The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1921-10-28
SUPERINTENDENT
COURTS INVESTIGATION
continued from page u

ter considering the matter called III
at said meeting Mr.. j S. Stephens,
the state auditor, who was then here
and fully explained the apparent
crookedness on the part of the clerk
to Mr. Stephens. and sought his adj
vice in reference thereto. II was the
concensus of the meeting that as Mr..
Woodland was sick it would be advis-
able to wait ON him and have him
to come before the board and explain
the matter. it being thought that he
probably could give a satisfactory
explanation of it, This was done, and
when the board realized that there
was CroOkedness on his part. we en-
deavored 20 obtain from him as much
security for his shortage as was pos
sible
With reference to section ASS of the
revised general statutes of Florida,
say that we have followed the con
struction of said statutes ms given to
us by our attorney. His construction
OF said statute was that the board
was limited to so per cent of its es-
I timated income in reference to max
ing loans; that if they borrowed up to
4 so per cent of such estimate then the
board could not borrow any further
sum for the next year until such in
debtedneSS was settled: that if they
did not borrow the so per cent then
the board could obtain further loans
and was not compelled to settle the
Indebtedness or to refund the same
before doing so; that if they could
not pay the Indebtedness but would
have to issue renewal warrants and
interest warrants, then the board
would be paying interest on interest
We have never borrowed so per cent
of our estimated income: in fact, our
! Indebtedness is far below any such
percentage.
With reference to the employment
of an attendance-officer. say that we
were unable to employ competent
person for such position at a salary
of not less than one hundred and sew
enty-five to two hundred dollars per
month. We desired to practice the ut
most economy and hence deemed it
proper to have Mr.. Woodland as chief
clerk in the office to collect the nee
cSsary data as required by law and to
formulate and preserve the same. We
thought that we were meeting the re-
quirementS Of the law and saving to
the school children of the said coun-
ty some money and also having all
the necessary data the law required
In order for Mr. Woodland to attend
to this matter we employed a typist
to assist him. BY pursuing this course
we saved the county at least 500 per
month and administered the law as
required by the statutes
AS to the non-observance of section
454 we regarded the requirements
thereof as to making reports to the
clerk as simply directory to the board
Our Office force was kept busy, and
the general public ut any time could
have access to the boards proceed
ings and records While we were
satisfied that the tax collector of this
county was accounting to us or to
| the Repositories for the poll taxes col
lected by him. we, however. as u mat
ter Of fact have twice this year direct
ed The clerk Of the board to make
such examinations of the tax collec-
| tors Office, and such clerk each time
reported to us that he had made such
examination and found everything
correct.
As to the alleged incompctency of
G. b. Murrell and G. \. Parker, Mr..
Murrell is business man at Lakeland
] and has been Il member of the board
for number of years, and was the
chairman thereof during the last term
and is now its chairman. Before be-
| coming Il member of the board he
was for number OF years school
, district trustee at Lakeland and we
I know that he has at heart the wei
/ fare of our public schools. Mr. Parker
was elected county superintendent in
1912 and was superintendent for four
years. up to 1917, and he was re-
/ elected last year. The people of the
! county must have had confidence in
both Mr. Murrell and Mr. Parker to
have kept them in school offices so
! long. We regard the criticisms
against them as unjust and probably
petty. We know nothing of the al
/ legged partnership between Mr.. Wood
ard and Mr.. Moore, while he was SUI
/ perintendent. and Mr.. Mathews in
reference to buying tax certificates.
We never knew of such relation be.
! tween them. We do not see, however,
/ that such a relation could have
stamped them with dishonesty or
! should have interfered with their
honest discharge of office duties.
We deplore the shortage in this Of
/ flee. We are average citizens meet
ing as board once or twice month
! We had confidence, as we have said
in the clerk of the board and also
confidence in the superintendent as
secretary. There are many hundred
warrants to be signed at the meet
! ings of the board and the chairman
can only sign such warrants rather
mechanically relying upon the eff
cheney of the superintendent as sec
rotary of the board and that of the
clerk, in seeing that such warrants
were properly drawn. We have dis
charged our duties faithfully, the best
way we knew how, and any investi-
CATION that your excellency desires to
make of this Office we will render ev-
cry possible assistance in the matter.
Yours very respectfully,
The Board of Public instruction for
\. DOLL