National Republican., 1873-04-09
TIE PUBLIC SCHOOLS,
MEETING OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

.s.ns,l. ..noo, binding; Mr.. W. J. Murtagh,
,e.ldent. in the chair, and Dr. A. 7. Pardon sec
o,arv Trus,oes present: Messrs. Hart, Harris,
s.n.t Randolph, Rhccs, woodward, Champlin,
,strlck. scott, wilson, Richards, AtGee and
NJ Richards presented the following COM
nunicaton from Mr.. VIM. Guluand;
Mr. auISISDs NODE OF sErr1ENEST. ,,.,
Gentlemen Of the Board OF Trustees OF Public
,chools; Being poweress at your last meeunH
o say anything before the board In my deienGe,
,es,igstion or trial that ! asked for in the very
,eglnnlng Of this matter, | now yery Lespe,s-
fuily ask the privilege OF correcting ceitan s
neilta and finally suggest mode OF setuement
when will he more acceptable than legal adlu-
IcatIon, no say the least, was amazed ~ inc
report Of the committee, as IN my nutno'e
Great atress was laid At my employing counsel
when the board had none; In reply 70 which
say that II was at the suggestion oi several
rass snI ~ var variance between one Of the trustees
aud myself that employed him, thlnklng' WIN
Ms AID, would be enabled TO encompass two
iod object and ns o Ss delivery " y coal
10 inc schools, it bore q very important relation
10 the case inquired into by your committee: IL
has been said that ! must have known mat there |
that did not know oi the provisions OF that law,
and that It IL impractlcable, and there ia not
coal-dealer in the city that complies with y. !
never supposed that the board would act on
mere presumption and would pass Judgment Oh
condemnation on the actions Of one ofits servants
for acts not actually proven. Twas prepared lot
censure for not supervising my business better
than have done, but | certainly was not prepared
70 have my bills mulcted to the amount OF ten per
cent. In addition TO the scathing rebnke 81 the
committee, especially after carrying for all the
public schools for the last six months without
paw excepting a small transfer that was made
more 70 benefit the collector than myself, and
therefore very naturally, at the instance OF my
counsel, protested, and gave the board notice
Of my intention Of appealing to the courts.
Had this matter been transaction between
individuals, L. could have been settled a. once
without trouble, and even 10 this case could have
been settled In the committee on accounts had !
had any fair opportunity OF investigating the
facts OF the case, and time snor1ed me 70 come
before the committee on accounts before forcing
the matter before the board. Diyestlng the sub
lect Of all legal forms, II reduces Itself TO sim;
pie business proposition, viz how much coal
has the board lostf IL Ia for the board TO mud
out--not presume-and then make the demand,
and n found Just, restitution must be made. That
Ia the proposition ! made to MT: Hart on the
night OF March 8, when was sent for ny him 10
meet the committee on accounts, which did not
meet that night, and that Is the proposition which
now renew to the board. Will pay for all the
cause, As Il has been shown that at different
times and In different districts four loads Of coal
have been weighed for me and found correct,
sw. ssTs ssss a. Se m4ss rsst the sSs
that was weighed was correct, as for the board
TO presume al the rest incorrect because they
found some few loads short that had never been
weighed. That will stlll leave one load said to
be short, and that was weighed by Mr.. Altemus,
and the weight OF which, accompanied by his
afidavtt, is here appended.
DO not offer this a. compromise, hut a. my
original proposition, and because II IL right and
the only way Il can be honorahly settled.
hope that some gentleman will make a mo-
tlOn looking TO that contamination, AMI that the
board will take q liberal view OF the subject.
will add that u the board expects that their
contractors shall at all times be expected TO
contract @ I in IN a matter Ike this, extending over
the whole city and 4 whole year without some
time making proper allowances for adyentitioua
circumstance, they are expecting entirely too
in conclusion will repeat the statement made
for me by one Of the trustees at the last meet
ing, viz: Il the board viii take the trouble 70
look into their coal bills OF the last two years and
compare the number Of tons and the amount o
money expended, besides taking into considera
tion the addition Of the Jefferson and Cranct
buildings, coupled with an almost Unprecedented
winter, they will ind that there has been les
number OF tons and less money invested In fue
than for the last two years, although the winter
were mild, and that Guinand has not cheate'
them 80 bad after all.
Very respectfully, Ac. WM. GCTSASn.
The monthly reports Of teachers were receives
Superintendent J. o. Wilson submitted the fol
lowing "
ABsrRAcr oP RrroNTs ron MARcH
Number Of pupils on the rolla the last day
Whole number Of pupils enrolled during ID
month, 1903. Average number OF pupils ca
rolled during the month, Ss9s. Average nun
month, 6,sI9. Number Of vacant seats In IN
First district, 2o5; Second 2I9; Third, 3s2 Fourth
2i5-total, l,o9l. Number OF applicants waitln
admission In First district, g. Second 10; Third,
Fourth, s-total. 30. Number Of schools In IN
First district, 50; Second, IS; Third, %; Fourtt
2s-total, lsa. Average number Of pupils In eac
4s.1; Fourth, 52.s-general average, b2.5. PEI
centage In attendance IN the First district, 9l.i
Second, 93.l; Third, 9l.3 Fourth 91,0-averag
percentage, 92.9. Number Of cases Of tardlnes
10 the First district, l4T; Second, ~; Third, iS
Fourth, is4-total, I95; decrease for the montf
loe; number Of cases OF presence at roll cal
Of cases of corporal punishment in the First dls
trict ~: Second, Z Third 8; Fourth, il-total, 2.
Lecrease for the month, 10. Number OF pnpll
dismissed In the First district, .; Second, II
Third, o Fourth, Total, 81. Number OF pupil
suspended In the First district, g. Second, Il
Third, q Fourth, lS-total, ~. Number Of ind
gent pupils funlshed with books in the Flrs
30. Number OF visits Of trustees In the Fins
district, 9O3; Second 100; Thin 1871; Fourth, la3-
total, eai. Number OF visits OF superintendent
las.
the application Of Miss Jennie W. Henry, o
Bethlehem, Pennsylyania, for the position Q
teacher, was received and nled.
ptsCuSsiON OVER THE 0ulhAND BILLS.
Mr.. Hart, from the committee on accounts, re
ported number OF blus, among which wer
several from VIM. Guinand for coal furnished.
Mr.. Richards moved that the bills Of Nj
GuinAnd be postponed until the next meeting, q
he would ike 10 look into them. lie had hear,
much talk about them and believed that II the
forced Mr.. GuinAnd In court they would b
mulcted into bill OF costs that this District woul
have % stand. lie desired 70 see every mai
have fair show, and II Mr.. Gunands buslnes
capacity would not Withstand investigation theI
let him go down. as he did not In believe sucl
Mr. Hart thought the ideas OF the gentleman
were very peculiar. Mr.. GuinAnd had Appearet
before four members Of the board In an inyestl
CATION and there had the opportunity OF present
Ing his witnesses. This he did do, and scenes
satisfied with the Investigation. The talking Il
Acoyered way had nothing TO do with the mat
schools got all that was paid for.
Mr., hhees hoped his colleague would relley
him from anything like snap judgment In tn
niFhts until midnight investigating the matter
Mr.. Richards did not think his remarks woul
indicate any such construction as was place
intend To- He ssSnowIedgea 10 heinz oni% Nv ON an
member, but did not believe In any membe
Swapping the whip over the entire board. II
did not think any harm would come from post
~ the next meeting.
Mr. Scott did not know how far Mr.. GuInan
had wrsnged the schools. but he certainly dl
hoh huluh "uulh hIlsN puhNUuu
ing. lie wished TO understand the deduction Il
the bills before voting for II, and hoped the me
ton 10 postpone would prevail.
MI. Harris had no objection TO the postpone
ment. He was satisfied that there was no preJu
dice shown by the committee In the examlna
ton, aud Mt. Gulnand stated himself that b
was satlsned that he had offered testlmOn
enough, and was convinced that the cOmmtte
would do him justice. II the matter went int
court, from the Information he had receive
from able lawyers, he was satisfied what the rC
suit would be.
The consideration OF the bills Of Mr.. Gulnan
was then postponed until the next meeting.
the other bills reported by the committee o
accounts were approved.
Mr.. AtLee, from the committee on rules II
ported on the resolution concerning the exam
lnstloD Of teachers; laid over until the neS
meeting.
Mr.. Rhees offered resolution, which wa
agreed TO, that copy OF the testimony taken
the coal contract investigation be furnished NJ
On motion Of Mr.. AtLee, the committee o
legislation were directed TO secure from III
Legislature at Its next session, the passage {
an act prohibiting the ringing OF the bells q
the locomotives In their passage through Il
city, and especially In the Vicinity OF the publ
school buildings,
Mr.. Harris offered q resolution amending II
prize list for spelling, which allows one med
lot the nrst grade 10 the Secondary schools an
one 10 the second grade, thus Increasing n
NUMBER OF medals from eight to sixteen.
THE SALARY DIFFICULTY.
MI. hheeA stated that the financial questio