Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-08-12

| present.
The minutes of the preceding meeting
We're read and approved.
The claims committee recommended the
payment of the following claims:
~ a'eI " Vi rs. ...---'..--. s9o9 ~
Electric light (coaD ............ 81 It
| instantaneous > d
| City hospital 200 81
| Ward 100 OF
| \ communication from the fire depart
ment committee recommending an ordi-
| nance increasing pay of employees suffi-
| clently to cover discount on scrip was read
and referred
The committee on public schools sub
| United majority and minority report on
| the report OF the trustees. The following
| IS the majority report:
| FORT WORTH. TEX, Aug. II, 1891.
To the Hon. Mayor and City Council:
We, your committee on public schools.
| herewith return the report of the board
| of trustees Of the public free schools, here
| tofOre referred to US.
| We recommend thai the action of said
board in selecting the principals and teach
ers therein named be approved.
The said report shows that there has been
marked increase i'll the salaries of some of
the principals and teachers, but this was
| counterbalauced by grading the salaries of
| the assistant teachers, III such manner as to
| make Il Arge reduction in the aggregate
| amoupTto be paid them We are informed
| thlSNfle salaries in question are paid for the
LseRendar, instead of the scholastic month.
We believe that the scale of salaries stated
| IN said report is just and reasonable, in the
| main, and we therefore recommend that it
| be approved.
There has been placed before your COM
mlttee i copy of the report of Professor
p. NJ. White, the gentleman the said board
has selected for superintendent for the
no ~ 10 NV bi,1
dent for the scholastic year, ending June
30, 1890, found on pages SIX TO eighteen,
both inclusive of the printed copy of the
Seventh Annual Report of Fort Worth
Public Schools, Session lSS9-90,'' here
WITH submitted, and made a part hereof.
Without citing examples from that report
to some OF which the attention of the coun-
ell and public has already been called by
|, soDm unicationS which have appeared in
( s6e press OF our city-we feel 1t our duty to
say that we have never before seen, in Il
written paper, emanating from one filling
50 responsible position as an educator,
SO much inelegance of expression. careless
construction OF sentences and bad gram
mar, as we find i'll his said report. Whether
or not this was caused by ignorance or care
leSSneSS, on his part, we cannot say; but
the unpleasant fact is that the said report
is creditable neither to him nor to our city.
We find, upon Investigation, that Profess
al
declaration of his intention to become Il
citizen of the United States. This was
about eight months before he was
elected superintendent, for the term of
which he made his aforesaid report He
WAS then Il British subject. Although he
could have taken out his final naturaliza-
ton papers on November Il, 1890, he ed
to do so; and had given no further consid-
GRAFTON to the subject until the attention of
the council at its last meeting
was called to the fact that he
was still subject of Great Britain. Since
then 10Th inSt.) he has gone before the
county court of Tarrant county. and has
made the proof, and has taken the oath,
required by the laws of the United States.
The fact remains that at the time he was
Z last chosen superintendent by the board of
he was precisely in the same Situa-
ton that he was in when he was chosen in
1889 so far as his civil status was con-
seesned. He was an alien, upon whom, by
sfeSson of his aforesaid declaration our
state laws had conferred only the right to
hold real estate and TO vote. The fact OF
SAiSSy0S being citizen was unknown to at
YEAST one member of the board of trustees
land we believe that others of the board
were ignorant of iD at the time he was
chosen superintendent, 9th ult.)
Believing as we do. that the important
SpQeition of superintendent of our city pub
Tic free schools should be filed either by
one born and bred a citizen of the United
States, or by one naturallZed sufficiently
long before seeking office, to avert suspicion
on that score, and not by one who, after Il
long residence in our state, announced him
sell convert to our institutions by decal'-
aRg his intention to become a citizen only
few short months before he sought and OBJ
tanned office and, then, when ne had been
succeeded in that Office by another. thought
so little of his previously declared inten-
ton. that he neglected taking the final step
to renounce his allegiance to the Queen of
England, and become an American citizen.
until after he had been again chosen to that
office, and had found that this was urged
against him, we feel constrained to recon
mend that the selection of Professor p NJ
W hlte for the said position be not confirmed |
by you. Respectfully submitted,
GEO. W. ARMSTRONG, Chairman,
THOMAS p. MARTIN,
Committee on Public Schools.
The minority report was read as follows:
To the Honorable Mayor and City Council of |
the City OF Fort Worth
GENTLEMEN-ln regard to the report of |
fhe board of school trustees. referred to the |
committee on public schools. | would re-
specially submit the following minority |
report: |
Having confidence in the integrity and |
ability of those gentlemen on the board of |
u uSltCS, NOuIu EctUllIntut lLt duOpllOn OF
their report, believing this to be in the in |
terest of harmony and for the welfare of |
our public schools. Respectfully submitted |
g. H. DAT,
OF the Committee.
Alderman Clements moved the adoption /
OF the majority report.
Alderman Mes offered as q substitute
the adoption of the minority report
Alderman Noodle moved to postpone
to special meeting to be
held at : O'Clock this afternoon.
Alderman Montgomery suggested
Thursday. Alderman Noodle accepted the
This was followed by considerable discus
sion pro ana con. and when the matter came |
to vote on the postpOnement tie was the
result. Alderman Ryan not voting. Mayor
Smith cast his vote against poStponemeut
and the vote then came on the question of |
The adoption of the minority report.
Alderman Barter called for the yeas and |
aSys.
FE1he roll being called the vote stood:
Ieas-Jones, Massie, Barter, Jackson, Day,
cNies, Tiller, Orr, Ryan
Nays-Martin, Matkin, Clements, Drake,
Armstrong. Noodle, Early.
The public grounds committee reported a
from Camps, Cantey and Mozart
@ sell land for waterworks purposes,
hirtT acres south of the Arlington Heights
bridge and north of the county road, for
$50 per acre; 100 acres. including the
lbove, at 800 per acre; $50 or any number
II acres less than go on both sides of Clear