The News & Observer

STATE SCHOOL EXAMINERS.

Finch Option on Public School Lands is Declared to be Void.

The State Board of Education was in session yesterday morning.

Its first act was to elect a Board of State School Examiners. The old Board consisted of Profs. M. C. S. Noble, L. L. Hobbs and J. A. Campbell. Prof. Noble was re-elected and the other two members selected were Prof S. L. Sheep, of Elizabeth City, and Prof. W. J. Ferrell, of Wadesboro.

Prof. Sheep is the head of the Collegiate Institute at Elizabeth City, and is the County Superintendent of Education of Pasquotank. Prof. Ferrell is a native of Wake, a graduate of Wake Forest, where he has been a tutor in Mathematics, and is now principal of the Wadesboro High School.

In addition to the work of examining teachers for State licenses to teach and the work of the old board, the new board also have the colored Normal schools in charge and will select the teachers and have oversight of the institutions.

The application of Mr. K. S. Finch, of Charlotte, for a deed to nearly 2,000 acres of land sold in Tyrrell county under the option given him by the Russell administration at 50 cents an acre was refused, because the State Board did not believe the option was valid and were convinced that the sale at that price was not advantageous to the State's interest.

The option was given on December 6th, 1900, for one year, before the previous option, expiring about February 15th, had been closed up.

The State Board returned to Mr. Finch $1,987.34 which he had sent by express in payment for land sold. A plat of this land, which Superintendent of Public Instruction Toon has had made, shows that lands were picked out here and there that were evidently well timbered, while the bordering land was left in a shape utterly impossible to handle.