The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-01-30
BLAME ON KNAPP
Miss Wooster Places RESPONSE
bIIity for Vocational Fund.
She Insists That Payment for
Work Was All Right.
BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETS
Members Fear Loss Of. Govern
ment Appropriation.
Money Was Used for Incidental
Office Expenses.

In advance OF a meeting of the state
board of education in the state house
this afternoon several members Of the
board urged an investigation OF the
of state appropriations for vocational
training by Miss, Lorraine E. Wooster,
state superintendent of public in
struction. The fund is appropriated
TO the credit of the state board. Re
Gently Miss Wooster used portion of
the fund for improvement of her Of
fices and for payment of telegraph
and telephone bills.
A number of members of the state
board came to Topeka Thursday and
this morning. Recent announcement
of use of the funds for vocational
training by Miss Wooster's department
created much discussion. The fund
was provided by the legislature to du-
plicate a fund by the federal govern
ment for vocational traing in public
schools of the. state. In view of the
fact that the money is provided for
specific purpose, several board mem
bers question Miss Wooster's legal au-
thority to draw on the fund for her
own office expeses-at least without
authority from government sources.
Endanger State Appropriation.
Il do not want to be placed in the
position of making forecasts" one
board member stated this morning,
but 1 am sure that there is an honest
desire by a majority Of the board to
know just why Miss Wooster drew
warrants on this fund and why such
warrants were paid. The most serious
side of the entire matter is the fact
that Kansas might lose her federal APP
preparation by such use of the dupli-
cate fund"
1t is the possible danger of loss Or
the federal voca tional fund that re-
strains board of education members
from frank and open statements. altho
there is much candid man-to-ma dis
cussion. Several members today ven
tured assertions to friends that they
would ask for statement from Miss
Wooster concerning use of the fund.
Incidental business connected with
the affairs of the state board Of edu-
cation, will be taken up at the days
meeting in Miss Wooster's office in the
state house.
Responsibility on Knapp.
Asked by the State Journal for a
statement regarding use of the voca-
tionaI fund. Miss Wooster this after
noon passed the responsibility to Fred
w. Knapp, state auditor. She denied
that she knew warrants for various
expenses had been paid from the vo-
cationaI fund or that she had arranged
with the auditors office to make pay
ment from this fund before vouchers
were signed.
IN neE statement Inns dllSEHOOh MISE
Wooster puts the entire burden on the
auditors office.
II don't know what fund these bills
have been paid from" Miss Wooster
asserted. That is a matter for you to
take up with Mr.. Knapp. the state
auditor. I know he wouldn't pay any
bills which were not all right. And
besides 1 have letters from him that
these payments were all right"
Asked of she regarded use OF the
vocational fund for decoration Of her
office misuse of the state appropria-
ton, Miss Wooster replied: Il don't
know That is something you can ask
Mr. Knapp about. L just signed the
vouchers and he paid the bills
did you arrange in advance of the
work to make payment from the voca-
tional funds?" Miss Wooster was
asked.
Il Just told Mr.. Knapp to pay the
bill from whatever funds we had. I
think anything that is said about the
matter ought to come from him"