Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1923-04-12
Protest Against v
Diverting School Fund
Ben Hill County Board Educa-
ton Pass Resolutions Condem-
ing Practice Of State

The Ben Hill County Board of Ed
ucation, at it's last meeting adopted
strong resolutions condemning the di-
version of school funds to other pur-
poses, Governor Hardwick and Comp
troller General, Wright. being the Of
f'cers to whom petitions and resolu-
tons are being directed. The recent
Legislature appropriated $4,225,0OO for
the common schools of the state, on
the assumption that the States reve-
nue. would be So, 100000 in addition to
this the legislature provided that one
half OF the States revenue above that
anticipated amount should go to the
Common School fund. 1t now ap-
pears that the income of the State will
be nearly ten million, thus five hundred
thousand dollars should be paid addi-
tional to the school fund of the state.
The attention of the local board be-
ing called to this, the following reso-
buttons were adopted and forwarded to
the Governor, Comptroller General
Wright and the State School Superin-
rendent, Parks.
The Resolutions
Whereas, the General Assembly of
Georgia by special act has declared
that one-half of the states total in
come shall be expended for the sup
port of the common schools of the
State; and,
Whereas, the amount of $4,250,000
only has been paid to the common
schools for 1922, although we aer re-
l7oh sr,f0rY,1a1 A6a& ho4o1
income for that year will be in ex-
cess of $9,500,000, and,
Whereas, in practically all of the
counties of the state the work of edu-
cation is badly hampered by lack of
funds, and in some counties the schools
have been forced to close; therefore,
be it
Resolved by the Board of Educa-
ton of Ben Hill county in regular
meeting assembled,
First, That We earnestly and SOL
EMMY protest against any deviation
fro mthe above named provisions of
the appropriation bills, and
Second, That we earnestly request
the proper authorities of the state, re-
gardless of all other appropriations,
to find some means, as has always
been done heretofore, by which the
common schools will receive every
penny of the amount appropriated to
them for 1922.
Third, That copies of these reso-
1utions be sent to the Governor OF
the State, the comptroller general and
the state school superintendent, and
that a \copy be filed with the records
of this board"
Members of the Ben Hill county
Board of Education and others take
the position as do other boards in this
section, that every dollar that went
into the state treasury as 1922 revenues
50 cents belonged to the common
schools, and could not lawfully be
diverted to any other issues 1t has
been stated that as the Legislature
appropriated more monty for all pur-
poses than there was revenue to meet
the state officials are justified in pay
ing such of them as are most urgent
But the school boards insist that moth
ing is more urgent than the needs OF
schools, and cite the fact that in some
of the counties the schools have been
forced to shut down. In others it
has been necessary to reduce teachers
salaries. And in contending for the
rights of the schools, emphasis is
placed by the county boards on the
fact that 50 per cent of all State
revenues belongs to the schools the
moment those revenues enter the
treasury, and that therefore the
school funds are not available for
any other use. Appropriations made
and to be paid out of "any money that
may be in the treasury" cannot be. paid
out of school money, it is insisted, for
the very good reason that the act OF
the Legislature anticipates all reve-
nues by setting aside half of every
dollar collected for the schools, be-
fore it is collected.
Many of the counties in the state
have had hard struggle the. past
wear with their common school prob
lens.
In moving to get the 100000 to
| S750,O0O still due the schools, if the
Information they have is correct as
10 the states income, the county school
boards feel that they are doing no
more than their duty, for they feel
that the common schools are entitled
10 every dollar the Legislature in
tended they should receive
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