117 proper management the principal of the fund may eventually amount to over twenty-five million dollars. Washington's total common school revenue in 1905 derived from all sources was $3,648,369 344 of which $293,312,344 approximately eight per cent," was derived from Common School Fund interest and land rent. Washington upon her admission into the Union received from the United States Government the sixteenth and thirty-sixth sections in each township for the use of common Origin schools. It is estimated this land grant will amount to 2,488,675 acres.10 Sources of The first constitution adopted 1889 provided for the establishment of the Common School Fund from the proceeds of these lands and the proceeds of several other sources as follows: 627 (1) appropriations and donations by the state to this fund; (2) donations and bequests by individuals to the state or public for common schools; (3) proceeds of lands or other property reverting to the state by escheat or forfeiture; (4) proceeds of all property granted to the state when the purpose is not specified or is not certain; (5) funds accumulated in the state treasury for the disbursement of which provision has not been made by law; (6) proceeds of timber, stone, minerals or other property from school and state lands other than those granted for specific purposes; (7) all moneys other than rent recovered from trespasses on said lands; (8) five per cent of proceeds of sales of United States Public Lands lying within the state; (9) the principal of all funds arising from the sale of lands and other property which have been granted and hereafter may be granted to the state for common schools; (10) such other funds as the legislature may provide. The Common School Fund is managed by the State Board of Land Commissioners, composed of the SuperinManagement tendent of Public Instruction, Secretary of State, and Commissioner of Public Lands.628 627 Constitution of Wash., 1889, Art. IX, Sec. 3. 628 Report Supt. of Public Instruction, Wash., 1902, p. 180; Northwest Journal of Education, Jan., 1904. Apportionment The revenue is apportioned by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction among the counties in proportion to the total number of days of attendance.629 The objects for which the revenue of the Common School Fund shall be used are not specified by law other than that it shall be used for current expenses." 630 Objects In order to share in the revenue, the following conditions must be fulfilled by the districts: A school must be maintained for at least five months during the preceding year.625 A Conditions of district forfeits twenty-five per cent of its share of the school fund revenue if it (1) uses text-books other than those prescribed by the proper authorities; 625 or (2) fails to comply with the prescribed course of study; or (3) issues warrants to a teacher not legally qualified.631 (4) After June 30, 1906, districts must levy a three-mill local tax in order to receive their apportionment of school moneys." 631 629 Wash. School Law, 1901, p. 25, Title II, Chap. I, Sec. 22. 630 Ibid., p. 62, Chap. 6, Sec. 110. 631 Ibid., p. 92, Sec. 174; Laws of Wash., 1905, Chap. 56, Sec. 5. CHAPTER LVI WEST VIRGINIA SCHOOL FUND The correct title of the permanent common school fund of West Virginia is School Fund,632 though it is often called the "irreducible fund." 633 The principal of the fund is intact. Title. Condition, 1905 The state has never borrowed any of the principal and cannot do so "because the Constitution forbids the creation of any state debt whatever." 634 The principal is invested chiefly in district, county, and municipal bonds.635 In 1902 the principal of the School Fund amounted to $1,104,412.69.636 "At the general election that year an amendment to [the] Constitution was adopted which limited the permanent school fund to one million dollars and the sources by which it had from time to time been augmented were all to be turned into the general school fund (annual school revenue). The amount in excess of a million dollars-about $104,000-was distributed as a part of the general school fund in three annual instalments, 1903-04-05. (The School Fund now) produces a revenue of about $51,000, " 634 approximately two per cent (.0185)* of $2,744,334, the total common school revenue in 1905 derived from all sources.344 The following is a copy of the amendment above referred to: Amending section four of Article XII. "The accumulation of the School Fund provided for in section four of Article XII, of the Constitution of this State, shall cease upon the adoption * Computed. 632 Constitution, Art. X, Sec. 1; Report U. S. Commissioner of Education, 189293, Vol. II, p. 1334. 633 Report State Supt. of Free Schools, West Virginia, 1906, p. 39. 634 Statement received from T. C. Miller, W. Va. State Supt. of Free Schools, Feb. 18, 1907. 635 Report State Supt. of Free Schools, W. Va., 1906, pp. 40-43, table of investment securities. 636 Ibid., p. 38. of this amendment, and all money to the credit of said Fund over one million of dollars, together with the interest on said Fund, shall be used for the support of the Free Schools of this State. All money and taxes heretofore payable into the Treasury, under the provisions of the said section four, to the credit of the School Fund, shall be hereafter paid into the treasury to the credit of the general school fund for the support of the free schools of the State." (Adopted at general election in West Virginia, 1902.) In the year 1863, West Virginia, up to that time a part of Virginia, adopted a constitution and was admitted into the Union as a separate state. The new state in her first conOrigin * stitution provided for the creation of a permanent fund to be known as the School Fund, the interest of which was to be annually applied to the support of free schools throughout the state. The sources from which the fund was to be derived and increased as provided by the constitution were as follows: (1) West Virginia's share of Virginia's Literary Fund and any money, stocks or property which could be rightfully claimed from Virginia for educational purposes; * (2) proceeds of delinquent waste and unappropriated lands; (3) proceeds of lands heretofore sold for taxes or purchased by Virginia if hereafter redeemed or sold to others than the state; (4) grants, devises or bequests made to the state for the purposes of education where the purpose is not specified; (5) proceeds of intestate estates; (6) proceeds of escheated lands; (7) proceeds of taxes levied on revenue of corporations; (8) military exemption moneys; (9) appropriations by legislature; (10) any interest of School Fund remaining unexpended at the close of the fiscal year. "This fund (the School Fund) was started when this state (West Virginia) was organized by laying claim to about $120,000 of the Literary Fund of Virginia which was within the bounds of the new state as stock in certain banks. This stock has been quite remunerative, one bank having paid ten per cent dividends for a number of years." July 1, 1871, Virginia transferred to West Virginia $552,079.29 and again on September 27, 1886, $166,943.33 as the latter state's share of the Virginia Literary Fund.614 * See, above, Virginia Literary Fund, "Origin," pp. 420, 421. The School Fund is managed by a board composed of the Governor, Superintendent of free schools, Auditor and Treasurer." Management " 633 "Not a penny has been lost for a great many years." 633 Loss Apportionment population.637 Objects Some time prior to 1875 about $6,000 was lost through the depreciation of bank stock.634 The revenue of the School Fund is apportioned among the districts on the basis of school The income can be used for teachers' wages only.638 In order to receive its share of the revenue, a district (1) must maintain a school at least five months; (2) must Conditions of levy a local tax sufficient with the School Fund revenue to support a school.639 637 School Law of W. Va., revised by State Supt. of Free Schools, 1903, p. 73, Sec. 61. 638 Ibid., p. 50, Sec. 40. 830 Ibid., p. 52, Sec. 42, and p. 50, Sec. 40. |