Omaha daily bee., 1896-11-10
HOARD or EDUCATION MEETING
President RhoRdcs submits his An
uunl nCpOrt,

nunl Report.
Every one OF the republican candidates
for the Board OF Education were elected by
big majoritcs at the late election. That
developed in the official canvass OF the
votes cast made by the board last tight.
Bandhauer and Rhoadcs. both reelected.
had the biggest majorites. but Hess, Sears
and Van Glider were close behind them.
Tho figures were as follows; RandhauCr.
lO,737; Grossman. 7S2S; Hess, lO36S; Ken
nedy S097; Reed, 7,lli; Rees, 7S72; Sears,
| lO,O22; Rhoades, l0,162; Summers, 1,1O2;
! Van Glider. l0.0OS.
| IL. J. penfod also walked away with his
democratic opponent for the vacancy LETT
| by Rev Cramblet. Many voters failed to
/ signify theirs preference for this office. and
/ consequently the vote was much smaller
/ than for the other offices. II was penfold,
! 7,5l5; Lowe, 5,22S, penfold will hold his
office one year from January l. 1897. and the
| other five will hold theirs three years from
! that date.
! The canvassnE occupied fully two hours
and was completed at 1870. Before 1t was
| begun the board transacted some regular
| business. President Rhoades submitted an
! exhaustive annual report for the school year
| ending June 80, last. lie began by call
| ing attention to the increase average at
! tendance, which was l.. $50. an increase Of
| from 1857 to 2,25l over the preceding
| years. The revenues were $685., ,94553, a de-
| CltdSt Ol at ledSl NlNlNl over pTeCtl-
| ing years President Rhodes calculated
that with the increased attendance on the
| basis Of other years the board should have
! had resources to the amount of $500 S39.
| After complimentary notices of the work
! Of the superintendent OF instruction. the
secretary Of the board, the superintendent of
buildings and custodian. the report touched
| upon the question of teachers salaries.
| II dtsapproved any further reduction in sal
aries. stating that Omaha is not only paying
a low salary, but one far below the average.
| IL was stated that the constant agitation re-
| garding salaries has had demoralzing eff
| feet upon the teachers, causing designations
| or hrst-class teachers and oCCasiOning the
| hilng of the vacancies with poorer ones.
| President Rhoades believed that a wrong
| idea was prevalent regarding the size of the
| salaries. He said that a teacher receiving
! The maximum OF $40 per month made total
! OF only $500 year. or $3.50 per calender
! month one receiving a minimum of $40
! obtained $3.50 a year, or $50 per calender
| month President Rhoades did not think
| that this compensation was too great for a
| woman who performed the work OF a
| teacher, parent and Sunday school teacher
The report then referred to the special
| departments in the schools In the first
place the president believed a step back
ward had been taken in abolishing the
| teachers training school The manual
| training department was highly commended
and 1t was recommended that it be enlarged
] W ptONiut lot lnt Increased enrolment. Inc
| board was congratulated for retaining music
! and drawing in the course Of study. The
! kindergartens and their work were also
highly recommended. although President
| Rhoados said: 81 am strongly of the opn-
! ion that too many kndergartens were
opened at the beginning of the year and
would recommend that the board carefully
! investigate the matter before taking any
action in that direction next year. | would
also recommend that the committee on
! kindergartens be requested to investigate
| carefully the kindcrgartens of Omaha, also
in other cities to obtain the opinions Of
educational authorities throughout the Coun-
try and that the information be given full
publicity with n view of determining as
far as possible whether the patrons Of the
school are in favor Of continuing ii in our
public school system.
The report recommended the adoption of
the civil service system in governing teach
ers. instead of the system of annual cleo
tiOns and rC-eleCtiOns.
President RhOades maintained that de-
spite criticisms with reference to oNtrava-
gance, tho board has endeavored TO econO-
mise as far as possible without destroying
the high standard of the schools. To the
criticisms made in regard to the demand OF
the board on the council for the same levy
as last year. the report stated that the de-
mand that the revenue from. taxation be In.
creased was not because the expense of
running schools Is being increased, but be.
cause the revenue derived from licenses has
decreased from $252 900 to $195,OOO The re.
fusal of the council to make up the deficit
has increased the school debt compelling the
board to pay interest on outstanding war
rants Notwithstanding the councils actions
the president strongly recommended the
board to open the kindergartens and first
grades to full day sessions.
The report congratulated the board on
the creation of the insurance fund allow
ing money formerly paid to insurance COM
panies to be transferred to this fund and
invested. II was stated that the insurance
had been gradually dropped from $575 900
to l4l,IOO, while the fund is large enough
to take care of any nominal loss by fire.
Member Gillespie. chairman of a special
committee 20 investigate the matter of de-
fective sight and impaired hearing in the
public schools. recommended that an ex-
pert aurist and oCulist be engaged to conduct
an examination, with the assistance of the
school officials, OF the children in the schools
with a view of selecting those who need
special care that they may be provided
for.
The intention is not to provide eye
glasses and medical care. but to inaugurate
such system of arranging blackboards,
etc, that the eyesight of pupils in the future
may be saved. The committee estimated the
cost OF the examination Will be $3.50 The
report of the committee was adopted, but
no authority was given to eNpend the money
in the work. The committee was continued.
for the month of October, which showed
balance of S21 l3742 in the general fund on
thu last day OF the month. There are out
standing warrants to the amount of
73,72G.S1, Of which $69, ,33D. .Oi is drawing in
terest, Only $Sl5.SO OF warrants was paid
during the month.
The board was served with a notice from
the Board Of Public Works, ordering the
construction OF permanent stone sidewalks
on Lake street in front OF the Lake school,
Z II IN, fsaf Of IEga.
school.
a request from Teacher Catherine Foos for
! hve months leave Of absence was referred
to the superintendent with power to grant.
Mss FoOs has already left the city to take
a special course in the University of Wis
Consin.
report from the committee on High
school recommending that the principal OF
tho High school be authorized 10 sell to High
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