The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-04-24
FUNDS
AUDIT IS READ
BEFORE BOARD


In the report Of the s. e. Sims
Audit company on the results Of
tie examination Of the administra-
Tim ol the once Of county superin-
t1ndent Of schools by Miss Lou II
Harris bstWeen Dee. /. 1918, and
March Is. 1890. submitted to the
hoard oe supervisors yesterday att
eenoon, the business methods q
Miss Harris are characterised Is
.exceedingly LOOSE the coalition
Hyh3ch accounts and files were
gp1Ad beiug simDly inexcusabae and
uhaccounted for except by reason
r. gross inattsntion and neglect"
me report was compiled under
- direc4ion Of the committee on
5lce, md was conducted IN .
III, thorough and systematic
1ne9, all 4 books, records, &C.
fQ9nts and vouchers coming IN for
SS1ction. Il states that no report
taoever relating to the admin
Hon Of the Office had been
> by Miss Harris since the date
s|bf HE close Of the last examination,
Dd4. l, 1918. No entry Of any kind
gsh6wing either receipt Of disburse-
fmant Of the institute fund was
found in the account with such
3 fund since Dec. /, 1918.
Distributive Fund.
The receipts of this fund during
the period under examination were
obtained from the auditor Of pub
lie accounts At Springfield, cover
+ ing the amount paid to Miss Harris
from the state school fund In the
year Of 1919 for distribution to the
/ various townships Of the county, to
/ which was added the amount re-
!: manning in Miss Harris hands on
Dec. l, 1918. Information a. to the
various amounts paid out By Miss
1 Harris was obtained from the town
l ship school treasurers.
Balances OF $4,000 were found
i to be remaining in the hands Of
Miss Harris on the date OF the clos
ing Of the last examination. A
sum Of $5,27S.43 represents the
( balance Of the amount received BY
Her for general distribution which
was withheld and still remained in
! her hands on Dec. /. 1918. A third
item, $39,729.93 was the amount
! received BY Miss Harris on April /.
! 1913, from the state school fund,
! as shown by the statement received
from the auditor Of public accounts
These combined make . total of
SAT POSES charged to the account
--0f Miss Harris on account OF the
distributive fund.
The sum of $45.392.1s comprises
the specific amounts shown by Miss
Harris In her book Of account with
the distributive fund, as remaining
in her hands for distribution to the
various townships. The various
amounts paid Is testified to by the
township treasurers leave q balance
due OF $9O1.03. In this instance the
balance due Moline was $76S49
Rock Island is shown with q pait
in full amount. It is shown thai
Miss Harris distributed $3S3.S2 IL
1919 in excess Of the amount ir
her hands available for such pur-
pose.- This is held to be an error
and It is recommended by the aud
iting company that the present sup
intendent, Justin Washburn, wher
making the distribution for 1920
withhold this amount and the sam'
b applied on balances shown re
manning due the several townships
from distributions Of 1918 AM
U prior years.
Institute Fund.
No entry was made in the &C
count with this fund kept in tn
Office since Dec. !. 1918. All appli
cations for certificates, registra
tons and renewals and the CORES
pondence with reference thereto re
manning in the Office. was found t,
be in chaotic and disordere,
state.
considering the volume of al
business transacted in the Office
the amount Of compensation pai,
the superintendent, and the amour