution intended
So make the board the real director OF
the whole public school system. 1t has
failed to do this because such purpose
10 impossible of accomplishment
n the board really performed It's
legal functions II would be In session
SIX months In the year and could per-
form no other duties.
The result is that sometimes and in
some instances the board controls. ana
lat NOSE times and in most instances
|the superintendent controls. But there
NJ no telling when and as to what the
Y AoArd will exercise the right of control
u when and as to what the board VIII
allow the superintendent TO control
This condition necessarily brings
about an uncertainty and lack of con-
tfuuity In the school Administered ton.
To sum up: The present system Is
irresponsible and incompetent. ana "
IL necessarily irresponsible and tncom-
p9tsnt not because of the personnel OF
the men but because OF the system.
Question of salary.
The salary of the superintendent is
axed by law at S3.500 h year II the
superintsndent is a mere clerk of the
state board of education, this ts enough,
hui II he Is what he ought TO he---h
great officer of state. super1ntend4hE
khe expenditure Of millions OF money
md the management OF a vast and su-
rren7ely important governmental agen-
Isl II Is not enough,
The division superintendent ot the
,ity of Richmond gets S4.gss per year
~si4sg more than the state superin-
enasnt. and yet the Richmond division
Hwgsrinteadsnt * elected 10y n board OF
IkxKIch ths state superintendent Is
member, and 10 subordinate to the state
superintendent.
IL ts therefore anomalous and nor
onducive TO good administration thh
sa inferior Officer should be paid
luch larger salary than his superior
aaicar in the same department.. ih~
Aiary of the Richmond division super
Improved bookkeeping Essential
Considering the unworka BILE system
which the present constitution mas
ondemnei the school administration,
IL rot surprising that the financial
:. W., 4tr4s4s arra3re of the hoard or
ducat.on have been conducted with
AL .e sArd TO sound business primer
feg Under date Of January 4, 1871.
H. K. Emyth, state accountant, writes
ssat the records OF the accounts OF
ns department of public instruction
or 1915 were not completed until
sore than Ave months after the close
II that fiscal year and the RECORDS TOT
Ala were not completed for more
Mr. four months after the close Of
s,Sh fiscal year The condition or
fairs In r department which with
ery few checks disburses hundreds
VI thousands of dollars OF pubic
honey, and whose office expenses TOT
ach nScai year Ia upward OF $5o,eoa
very regretta bile.
Sometimes the entries instead OF
wing Information are misleading.
r'or instance. for the fiscal year end
- June 30. 1916, the sum of Ss.ssl."
Il entered under the head OF Gen
-, Once Expenses" when In fact
y7sgg.S7 were for salaries, and In
w, vvay there was covered up the
k1aries paid extra men.
Thus the salaries patd by the de-
n,fment for the work of the office
n that year appear an the books as
k7.3f7,a1, when II should have been
ca'TSs.TS.e or with the salary of the
Anerintendent which is pad by the
,ditor out of a special APPROPRIATION.
Y. s6e.7S The books of the depart
Ant should be kept in such way
at they are intelligibie without the
q OF an expert accountant.
Not q Real Audit.
grhe most serious defect in the bus
- management of the board or
Fncation consists In the fact that
ere Is no real accounting made by
n board OF the public moneys ex-
,rlded BY 1t. Recently. the board has
sn0frt~d y committee TO pass upon
y expenditures OF the state supertn-
ndent. but their functions do not In
nae NJ, audit In the proper sense OF
= word. In the frat place. OFFICIALS
IA epend public money should not
w. tpon the LEGALITY or propriety or
nfr own expenditures
10 illustrate the magnitude OF the
nsartions in public moneys of the
20 board OF education, call atten-
IN IN the 1915 report OF the state