Los Angeles herald., 1890-09-16
THOSE LEAD PENCILS.
The Education Board Downs
the Auditor.
Mr.. Gosper Wants an Uninves-
tigated Bill Paid.
He Has Unlimited Faith in the
Architects Assertions.
Member Whaling Forces the Board to
Listen to Scathing Set of Resolutions.
The Expenditures Go Merrily On.

The board of education met in regular
session last night.
A communication was received from
j. A. Wills and R. List and referred to
the building ommittee, protesting
against the fence recently put up on the
south side of the Spring street school
lot.
In accordance with the recommends
tions of the finance committee, anumber
of demands amounting i'll the aggregate
to So, ,4S6.S0 were approved, as were also
the fixed salaries of the superintendent
and other officers amounting to $6O5,
Mr.. Whaling as usual voting negatively.
In the matter of the bill of Bancroft
Bros, $S,S935O, for desks supplied
according to contract, the finance COM
mittee recommended its approval to the
extent of $4,000 as part payment there
on. So ordered, Mr.. Whaling voting
negatively.
Two bills amounting to $50 for extra
work on the steps at the Ninth and
Gates streets school houses were refer
red to the building committee for in
vesJigation.
Mr.. Gosper made strong plea for the
payment of the bills, and admitted that
he intended to recommend their pay
ment without any investigation at the
next meeting, as he was perfectly salts
fed with Architect Burton's statement
that the work was necessary.
The bill of Lazarus and Melzur, 1872,
for lead pencils, which had been vetoed
by City Auditor Lopez, and referred
back to the board was then brought up
again by Mr.. Powers of the finance COM
mittee Superintendent Friesner stated
that after five years experimenting in
pencil he had found thai the dearer ones
In question were cheaper in the end
than the others, as the children used
four of the cheaper ones to one of the
dearer.
Governor Gosper moved that the bill
be allowed, according to law, over the
veto of the city auditor. Mr.. Whaling
objected vigorously. He said it was not
only the province, but the duty, of the
city auditor to curtail extravaganza in
any department of the city government.
Among other things he stated positively
that a pencil which would equally sub
serve the purposes of the school depart
ment at less than one-third of the cost
Mr.. Woodbury. spoke in defense of the
pencils, and showed that the board was
purchasing them at discount from
their marketable price. Messrs. Powers
and Gosper spoke in favor of the latter's
motion, and the latter stigmatized the
matter as political buncombe. The roll
was then called on the motion to reap
prove the bill. and Mr.. Whaling alone
voted negatively.
Mr.. Mcintosh, of the building COM
mittee, reported that all the new public
school buildings. except those at Castel-
lar street and Staunton avenue, would
be finished in time for occupancy at the
opening OF the school term.
The building committee was granted
further time in which to reappraise the
school buildings for the insurance COM
mittee.
In accordance with the recommends
ton of the teachers committee, Mrs.
Augusta Root was granted leave OF alb
scence until January 1st, 1891.
The following recommendations of the
same committee were adopted:
That the kindergarten schools be
opened one week later than the other
schools, that is on Monday, October 18th
That Miss Marv A. E. Richardson be
elected teacher.
That the kindergarten principal re-
ceive $50 per month, and kindergarten
teachers receive $50 each, per month.
That the kindergarten teachers be
assigned as follows:
Mrs. Mora D. Mayhem, principal ;
Mrs. Mary l.. Doizer, East Los Angeles
Miss Eta Hodgman, Castela, street
Miss Mary A. f. Richardson, Crown
Hills; Miss Olga Dorm, Thirtieth street
Miss Emma J. Davidson, Ninth street
Mrs. Letitia P. Wilson, Amelia street
Miss Ella f. Clark, Railroad street
Miss Alice T. de Hart, Boyle Heights
Mr. Whaling presented lengthy
resolution which he proceeded to read
Mr. Ellis moved to adjourn, but the
chairman decided that Mr. Whaling hav-
ing the floor was entitled to be heard
whereupon an appeal was taken from
the chairman's decision. Mr.. Ellis
however, finally withdrew his motion
and Mr.. Whaling proceeded with his
resolution, which however were received
very frigidly. The reason for the frig
iditv is plain when the resolutions are
read They are as follows.
Resolved that it is the sense OF this
board:
That we will not and should not suf
fer ourselves to purchase lead pencils at
35 cents per dozen, when an article o
pencil can be procured at cents pei
dozen whA several gross are bought at
one time.
That we will not squander the public
school funds of this city upon extra
work on buildings or upon fancy prices
for special teachers and that we will no
longer close our public schools. but
L - In1 70 he
public demands and necessity OF the
hour, and that 500 per month here
tofore voted by this board to special
inspector of the New High, popularly
known as the Graveyard school, be dis
continued, and if necessary the amount
so paid be returned by us to the public
treasury, where il properly belongs.
That although we have passed
three minute rule to shorten
debate and thereby gag the member