The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1871-08-12
Board of Education.

q, T.
Board met in pursuance Of adjournmen Mt and
WAS called to order by the Clerk, the President
being absent.
Present-Directors Hit. Lutz, Smith, Msrkle
rector Courtney. ~
On motion OF Director Markle, Director Hit
was called to the chair
The minutes were read, during which time Pres
took their seats
Director Courtney objected 10 the minutes. His
resolution. requesting the principal of the high
school to furnish the Board report showing the
standing as TO the different grades of the caudi.
dates for admission to the high school, was made
TO read, pupils of the high school," On his mo-
tion the minutes were laid upon the table
The building committee through Director Mar
kle reported that the contract for white washiup
in the several school buildings had been let to H.
Cunningham at 81. 80 per room, each hall to count
as room, and that Mr.. Sine atom has been EN-.
ployed to repair the severa. furnaces
Bills of janitors Burgess Barrett and Greyror
for extra services. were presented aud on the re.
con- nendation of the committee on supplies, each
was ordered paid at the rate per month allowed
for regular services to the said anitors respect.
lively.
Bill of John Carey for coal. So co. was, on mo-
tion of Director Courtney, ordered paid
The finance committee, Courtney chairman rel.
alive TO the petition OF b. e. Cook and others, re.
ported IN part as follows, and asked for time to
make further report:
REPORT OF COMMITTEE.
To tie Board Of Education Of the City Of Ott,,,ca :
| The undersigned, members Of the committee on
| finance, to which committee was referred the pc.
tition of b. C. Cook and 3l5 Others ito ascertain
, as far as practicable by what representations or
misrepres sensations signatures to the petition were
obtained, respectfully report
That the preamble to said petition contained
| the following untrue statement: The Board, by
| majority OF one vote, lowered the salary of the
principal of the high school, Mr. Thomas h. Clark,
! from 81 500 to 81. $50 per year"
The salary of Mr.. Clark as principal of the high
| school has not been lowered, because II has not
been at any time higher than $3.50.
| During the years 1867 and 1865 Mr.. Clark was
allowed the additional sum OF $3.50, making in all
the sum Of $1,000 a year, fhe would perform the
duties OF superintendent, in addition to his duties
! as principal of the high school.
! In the years 1869 and 1870 Mr.. Clark was not
| elected or appointed to tue oiiice OF superintend
ent, but was appointed principal of the high school,
| and because he continued to draw during the last
two years the salary of All office to which he was
not elected or appointed, and for the discharge of
duties which he did not perform, it is falsely
claimed that his salary has been lowered Mr.
Clark has had the misfortune TO SO ia: lose Lis
! self.respcct TO draw money. to which, we be.
leve, he was not fairly entitled. We believe he
wronged himself and 1t is believed by many per.
| sons that he wronged the people.
Said preamble also states that ''the salary of
Miss Lucy Green. who has been elected principal
of the I'd ward school, was lowered from 500 to
5000"
Miss Green resigned position in the 5th ward
school where she had $3.50 year. and before her
appointment as principal Of the I'd ward school
the salary of the principal was fixed at 5000, and
with the salary so fixed Miss Green was appointed
1t Is. therefore, untrue that Miss Green's salary
was lowered
Said preamble further states that Mr.. Clark
''was employed teacher IN the public schools
Of this city in 1855, at the time Of their inaugura
ton, and has continued AS principal of the high
| n1paI ain Iha- fayn
as Mr. Clark did not become principal Of the high
: school until 1882 and could not have obtained the
position then but for the vote cast for him by the
chairman of this committee, who preferred Mr
Clark to Mr.. Stone, because it was charged by tn,
friends of Mr. Clark, and generally believed. tina
MIR. Stone was favorable TO the introduction of re
lgous exercises into our public schools and TIA,
chairman of this committee stood pledged then
as both the undersigned heartily pledge them
selves to-day, as far as their votes and influence
extend, to keep public schools free from re
ligious exercises and sectarian influence of an,
kind whatever.
The petition bearing on its face such falsebood
as are here noted was carried around by persons
of respectable appearance, who found little diff
Guilty in adding their own verbal remarks, mo
always in keeping with the responsibility of the
appearance, that their neighbors might be in
duced, without examination, to atix their sigma
lures to a string Of falsehoods.
Very many of the signers to the petition have
excused themselves for their haste and neglec
10 examine the paper N9tore signing and encOur
age the board to continue its work.
Ottawa, Aug. 9Th. 1871. 7. r. COURTNEY.
} On motion Of Director Smith, the report wa.
ordered to be recorded en- the minutes and filed
Carried.
Director Smith gave notice that at the ne II
meeting he would present u minority report.
Applications for principulship were read as fol
lows: From A. E. Ross, of New Lenex: Mis-.
Maggie Barefoot, OF Pana; D. Kerr, J. Belangee
A mi N Mitchell and 4
and on motion, filed and noted on the minutes
Bill! of Lynch. Beatty & 0'kane, amount e. 81
read and on motion, referred to the committee or
supplies
Jams be appointed principal Of the 4th ward school
Carried
Director Marke made an oral statement detin
ing his position as to salaries to principals anc
teachers in the public schools. and asked to have
the clerk correct a published report of the pro
ceedings OF the board, in which the word "econo
mice which he did not use, was nut into hi
mouth, instead Of "eduaze," the word he die
use, and that the same be published BY the clerk
Carried
On motion, Director Mnrkle was requested t.
prepare written statement of his remarks, ant
that the clerk be directed to present said state
ment to the Ottawa papers for publication. Car
ried.
Director Courtney moved that the motion passec
June 26th last, fixing the standard for admission
INTO the high school at six.tenths, be resciudcd
Carried
On motion of Director Courtney, the rate wa.
hXed for the ensuing year at five and halt, or s.
per cent, the same AS in 1870.
On molten, adjourned till August IA, 1871.
j. q. ARMSTRONG, Clerk.
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