The log cabin Democrat., 1920-09-07

Arkansas Gazette, September 7.) Charges that school districts in the state had padded the school emu meration lists were made yesterday by the state board of education in con nection with the statement approving school apportionments.
 After long discussion, the board members finally decided to proceed with the apportionment of school funds and to recommend to Attorney General Arbuckle that he at once take steps to punish the guilty per sons.
 Some members urged that the board refuse to approve the appor- tlonment, but against this it was urged that this action would tie up the en- tire state tax school fund for a year. The law provides that the law must make the apportionment on the first Monday in September. It was urged that 1t would be unjust to withhold funds from all the districts including those that have made honest enumer- ations and that the padding" was matter for criminal prosecution in the courts, because the board was power less to remedy the evil even though 1t had sufficient evidence before it. l In several counties, it was found. there was a great discrepancy between the population as given by the census records of the current year and the apportlonment number of children re- ported by the enumerators. It was also found in going over the lists that the 1920 reports were in many instan- ces out of proportion to the reports of the last two years.
 As the amount of the county appor- tlonment depends upon the number of children of school age given in the re- port, the temptation, according to J. L. ond,state superintendent of pub lls instruction, Is very great to make the number as large as possible, and the overcountlng of children is a prac- tlce winch has come before the board Tn previous years. The custom of paylng the school enumerators fixed sum for each name handed in, has also served to foster the "padding" ot the lists in the beginning, he said
 lhls might be eliminated, he said. oy paylng the enumerators a definite sum for their services, irrespective of the number of children counted. The matter of penaIizing those persons who might be evolved in the false emu meratlon, otherwise, was taken up by the board ln resolution as follows:
 W hereas 1t appears to the State Board of Education by the best evi- dence before it that many school dis trlcts Tn Arkansas have added names to thelr enumeration for the purpose ol increasing the amount they would receive from the state school fund tax
 And whereas this evidence is not sufficient to warrant the board in Withholding the school funds from the many districts in the state who have made honest enumerations; and where as, as now devised, the board under the law is obliged to make the apnnor- tlonment of these funds on the first Monday in September:
 And whereas, even though the board had sufficient evidence before It, It would be powerless to remedy this evil:
 Ana whereas, to refuse to approve the apportionment as suggested by the state superintendent of education. would tie up the entire school tax fund the first Monday in September, 1921:
 Therefore, be it resolved, that we recommend the attorney-general of the state of Arkansas that he ascertain what may be done under the law to brlng the parties guilty of this conduct 10 justice, and that he take such steps as are warranted to accomplish this result.
 Therefore, be it further resolved. that the apportionment as made by the State Superintendent of Education IS hereby approved; and We recom- mend to the state legislature that if the attorney-gen finds that the laws as are now written are not suf ficient to meet this evil, that law be enacted to stop this practice in the state"
 The per capita amount apportioned yesterday by the state board of edu- cation was $2.58. The amount avail able in the common school fund for apportionment according to the aud itor's statement was $1,744152.53, The total enumeration of children of schoolage in the state. compiled by the state board of education was 676.0O9