Carolina watchman., 1936-05-08
Sandy Graham
Makes Statement

Raleigh, May 7-Sandy Graham
candidate for the Democratic
nomination for Governor, today is
sued the following statement:
"A candidate for Governor OF
North Carolina who poses as ar
expert in education and taxation
has attacked the honesty and inte-
gritty of the members of the State
School Commission. For the first
time in my memory major State
agency is held up before our peo-
pie with the hint of scandal
breathed upon it. This man seek.
self advancement and is ruthless
as to the methods he employs for
his own ends. I quote Ralph w,
Mcdonald: all State funds will
be honestly and efficiently account
ed and audited. The State School
Commission now spends more thar
twenty million dollars annually
and its accounts are never inde-
pendently audited. These con-
ditions are unwholesome and shoulo
not be allowed to exist.
''Who composes the State School
Commission? In addition to the
Lieutenant Governor, who by
virtue of that office is chairman
the membership is: The State
Treasurer, Charles M. johnson, the
State Superintendent of Public In
struction, Clyde A. Erwin, Taylor
B. Atmore of Washington, George
C. Green of Weldon, A. Mel. Ora
ham of Clinton, Frank P. Spruill
of Rocky Mount, John H. Folger
of Mount Airy, Henry R. Dwire
of Duke University at Durham,
John A. Oates of Fayetteville, Ed
win Pate of Laurinburg, B. B.
Daugherty of Boone, w. Grady
CASTOR of Gastonia, o. ]. Holler of
Union Mills. The characters of
these men are Ewing refutafion
of any charge Of rascaliry.
''In further refutation, the facts
are that the members of the State
School Commission do not either
as individuals or as Commission
spend one penny of the more than
100000 which North Carolina
provides for the operation of the
public schools. This immense
amount of money appropriated by
the General Assembly, is collected
from taxes and deposited in the
State Treasury, and the State Treas
urer is under ample bond to por-
tect it and all the other State
funds. This money is spent by
warrants attesting the purpose and
signed by the County Superinten-
dent of Schools and the Chairman
of the County Board of Education.
or in municipal special charter dis
tricts by the City Superintendent of
Schools and the Chairman of the
City School Board. These war
rants, originating in local county or
city administration agencies, are
audited by the State Auditor and
must receive his approval before
payment is made by the State Treas
urer.
From the beginning when taxes
are collected until the end when
a warrant is issued to pay a teach
er's salary or the wage of a bus
driver the State School Commission
neither sees or handles one penny
of money. Its sole function is to
ascertain the needs and wit. j,1stic~
pro rate the funds appropriated by
the General Assembly among che
counties and cities that equal op-
portunity shall be afforded every
boy and girl attending school,
whether it be in the small County
of Clay or the empire of Robson.
''The implication of crookednese
laid upon the State School Com
mission does not stop there. 1t
reaches out to throw cloud of
suspicion upon every County
Superintendent of Schools in
North Carolina, upon every City
Superintendent, upon the members
of every County Board of Educa-
ton, the members of every city
school committee. 1t is blanket
charge. The man who makes it
must know it is not true.
'The law under which the public
schools are operated was enacted
by the General Assembly of 1885.
Ralph w. Mcdonald was a men,
Der of the House, member of the