St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-02-04
Warrants for the Salaries Of
City Officials Roche and
Refs.
The Money Claimed for Serv-
ices Rendered the Board
of Education.
Payment Alleged to Be Ille-
gal, and a Dead Halt Is
Called.
Investigation to Be Made Into
Alleged Extravaganza in
Public Schools.

The monthly meeting of the board of
education was held last evening at the
high school. Supt. Gilbert's report for
January showed that the attendance at
the schools had been reduced one-third
by the prevalence of la grippe, and that
in one week alone fifty teachers had
been compelled to employ substitutes
from the same cause. The report called
the special attention of the board
to the expenses of the schools
and to the allegations of eXtrav-
agance being made against the
superintendent's department. In hard
times the first public institution to
come in for censure for extravaganza
was the school system. 1t was to be ad-
mitted that at such times retrenchment
was in order, and it might be that some
items Of some of the departments could
be dispensed with. The report recon-
mended the appointment of special
committee to Inquire into the conduct
of all the departments and find out
where retrenchment was possible. The
report and recommendation were adopt
ed as read.
Chairman Thomson, of the finance
committee, reported the sale of 100000
bonds at par, there having been but
one bid, and that made prior to the in
SertiOn OF advertisements for bids. In
spector Wright advocated advertising a
second time. President Haas Informed
the board that the committee had been
offered par for the bonds before the in
Sertion of the advertisement. The re-
port was adopted. The committee on
German reported the appointment
of Prof. Wiener as teacher of
German at the Madison school at sal
airy of $1,000 per year. The committee
on real estate next reported. The me-
ceSsity for additional schools was shown
by the crowded condition of schools in
the Second, Fifth aud Seventh wards.
Inspector Postlethwaite said that owing
to the adverse criticism caused by the
expenditure of money for the erection
of new buildings, or the purchase of
additional sites, it would be best to
omit action, except in the case Of
absolute necessity. The worst crowded
districts must be attended to. The prop
OSitiOn was made to go on with the en-
largement of Sibley, Webster and Adams
schools, and to proceed with the con-
Struction of a school in the Eighth ward.
The committee reported the acceptance
of the manual training school now COM
pleted. The matter of school buildings
was referred back to the committee for
further consideration.
The committee on high school report
ed the appointment of Miss Lizzie
Riggs to the Jefferson branch of the
high school, G. A. Morrow to the Hum
boldt branch and j. Chamberlain to the
Webster school. The committee on
schools reported the following appoint
MIG A Orth ,1riY, nj
pal Cleveland school. vice w. L. Ken
nedy, resigned; G. III. Hutton. principal
German night school, vice w. F. Mus
sci, resigned; Charles Bowditch prin-
cipal Jackson night school, vice 3. g.
Eaton, resigned; Miss Winny Mc(1inn,
teacher Van Buren, night school, vice
Miss FL. Ryan, resigned; Miss Esther
Blair to the third grade of jefferson
school. to date from Jan. %: Miss Mary
AXtell to the second grade of Cleveland
school, to date from Feb. 8; Miss Julia
Fisher. second grade Humboldt school.
to date from Feb. 3; Miss Winnie Grit
fin, SECOND grade Monroe school, to date
from Jan. 81, vice Miss Minnie O'Brien,
| resigned; Miss Callie Bray to Van
Buren, school. vice Miss Ryan, resigned;
Miss Jennie CHM, principal Hawthorne
school, to date from Jan. 81.
The committee recommended that the
salaries of substitute teachers, whether
| paid by the board or by the absentees,
shall be as follows: Grades to 6, Sl.50
per diem; grades z to s. 81 per diem.
Resolutions we're adopted negotiating
for loan of $4,000 ON a certificate of
indebtedness, being for the payment
of current expenses, same to be in
Guided in the tax levy of 1889 and col
lectible in 1880, bearing interest at
I'M irao 4flAn
authorized to negotiate loan of S3S, 900
to provide further payment of salaries
for February with William Dawson Jr.
as per contract.
In regard 10 the salaries paid by the
board TO Comptroller Roche and Treas
urer Refs, President Haas announced.
with emphasis, that he should refuse to
sign the warrants for the payment of
tie same, both being in his opinion
illegal. For some years past and until
recently the board has beeII paying sal
aries of S25 monthly to these officials for
services rendered the board. Some
months ago the amount was raised
in each case to 500 per
G.. f. Franheim as clerk, paying him SIS
per month, the payment being made on
an individual warrant, as in his own
case and that of Mr.. Roche. The Or
ganic act under which the board oper-
ates prescribes that the city comptroller,
city treasurer and city attorney shall
hold the same official capacity on
the board of education. The city
attorney has never drawn salary, while
the other officials have been paid
as stated. In consequence of good
deal of adverse comment, said to have
been aroused by the payment of salaries
of these officials, President Haas has
looked the matter up and determines
that the act covers the case and that the
board has no authority to pay salaries
to these gentlemen who have drawn
| salaries from their respective offices for
| the period stated.
| 1t is presumed that the matter will be
| referred by President Haas to the cor
| poration attorney. In the meantime he
will sign no warrants for the salaries in
dispute.
A delegation of citizens was in at
tendance from the Fifth ward, protest
ing against the purchase of certain real
estate for the erection of school
house. Several matters were referred
| to the committee of tn whole, which
| will meet Thursday evening.