Morris v. Vandiver

145 So. 228, 164 Miss. 476, 1933 Miss. LEXIS 233
CourtMississippi Supreme Court
DecidedJanuary 2, 1933
DocketNo. 30258.
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 145 So. 228 (Morris v. Vandiver) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Mississippi Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Morris v. Vandiver, 145 So. 228, 164 Miss. 476, 1933 Miss. LEXIS 233 (Mich. 1933).

Opinions

*479 Ethridge, J.,

delivered the opinion of the court.

The appellants filed a bill in the chancery court, seeking an injunction against J. S. Vandiver, superintendent of the Sunflower Agricultural High School, situated at Moorhead, Sunflower county, Mississippi, and the board of trustees of said school, alleging that the complainants *480 were citizens and taxpayers of said town and county, having children of school age who had theretofore, during the scholastic year of 1930-1931, attended said school, which is a county school, operated by a general tax levy imposed upon the taxable property in the counties of Sunflower, Humphreys, and Leflore, and maintained as an agricultural high school which the children of petitioners are entitled to attend; that they had theretofore completed their grammar school grades, and there being no other high school within a number of miles of said community, said children had attended said school prior to the 18th day of January, 1932, on which date the defendant J. S. Vandiver unlawfully, and without cause or provocation, dismissed the children of said petitioners, together with others, directing them not to attend said school unless they should pay the sum of thirteen dollars, consisting of five dollars for athletic privileges, three dollars for library fees, and five dollars for literary fees. As a matter of fact, said Vandiver had no right, as superintendent of said school, to demand said sum or any part thereof, such charge being unlawful, unreasonable, and unjust, and he having no authority to make such demand.

They further allege that they had no adequate remedy at law by which they could restore their children to the said school, and that they were entitled to an injunction to prevent said superintendent of the said agricultural high school from refusing to receive said children, or interfering with them in their said school rights.

A writ of injunction was granted, and the defendants were summoned and answered the bill, in which answer they admitted charging the fee, as set out, but claimed authority to do so by virtue of the resolution or order of the board of trustees of the said agricultural high school, fixing said charges, and authorizing the superintendent to expel or refuse to allow children to attend whose parents were able to pay said fees, unless the same were paid.

*481 In the answer it was claimed that this charge was necessary for the conduct of the school, and that no par' thereof was for tuition — no part was intended to be paid teachers in the school. The order set forth by the.defendants as justifying the charge reads as follows: “In the matter of payment of fees by local students the superintendent was instructed to collect all fees as far as possible, using his best discretion. Unless all students make satisfactory arrangements with the superintendents, he is hereby authorized by the Board of Trustees to ask any student to remain from school until said matter is adjusted. ’ ’

They admit that the children of the appellants were entitled to attend the said school; but contend that they were chargeable with the said fees, and that same were reasonable, and were part of the exercise of power granted to the trustees. It was proved by the minutes of the board of trustees that the following fees were fixed for the agricultural high school, and for the junior college students, in the said agricultural high school and junior college:

“ Sunflower A. H. S. Students

Athletic Privileges ..........................$ 5.00

Doctor’s Pee ................................ 5.00

Medicine Pee ................................ 1.00

Lyceum and Chautauqua...........:.......... 4.00

Literary Pee ................................ 5.00

Board, Heat, Lights, etc....................... 123.00

$146.00

Sunflower J. C. Students

Athletic Privileges ...........................$ 5.00

Lyceum and Chautauqua...................... 4.00

Literary Pee ................................ 3.00

*482 Physical Education Fee ...................... 2.00

$151,00

Local Students S. A. H. S.

Literary Fee ................................ 5.00

Library Fee ............................... 3.00

$ 13.00

Local Students S. J. C.

Athletic Privileges .... $ - 5.00

Literary Flee.......... 8.00

Library Fee ......... 3.00

Physical Education Fee ' 2.00'

$ 18.00”

On the 12th of June, 1929, the following order appears: “In order to meet the increased expenses of literary and athletic contests throughout the year I recommend a five dollar increase in fees for all students.”

This was recommended by the superintendent, and the recommendation was adopted by the board on April 10', 1930, as evidenced by the following order:

“The Board of Trustees of the'Sunflower Agricultural High School and Junior College with Humphreys county co-operating met in regular session on April 10, 1930, with the following members present. (Names of trustees.)

‘ ‘ On motion duly made and seconded, and carried, the fees of transported children were revised to be eight dollars in 1930-1931, instead of thirteen dollars as of the session 1929-1930.”

On May 5, 1931, at a meeting of the board of trustees, the superintendent recommended that all students be charged the same fees for the next session that were charged for this session.

*483 On the .10th day of December, 1931, at a meeting of the board of trustees, the following order was entered: “In the matter of payment of fees by local students, the superintendent was instructed to collect all fees as far as possible, using his best discretion. Unless all students make satisfactory arrangements with the superintendent, he is hereby authorized by the board of trustees to ask any student to remain from school until said matter is adjusted.”

The superintendent made a report as follows: “As to payment of fees by local students — will say that all have paid or arranged with us (two or three students are sick or absent), except Joe Morris and George Knapp. The parents of these boys have been notified to come before you at this meeting. We have used our best judgment, and believe that a large part of the fees will be paid.”

The superintendent testified:

“We have had fees there ever since we came there.

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Related

Smith v. Dorsey
599 So. 2d 529 (Mississippi Supreme Court, 1992)

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Bluebook (online)
145 So. 228, 164 Miss. 476, 1933 Miss. LEXIS 233, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/morris-v-vandiver-miss-1933.