The Newtown bee., 1894-12-14
NEWTON N. CONN. BEE.
 FRIDAY. DEC. IA, 1894.
 CIRCULATION. JANUARY :, 1882, 5. 61o LAST WEEK. .--. .......... 84Oo
Affairs About Town. THE GRAY's PLAIN SCHOOL QUESTION IN
 COURT.

On 1uesuay morning aL lU O'CLOCK the hearing on the injunction granted the NewtoWn school board against the Gray's Plain school district from interfering with the school in that district, took place before Judge F. B. Hall in the Su- perior court at the court house in Bridge port. A large delegation of Newtown people went down on the 45 train, Mon- day morning, to be in attendance at the hearing, both As witnesses in the case and out of interest that has been generally awakened. But they were disappointed, for the case was not tried, but instead an agreement was reached between the counsel for both sides that looks as if the Gray's Plain squabble was going to be settled speedily, and that where it ought to be settled, in the school district. It was shortly after 10 o'clock when Judge Hall entered the court room and | took his place behind the bench. Ar rayed in front of him was the best legal talent of which Bridgeport can boast. Appearing for the school district were Lawyers DeForest, Beecher and Canfield and for the school board Lawyers Stod- dard, Shelton and Northrop. Congress- man DeForest opened the proceedings for the defendants with motion that the | injunction be dissolved upon the ground that the injunction was technically de- fective in several particulars and was brought by members of the school board, who, he claimed. had no authority to bring civil action unless some spec ial or pecuniary damage had been | done them personally. He further ar gued that they had no right to interfere except by vote of the town instructing the school visitors to take charge of all of it's schools, or unless the school dis trict had neglected or refused to act, which facts they had failed to allege in their application for an Injunction. He had carefully prepared his case but at the close Judge Hall overruled his motion on | the ground that any technicalities that might be wrong in the granting of the injunction could be amended, according to the liberal practices of the court. l Lawyer Stoddard then took his turn for the plaintiffs and showed at once that l he would rather settle the case by arbi- tration than try it out on it's merits. He said it was very undesirable state of af- fairs into which the district was plunged from what he knew of the case, and thought the parties ought to come to an agreement. If it was tried out there would be an endless amount of testimony which might be avoided by such an agreement. The judge was agreeable to such 8 settlement of the case and short recess was taken for the attorneys to
 
 done regarding such a settlement. IT. took about an hour to get an agreement that would be acceptable to all and when court convened after the recess Lawye Stoddard stated that an agreement had been reached which was substantially as follows:
 That meeting of the school district be called and at this meeting a vote of the legal voters of the district be taken to designate choice of teacher, or in- struct Committeeman Winton to hire any competant person to teach said school. That the person so selec' ed by said meeting shall go before the board oi education and be examined by said board in good faith, and until said me eting is held the present incumbent shall occupy the school.
 This practically throws the question back to where it was before the school
 board took hold of the fight. The schoo district is to hold meeting next Satur day night to take vote on the question and according to the agreement which ever side wins in the school meeting con
 trols the selection of the teacher. Miss
 Ryan, however, does not give up her al legged claim against the district by this settlement, in the event of her defeat al the meeting next Saturday night.
 This is very happy settlement of tht
 case and will save deal uf expense
 There are many who would like to have
 seen the case tried out on it's merits, bu
 as one gentleman was overheard to re
 mark, Ut isn't the duty of the town O
 Newtown to furnish law for the state O.
 Connecticut at it's expense, if there be
 better way out of the difficulty.a