Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-06-02
SCHOOL BOARD.

y
perintendent.
The chairman and clerk were author
lied to sign three notes for S536.4S each,
payable in one, two and three years, to
J. NJ. Sauder & Co. for desks furnished
the school according to contract.
Mr.. Vincent, from the committee on
schoolhouses and furniture, to whom
had been referred the matter of placing
water pipes in Washington building
reported that he had waited on Mr..
Wheat, president of the water compa-
ny, in reference to the cost, &C., and
that Mr.. W. now had the matter under
consideration and would communicate
with the committee at a future date.
Mr.. Vincent also recommended the
trial of j few gallons of chloro-naptho-
leum as a disinfectant, and the COM
mittee was authorized to purchase p
gallons of the fluid at a cost of - per
gallon for experimental purposes at the
school buildings.
disappointment stated that he pro-
posed closing the schools for the session
as follows: Washington, Monday, June
Goth Lee, 9th; Suowden, 2Sth, and
Hallowcll, 29th, and the arrangement
was approved of by the board.
The clerk was authorized to have the
usual medal and certificates of distinc-
ton prepared for distribution at the
school closings.
The Superintendent stated that a
scholarship vacancy existed from Alex
andria city and county at the Blacks
burg Agricultural College, but action
on the matter was deferred.
The Superintendent also reported
that he had visited and inspected the
schools during the month and that he
had found the discipline good and the
progress commendable. He invited the
members of the board to visit the schools
with him during the month.
4 petition from Mr.. X. Kemper, the
City Superintendent, asking that the
additional sum of 5000 be added to his
present salary of $50 was read by the
clerk. The petition had been previous
ly sent to the City Council and by them
referred to their finance COM
mttee which in turn had report
ed it back to Council with the
recommendation that it be referred to
the School Board.
The Superintendent said he had been
prompted to send the petition to Coun-
Gil by reading page 70 of the laws gov
erning public schools of the State,
wherein it was provided that the Coun-
Gil of a city had power to add to the
salary of q superintendent as much as
such bodies deemed proper above that
provided by the State. He referred to
conversations he had had with the ex-
superintendent on the subject and pro-
duced letters from other school boards
in the State which were to the effect
that such additional sums had been
voted to superintendent by the school
boards. He wouldn't undertake to
say that the board was in condition
to vote him 5000 additional but it was
probably able to give him $500. There
was considerable work for superin-
tendent to perform, but he had neg
ected none of his duties on account OF
what he regarded as an inadequate sal
ary, and should the board deem it in
expedient to grant his petition he
would endeavor to perform his duties
as faithfully as ever. Mr.. kemper said
he was aware of the fact that it was Il
delicate matter for him to be discussing
or urging a matter in which he was so
personally interested, and he knew
there were others who would take the
position at its present remuneration.
He, of course, knew the compensation
and the duties of the office when he
accepted it; but his predecessor had
thought the time had come for an in
crease of pay; hence his petition. The
position required much thought, con-
siderable time and no little labor. The
money appropriated by Council for
school purposes was for the board to
spend in the manner they deemed adj
visablc, and he submitted the matter to
the board for their judgment.
Mr.. Vincent moved that the petition
be granted.
Mr.. Carne said nothing would afford
him more pleasure than to vote for the
increase asked by the superintendent
if the board had the slightest power to
act in the premises but there was no
law granting any such power to the
School Board. Mr.. Carne read from
the State laws governing school boards
and showed they had power to increase
clerks salary but not to supplement
that of a superintendent. The law was
plain that Council was the only body
empowered to act in such cases. He
moved to refer the petition to the
finance committee and they to report to
the board what law, if any there is, un-
der which action could be taken and
from which fund the superintendent
could be paid.
The chairman (N1r. .Smithl said that
when he entered the room he had been
impressed with the same conviction ut
tered by Mr.. Carne-that the board had
no power to act on the petition, but af-
ter hearing the letters from the boards
of other cities in the State read and
duly considering the fact that Council
had referred the matter to the board
for action his opinions had undergone q
change. Council must have believed
the board had the power to dispose Of
the matter or it would not have turned
the petition over to them. de said the
board had at different times increased
the salaries of teachers, and he favored
an increase.
Mr.. Thompson asked if the mere fact
that Council had referred this petition
to the City School Board invested the
latter body with power to act on it. The
law, he urged, provided that Council
alone can supplement the salary of 8
superintendent.
The chairman replied that that was :
question which the board must deter