The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-16
AN EXCITED DISCUSSION.
The Serenity of the School Board Dis
turbed by Unseemly Remarks.
The History Matter Regulated, and Super
intendent Tarbells Request for an
Investigation Refused.

investigator REFUSED,
The regular meeting of the school board was
held last night The proceedings were charac-
teristically mild and uninteresting until an in
nocent remark about investigating the school
history matter was made, which had much the
same effect upon the board that the saluting of a
bull with red flannel would have on the beast.
| In the regular order of business, Superintend
ent Tarbell reported that the two colored teach
ers who were boarding in the house where Will
lam Howard became sick with the smallpox,
had been unable to obtain shelter anywhere in
the city, and had therefore gone to Cleveland
to remain for two weeks or more. The action of
the superintendent in granting them leave of
| absence was approved, and it was ordered that
their salary should be continued Mr.. Tarbell
| called the attention of the board to the custom
of giving the pupils of the public schools holi-
day on the anniversary of Washington's birth
day. Mr.. Bell suggested that this would be
good occasion to teach the pupils of the public
| schools patriotism, and offered resolution pro
viding for the holding of exercises in commend
ration of the day but it was defeated The
| board ordered that the schools should be dis
missed for the whole day.
| The committee on finance and auditing re-
ported the allowance of bills to the amount of
81, 6O5.S0
| THE HISTORY QUESTION.
| In report from the committee on textbooks
and course of instruction, the recommendation
was made-as the result of consultation with
the superintendent and his assistant in regard to
the best method of carrying out the provisions of
the resolution concerning the study of United
States history adopted at the last meeting of the
| board-first, that the work of the first quarter
| of the B grade in the Eclectic History be
| extended to page 24l; second, that the
work of the second quarter be
| tended to the end of the book; third that
certain unimportant portions of the text, giving
| the details of Indian wars, etc, be treated as
reading lessons, thus affording more time for the
thorough study of the more important matters
of history; fourth that in the A grade, on
three days of each week, the forty minutes now
| assigned to the reading drill in the Fifth Reader
| be devoted to the reading and discussion of the
| text of Ridpath's History of the United States,
! beginning with LincOlns administration, and in
GLIDING the remainder of the book The commit
| tee further recommended that when the pupils
| of the A grade, now reading Goodrichs Childs
History of the United States, shall have reached
| the close of the Mexican war; the further use of
| that book be discontinued in the schools.
Superintendent Tarbell, in directing the
attention of the board to the
| cIlGlClSmS tflat mad been ma0e on
! Goodrch's Childs History, stated, in explana-
ton of any question which might arise. that the
| book had been reviewed by Prof. Mills, Prof.
| Jones and himself. Prof Mills had given par
! ticular attention to the history, Prof. Jones to
its merits for reading purposes and he had him
self given it a general review. He supposed that
the author of the Childs History was the same
who wrote Goodrichs History, and believed it to
be unObjectionable history. He recon-
mended to the board, however, that its
text book shall be discontinued. The report of
the committee on text books was adopted.
| The proposals for taking the annual enumera-
| ton were opened by the secretary of the board.
Samuel Magner was the lowest bidder, Offering
to make the enumeration for one cent and ITO per
capita, or for $500. The bids were referred, with
| instructions to award the contract for the work
| to Mr.. Wagner.
! THE PROPOSED INVESTIGATION.
After completing the call of the regular order
of business, President Brown said: What is
the further pleasure of the boardl If there is
no further business a motion to ad ourn will be
in ORDER Commissioner Stratford here sug-
gested that no action had been taken on the re-
quest of Superintendent Tarbell for an investi-
cation of the school history matter Mr. Thomp-
son thought some decisive action ought to be
| taken upon the matter, and therefore moved that
| the investigation in compliance with Superin-
| tendent Tarbells request, be ordered. Mr.. Bing-
ham, to bring the matter before the board for
consideration, seconded the motion. Mr. Bell
| objected to the investigation or a discussion of
! the question, and moved adjournment
In this connection President Brown remarked:
ut was said in paper, and pronounce it an
! infamous falsehood. that declared the board
! adjourned at the last meeting ON a minority
vote"
In taking up the subject of the motion made
| by Mr. Thompson. Mr. Frenzel said: II believe
| it best that this matter should be investigated"
/ Mr. Merritt-There is nothing in the matter
| that would justify an investigation. 1t is one
mans word against another mans word, and an
investigation would simply be statement against
! statement
what it is charged passed between these gentle
men.
Mr. Merritt would simply like to ask in
| what shape things are for an investigation
Where are the charges.
| Mr. Frenzel-The charges have been made in the
newspapers and the superintendent asks for an
| investigation. Some inquiry ought to be made
where the fault of this trouble lies without an
| investigation.
Mr.. Merrtt-The public will not know if we
| do have an investigation.
| Mr.. Frenzel-Yes Well. 7 warrant you there
will be some things come out in that investiga-
| ton Charges have been made / don't know
what there is in them, but I believe there is
| something. Charges have been made, which, in
| Justice to the commissioners and the superln-
| tendent and for the satisfaction of the public
| ought to be investigated.
THE DISCUSSION GROWS wARM
President Brown-What charges do you refer
to- Mr.. Frenzel, and to what commissioner
| Mr.. Frenzel-To the charge that incompetent
teachers have been employed by the superintend-
ent because commissioners desired it.