The Portland daily press., 1888-01-24

What the Members Say Regarding
the Alleged Drunkenness.

the Allegeo drunkenness.
The regular monthly meeting was held last
evening. the Mayor presiding. Present,
Messrs. Crandall, MCGOWAN, Holden, Ring.
Dunn and McAlpine.
Mr.. MCGOWAN reported that there had been
an unjust criticism on one of the rooms In
the Centre street school, made in public
manner, In regard to the drinking habits of
the children in that room. He believed, on
full investigation, that facts will not justify
the criticism. He stated that he had visited
that school, and that particular room, and
found the school and all Its rooms as orderly
as any in che city; and. except one pupil.
not now in the school, free from the vice
complained of.
Other members of the Board who have
recently visited the school and inquired into
the alleged facts corroborated the state
ments of Mr. MCGOWAN. The following res
olution was introduced:
ResoiUed, In view of the fact that the statement
has been made, and widely published, that in one
primary school room in this city every boy but
one allows that he drinks, we feel it our duty, as
board to state, tiat, upon Investigation, the
evidence In this case does by no means, substan-
tiate the statement MADE and published as above,
but shows II to be unwarranted and misleading
This resolution was discussed by various
members of the Board, generally favcring
the same, as in their opinion stating the
facts as they exist.
DIR. Crandall opposed the passage of the
resolution on the ground that there had been
no systematic investigation or hearing Diff
ferent members of the Board had visited the
school room and obtained different reports.
He urged referring the matter to a committee
of three for the purpose Of obtaining all the
facts and presenting them to the people.
On motion of Mr.. MCGOWAN, the above
resolution was passed by vote Of to /,
Mr. Dunn not voting.
Miss Nellie G. Sawyer was appointed to
the practice class.
DIR. Crandall reported a lack of water in
the school houses on MunjOy Hill, and that
if this continues it will be necessary to close
these schools.
Leave Of absence was granted to Miss Su-
san A. Holmes, of Bracket street school for
the remainder of the year, for the purpose
of journey to California. Miss Minnie A.
Berry was appointed substitute in. her place.
Bills and pay-rolls amounting to 1881
were approved.
1t was voted that the services of the as
sistant teacher in the kindergarten be dis
pensed with until the number of children in
that room requires more than one teacher
Woman's Foreign Missions.
The Woman's Foreign Missionary Society
held its quarterly meeting with the Pine
street Auxiliary last evening. The meeting
opened with Scripture reading and prayer.
Mrs. G. p. Mitchell, the president. occupied
the chair, and at the close Of the preliminary
proceedings called for reports from the vari-
Gus auxiliary societies represented. The
reports were all exceedingly favorable, show
ing that considerable interest is being taken
by the public.
Resolutions of regret were presented by
the Pine street society that Mrs. Stackpole,
their president. had left them, though they
wished her abundant success. The resolu-
tions were unanimously passed.
The president then introduced Mrs. M. @.
P. Gamewell, from Chung King, Central
China, sent out under the auspices of the
Church Of Maine.
Mrs. Gamewell is very energetic and in
teresting speaker, and outlined at length the
various phases of the missionary work in
China.
Mrs. Gamewell was sent out to China in
1871. and considerable has been accomplished
since that tins. One of the greatest diff
culties in the missionary work was that the
heather people had no idea whatever of
God, and therefore did not understand what
the missionaries were there for, and 1t was
only as the Spirit OF God worked upon them
that they were able to do anything. Schools
have been established in many parts Of
China, in which much assistance is obtained
from native teachers The lecturer told sew
eral novel anecdotes to illustrate the charac-
teristics of the people, their timidity arising
from the harsh treatment they had received
when children, leading them to think that
all people must be cruel. They found it al
most impossible to understand why the
Americans should send men and women
over there when there was no financial re-
turn.
The recent riot at Chung King was graphi-
cally described by this eye witness. The
brutal treatment they received at the hands
of the Chinese mob was exceedingly cruel,
but all escaped unframed. The fact that the
authorities afterward paid them an in
demnity of so cents on the dollar for their
losses of property is worthy of note.
China is progressing rapidly. Telegraphs
and railroads are being introduced, and there
is every indication of China's soon occupy
ing creditable position among the nations.