Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1922-11-04
Richmond, Ky. Nov. 4, 1922

cost. Much has been sail, pro
and con, in regard to the inefi-
cheney of the present school
board and it is the general opin-
ion that they have displayed a
total lack of clear business meth
DDS and an absolute disregard
of the expenditure of "othcr Deo-
pies money"
You will note that the board,
after months of delay. issued 7
so-called financial report of re-
celpts and expenditures for the
past three years. No doubt this
delay was caused by the lack Of
a system of bookkeeping. as we
are told up to this time the ONLY
books kept were a bank book
and check book. Think OF it
these people posing as the isca'
agents of a yearly fund OF 40
to 50 thousand dollars and not 4
book showing the disposition of
a cent of the money. Tn its f.
nanclal report they make the
statement that this report is in
exact balance with the books at
the Citizens Bank" and this is the
absolute trHth, as these were the
only books they had. together
with the cancelled checks.
We understand that the board
had an expert accountant to pre-
pare this report and he has also
been employed to install and keep
a system of books. and for th,,
action the board is to be con-
graduated.
This report is vague and doe,
not enlighten the people as to
the disposition of their money ,
except in general way. How
ever, there are some things that
even he who runs may read. "
For the years 1919-2O the dis
bursements under head of Dept.
OF Administration show an eX-
penditure of only $147.1O and the
Dept. of Instruction expenditures
of $24,023.00, a total of S24. .18O1O.
Years Of 1920-21 show Dept. Of
Administration spent S2.32228: a:
Dept. of instruction SIS. $40 81
trtal $50,871.85-a difference OF
S6,69lz5 en- increase Of over 25
per cent.
This, however, is easily cx-
planned. In 1919 there is a
charge of $147,'O in the Dept. Of
Administration Gut no charge for
salaries. the salary Of the Super
intendent being included under
the head of Dept. of Instruction.
In 1920 under head of Dept. Of
Administration there is a charge
OF salaries (Supt. Payne's) Of
$2,23OOO. I
To be consistent with the ac-
count as started in 1910 the
charge of $2,230.00 should be de-
Quoted from account of Admin
istration, leaving a balance Of
$92.28 and charged to the account
of Instruction, making $50Z79. 81.
Now this doubtless will be laid
upon the new bookkeeper, but
think a minute.
In the 1919 report the Dept
Of Instruction totals $24.O33.1O
and 1920 totals $28.549.59. an in
crease of only $4,516.Oo, or about
10 per cent.
Now we don't say this wa>
done Intentionally, certainly not,
by the new bookkeeper-far be it
from us-but isn't it calculated
to create false impression as
to the actual increases Of expen-
ditures by sub-dividing and sep
arating the items?
Also note in passing, the sal
airy under head of Administration
(Supt. Payne's) is not given ir
1919; in 1920 it is $4,000: !
1921 it is $2,550.0O-a slight in
crease and still going up.
There are other inconsistencies
in the report that we pass, but
to sum it all up the report does
not enlighten or clarity the sit
uation. The real thing the peo-
pie want to know is what has
become of the money from bond
issue and insuranCe-for what
and to whom paid? On this sub
iect the report is silent and we
have no definite data to 60 upon
The board received $28,OOO.OO
insurance and $4,000 from bonds
.$108,00O.0O in all.
The article, signed by a num-
Der of Our prominent citizens,
tells you that Madison High will
cost Gin round numbers) $780,
10000 and the addition to color
ed school $4,000. No other
sums are mentioned. nor d. they
seem concerned about anything
else except to excuse the board