The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1924-08-22
ROBERT LARSON
WHAT NEXT!

Last Saturday | was writing a let
ter, and needing some information
from the Clerk and Recorders Office
l stepped in there to get it. There
are fourteen county employees in that
office, but there was no one to wait on
me. / could not finish my letter with
out the information sought, and as
there were numberless other things
demanding immediate attention at my
own Office-there are not fourteen on
the payroll there, there is not even
the deputy provided by laW-I stepped
to the door of the next room, where
/ could hear the voice of the Clerk
who l thought could get me the in
formation. Imagine my amazement
and indignation when upon opening
Nthe door | saW-cne, two, three, four.
five, six, seven Of the county employ
Pes, hired to work for the county in
the Clerk and Recorders Office,
making porch curtains
for Mrs. O'Grady. l thought the pub
lie might appreciate this information
Ask the two women who are seek
ing your endorsement at the coming
detection on the Republican ticket
whether or not they were members of
this sewing party, they might like an
opportunity to explain. At least enc
of them will not deny it, and, be it
said to her credit neither will she offer
9 word in defense of it. Are not these
women in good hands for training as
cid gang Office holders?
And now, while we are about it, let
us go back for a moment to the ques-
ton of help in the County Superin-
tendent's Office. Section 975 of the
Schools Laws page Is in your 1923
lcopy-provides as follows:-
''The county Commissioners Of
counties having not fewer than
seventy-fve public school teachers
in districts of the third class, shall
i appoint one deputy other than the
Acierk for every five teachers in such
districts, from q list furnished by
the county uperintendent Such
deputies shall hold a Montana GER
tiicate not less in value than a pro-
fessiOnal grade certificate, and shall
be paid a salary of S125.00 Per
month and actual travelling expen-
Ises.
There are 112 teachers in third
class districts in this county. This
means a full time deputy, but I have
found that with the help of a good,
all-arOund 500 a month assistant,
and by working overtime several
hours a day, myself, staying at the
Office as late as one and two o'clock in
the morning at times, to get work off
on time, We can manage without the
help Of a third party a part of the
time, and if / could call in help when
1t IS positively necessary l should be
glad to Go this, as my bit in the inter
ests Of economy these hard times. But
Messers. Tyler and Ibsen of the Board
OF County Commissioners refuse eth
er to approve the appointments /
make or to pay the help l secure, tho
they make no pretense at claiming
that this help is lacking in proper
qualifications. They even refused,
this summer, to appoint a member of
the County Examining Board to take
the place eff Prof. Hoffland who left
the state for the summer. AS Prof.
Ffelsleben who is the other member
OF this Examining Board, could not
get away because of the illness Of his
wife, this left the County Superintend-
ent unassisted to take care of the ex-
records of over 400 seventh
and eighth graders who took the ex-
amlnauons this spring-an impossible
TASK, II other official duties were to
nave consideration. Miss Wuest was
recommended in accordance with Sec.
lO9O Page 81 in 1923 Copy OF Mon
tana School Laws which reads:-
In each county there shall be a
Board of County Examiners com
posed of the County Superintendent
OF schools who shall be ex-Oficio
chairman of the board, and two
competent persons recommended
by the County Superintendent. ap-
pointed by the Board of County
commissioners who at the time of /
Lhelr appointment shall be resi-
dents of the county and shall have
been actively engaged in teaching
Tor a period of at least eighteen
months. Two members of this
Board shall constitute a quorum for
the transactions of business. IF va
cancies occur in these positions dur-
ing the terms for which their in
cumbents were appointed. their suc-
Gessors shall be appointed to serve
during unexpired terms only"
Miss Wueset worked one hundred
I've hours on these records. Had it
lot been for her assistance, the sew
nth and eighth graders would not
now yet whether or not they passed
ne spring examinations; yet Mess'rs
yler and Ibsen refuse her a warrant
or TINS work, despite the fact that
mere was plenty left in the examina-
ION fund provided by the County
uperlntendent's budget for this pur-
llsS Wuest also worked solid month
n the financial report, for which