Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1921-02-03

4 ,
soeelon I'm Fort rim Depenaaent Upon
Action Of Gen( AL Asl1embly. 3
Unless the GenG raj Assembly ap-
propriates before the end OF the
present session. about three weeks
away, approximately $17o,000 to
care for the def1ciGpcy due numerous
school districts thrsoughout the State
as result of the net of 1870 guar
anteeing an increse for public school
teachers, the present session OF the
Fort Mill graded school probably
will come to a close during the month
of April, yesterday said one Of the
trustees OF the sch ool. The 1870
act provided a substantial Increase
for the public school teachers WHOSE
districts took steps to meet the re-
quirementso the act, and the Fort
Mill school district came within the
provisions OF the act- The increased
salaries for the Fort Mill teachers
did not take effect uptil the begin
ming Of the present session the first
of last September.
The amount the General Assembly
last year agreed to appropriate for
the teachers but failed through in
,advertence to make was considered
sufficient guarantee that the States
part Of the money would be forth
coming at the present session OF the
General Assembly to warrant the
trustees. of many school districts In
borrowing the money they expected
to get from the State to repay the
loans It will be necessary for them to
make. The trustees OF the Fort Mill
graded school would have to borrow
considerable sum to run the school
during April and May and had ex-
pected to pledge In payment of the
loan the amount 1t was thought the
State would furnish under the salary
act. If the State fails to provide
the money to cover the loan 1t is
said that the only alternative for the
trustees is for the school to close for
about two months of the session.
An interesting story comes from
Columbia in connection with the hes
itancy of the General Assembly to
make the deficiency appropriation
for the teachers The application of
the State superintendent. of educa-
ton for this purpose is about $780,
600. and thereto hangs the tale. The
act obligating the State to pay part
Of the teachers salaries became ef-
fective when 1t was approved by the
governor, early in March OF last year.
Members of the General Assembly
who assisted in passing the act say
that 1t was the intention of the Gen.
eral Assembly to have the new
schedule of teacher salaries begin
with the opening of the 1920-21 ses-
sion Of the schools.
The State superintendent of educa-
ton, however, held that the law
became effective with the opening Of
the schools in the fall of 1919, about
six months beforeSt the law was pass
cd, and he advised the trustees of
numerous school districts throughout
the increased teacher salaries from
that date. Twenty-odd thousand dol
lars. 1t is said. has been paid teach
ers as a result of the retroactive
construction placed upon the law by
the State superintendent. The GEN.
eral Assembly is said to object espe-
cially to providing money with which
to pay this sum and the State super
intcndent has been accused of acting
in a high-handed manner. 1t is point
ed out that he should have requested
the attorney general to construe the
law for him instead of undertaking
to do 1t himself. Complaint also Is
made in the General Assembly that at
the 1920 session the State superin-
tendent applied for only $4,000
to guarantee the States part Of the
and that now he comes in with a
bill for this purpose amounting to
$4,000.