Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-11-28
THE SCHOOL BOARDS POSITION
Soc No Necessity for Making
the Sewer Connection.
THE MATTER THOROUGHLY AIRED
Several of the Members Speak
Their Minds.
rha Meeting OF tho Hoard of Education
Monday Night OF Unusual interest Tho
Health Boards Mandate tho subject for
Discussion.

The Board OF Education held de
cidedly lively meeting on Monday. 1t
was in session for nearly an hour and
q half, and nearly all Of the time was
consumed in discussing the wrangle
with the Board of Health.
Mr.. Morrow started the ball
rolling by making motion that tho
wells at Schools Nos. 3 and be con
nected with the Jefferson street sewer.
The motion was lost, after which Mr..
Carter made report Of the visit of
some of the members of the board to
the schools when the Board of Health
met there and took summary action.
He made full statement of what
transpired at the conference and gave
his opinion as to the condition of
affairs. Following the report he
moved the adoption of tho following;
Whereas, The Board of Health
made complaint to the Board Of Edu-
cation Of the condition of the cesspools
in the yards of Nos. 3 and 4 School
buildings. The Board Of Education,
through the proper committee, gave
immediate attention to the matter,
and had said places properly cleansed,
and have continued to have them in as
good sanitary condition as it is pos
uAblt W htdP lhblis AhO bOhih Va
Health continued TO complain and OK
pressed the opinion that said pools
should be connected with a sewer on
Jefferson street. The Board of Edu-
cation believing that such connection
would be abundance to the cleanliness
of the school buildings, and therefore
detrimental to the health of the chill
Gren, heeitated to comply with the re-
quest to connect with the sewer, and
earnestly desired to confer with the
Board OF Health upon the NATTER
such conference has been denied the
Board of Education by the Health
Board. The Board of Education has
been rebuifed with the remark, You
have received your orders, and said
orders should be obeyed whether there
is nuisance or not 1t is and has
been the aim of the Board of Edu-
cation to make every effort TO have the
school buildings under their care in
clean, healthy condition, and in the
main have succeeded, and will not
spare expense or trouble to preserve
the health of the schools which ia Of
the first Importance. As regards build
ings Nos 5 and 4, they are above the
average in cleanliness, and in the
opinion of the Board of Education
there is less opportunity for nuisance,
as the outbuildings arc now con-
structed, than they would be il con-
pected with the sewer. There is less
cause for complaint with these build
ings than with some already with
sewer connections. From the stand
point of common courtesy, it would
not be loss of dignity on the part of
the Board of Health to have conde-
scended to grant the other body hear
ing in the matter, as the Board of
Education has no desire to antagonize
the other board, but would rather aid
them in all necessary work; therefore,
Resolved, That 1t is the judgment
of this board that we do not wish to in
any way obstruct the Health Board in
their determined effort to connect the
wells with the sewer, but do respect
fully protest against said work being
done. -
The preamble and resolutions pre-
cipitated an avalanche Of debate, some
of which was rather spirited.
Mr.. Morrow said the Board OF Health
had treated the Board of Education
better than the latter body had de-
served. He said the Health Board had
the authority to order the work done
and advocated the School Board doing
it rather than allow the Board Of
Health to do it, as the School Board
would have the work to pay for at any
rate. lie then reviewed the history of
the case. He said the Board of Edu-
cation had officially declared the wells
to be nuisance ana contended for
immediate action.
Mr.. Carter spoke in favor Of his
resolution. He thought the Board of
T.lanutfnFa did tha
nuisance and should not do the work.
Mr.. McCausland said the fact was
plain that there is only one thing to
do, and that is to 60 into the sewer,
either gracefully or otherwise, and ho
thought ii would be better to acquiesce
TO the demands OF the Health Board
gracefully.
At the request of Mr.. Morrow, the
secretary read the last annual report OF
the health committee, which stated
that the sanitary condition Of Schools
Nos 3 and 4 was not as good as it
might be.
Mr. Morrow commended that the com
plications which have risen have mar
rowed themselves down to petty spite
work.
Mr.. Pyle spoke of people who know
nothing about tho matter condomning
the School Board.
DR.. Shortlidge said that to his
knowledge there had been nuisance
at the schools for the past five years
and he argued forcibly for immediate
action. He thought life too short tc
be talking about tho one thing so long.
Mr.. Pyle thought it would DO 6
waste Of the peoples money to do the
work.
Nv Rovnard vioorouely onnnznd fhf
Board of Education doing the work oi
eanctioning It. He was heartily il
favor of adopting Mr.. Carter'a resolu
ton. He expressed regret that thu
Health Board had not carried out the
threat TO close the schools. He con
tended that by doing so that bod,
would have brought upon themselves
wholesale condemnation from thu
public and would have found the ex
tent of their power He hoped tn,
Board of Education would go on recort
as opposed to the expenditure of thu
money. He arraigned the Board Q
Health and said there is no public
necessity for the sewer connection.
Dr. Shortlidge explained bis posi-
tion. He said he had impressed upol
the Board of Health the necessity o
having the work done.
Mr.. Ross said he thought it woult
be an improvement and he though
the two boards should come to som
amicable agreement.
President Baird said sentiment o
dignity or anything Of that kind ha,
nothing to do with it, He believeI
that the Board of Health had the RICH
to do the work, but il the Board @
Education should now decide to do il
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