Evening star., 1894-04-11
INDORSlNG THE LIBRARY
The School Board Favors the Proposed
Free Public Institution.
Other Business Transacted at Last
Nights Meeting-MoPe Salaries
Wanted for Janitors.

me sCHOci DOdrQ yesterday AFTERNOON
gave hearty Endorsement to the project
for a local public library, recently adopted
by the board of trade. The matter was
brought up at the regular meeting of the
beard at the Franklin building, when, after
| the routine business of the meeting was
transacted, Trustee Bruce called the atten-
| ton Of the board to the report of the COM
| mittee on the public library, which was
submitted to the board of trade on the 9th
| of March. He said:
Il desire to call attention to one Of the
| most important matters that has come be-
/ fore the board for some time. Here is a
report unanimously adopted by the board
| Of trade OF this city, and signed by some of
| the best-knOwn citizens of Washington.
| find attached to this document the names
| of Messrs. Theodore w. Noyes, James I.
| Dubois. Daniel Murray, John G. Ames,
| Frederick B. Mcguire, George E. Emmons
/ and Simon Wolf, all of whom are very
| well known to the community. This is a
matter in which every citizen feels direct
| interest 1t Is a matter of regret that in
/ the capital city of the nation, representing
| the wealth and intelligence of the whole
I country, there should not be library ac-
| ceSsible to the poor people, the common
| people, the working classes, or indeed the
clerks These people cannot attend the
Congressional Library in the daytime, and it
! is shut in the evening. The departmental
! libraries are small and mostly technical in
| these collections Of books that can be
| termed a general library, in the proper
sense Of the term. Yet. put together these
| books would make a most valuable library,
which could serve the nucleus for a
great collection in later years. There is
| hardly a city of any Importance in the
/ United States without a free library, and il
/ l5 high time that Washington should have
one that can be used by the people who
must work in the hours of daylight, as well
as by those with leisure to read in the
working day. 1 do not think the school
| board could do d wiser thing than TO adopt
a resolution commencing this report and
/ the entire project, and /, therefore, submit
a draft of such a resolution"
At the request of Mr. Bruce Secretary
I Falck read the report of the committed
| which was listened to with great interest
/ by the trustees. The resolution was then
/ read and Immediately adopted by a
unanimous vote. follows:
BE it resolved by the board of pub1ic
school trustees of the District of Columbia
that this board heartily indorse the report
made to the WASHINGTON board of trade hI,
the committee on the public library on the
9th of March last, and urge upon Congress
the passage of the bill submitted there
with"
ScnIinG Pay.
The meeting of the board was attended
by Trustees Whelpley. Bowen, Cornish,
Bruce. Wilson and Shadd. Little business
was before the board for transaction, and
the meeting was adjourned in about half
an hour. Mr.. Wilson brought up the mat
ter of the pay of some janitors in his divi-
sion, which have recently been scaled
slightly in order to make up a deficiency
IN the fund from which they are maid
Secretary Falck stated that the fund had
been discovered at Christmas time to be in
danger OF running short before the expira-
ton or the school year, and it was then
iouhd 10 De necessary to scale the pay of
each OF the janitors of the four-room build
ln5S fifty cents month The total de-
| hciency was about S64. In reply to a ques-
ton by Mr.. Wilson, Mr. Falck said that
this deficiency could not be make bv seal
| ing the pay of teachers or that of the
JanltOrS of the eight-room buildings who
are provided for specifically in the appro-
priation- These men, though, are paid out
of a lump sum.
More Pay fer Janitors.
Mr.. Bowen said that ever since his ap-
polntment as a trustee he had been paying
considerable attention to the matter of the
pay of janitors, and he would take an early
opportunity to institute some movement TO
get their rates raised. The men, ne said.
are required to have high qualifications.
they must be mechanics and carpenters
ana must give their constant attendance
so that they cannot do other work For
these services they are paid $500 a year
and out of this they must pay pretty near
assistants.
1t is simply abominable," said Mr..
Bowen, In conclusion, Ito ask such men TO
work for such sum as this They should
surely get more money for the work they
are compelled to do, or at least the money
they now pay out of their own pockets for
necessary help should be paid out of some
general fund specifically provided"
Mr.. WheIpley suggested that This would
form the subject OF proper inquiry ty the
committee on appropriations. and Mr.. VIII
son announced that he was ready to co.
operate with Mr.. Bowen in his crusade
against the low salaries. Mr. Falck ex-
plaine1 to the board that there was a re-
communication for an increase in the pay
OF Janitors two years ago, but the esti-
mate never got further than the Commits
siOners' olice.
other Business.
The board ratified the appointments of
Chas. Dixon to be janitor OF The Aunroe
school, vice John Howard, and Henson viii
iams to be janitor of the Ivy City school,
vice Deaton McNutt.
Applications for teacherships and janitor-
ships were received as follows: Miss Lee
Wicker and Gertrude McNuity. Fligh school:
Rev. Martin Kraft, Miss AIinna IAupper and
Miss MaushOit, German; Mary T. Draney
Ethel +. strickland and Myrta A. Tryson
drawing; q. W. Higley, Louis A. 3einburg
and James w. Butcher jr., manual train
ing; Maud NJ COnln, Florence jenkins
Genevieve Cassin, Sadie Edelin and Lucy
X. Merriam, sewing; Frank Andrews and
HeIen Relnensnyder, general subjects;
Mrs Bessie NJ. King, physical culture:
Annie NJ. Mcdaniel, cooking; and Harriet
NJ. Hanson, Amy l.. May and SamI "
Watson, no preferences. JanitOrs' Iositious
were sought by Louis II. Dietz, Fredk Ma
son, RODt. F. Delaney, Upton Hodges ard
John F. Cole
A letter from Webster Edgerly Offering
scholarship at the Martyr COLLEGE OF
OratOry to a pupil OF the pdDic schools was
placed on file for future reference. \ peti-
tiOn was received from q number Of resi-
dents Of the northwestern suburbs asking
tnat a school be located east of Connecti-
cut avenue extended, west of Rock Creek
Ford road and north of Grant road. let
ter was received from X. II. Harris secre-
tiry OF the executive committee OF the
forthcoming EmancipatiCn day cei-brati1n
asking tntt the COiJrCi schools lie closed
on that day. Mr. Bruce explained the sys-
TEN OF excuses that had been followed in
former years, whereby notes were sent to
the teachers b. DdrcIts Of those children
Who were 10 take part in the procession or
the ceremonies. which, he saI1 had work.
et very well. and It was decided 10 follow
The same course this year.
Cock Fight Incident.
Ex-POliCeman James W. Cotton who ha
fgurs1 in many eases in the Police Court
was before Judge Miller today on a cbaraa