The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-04-05
1T WILL BE DIFFERENT IN JUNE.
Chance for the People to Turn Down
Disgrnceful school hoard.

The School Board election held Friday
night was widely. discussed yesterday. The
defeat Of Miss Eliza G.. Browning, city IL
orarian. was surprise to those who are
not familiar with the tactics Of the control
ling majority. Wherever the topic was dis
cussed there was Indignation.
1t Is claimed by Miss Brownings friends
that she was sacrificed to save Professor
Goss, who was reelected to the superin-
tendency of the city schools. It Is known
that Mr.. Goss was opposed to Miss Brown
ing and that he has not been friendly to-
ward her administration of library affairs
for some time. 1t is also known that COM
missioners Roth and Loeper were arrayed
against Goss. This has been a board secret
for a year. 1t was necessary to secure the
votes Of these two commissioners to re-elect
Goss. and trading was employed. Com
missioner Loeper demanded Miss Browning's
head, and he was willing to forego the
pleasure CT knitting Goss to get even with
the librarian. In payment for this sacrifice
he demanded that the other members OF the
Browning. These members lent willing
ear to the commissioners proposition. Ever
since the attempt was made to get new
library bill through the Legislature several
members Of the majority have been ininical
to Miss Browning. Had this bill become
law, IL WOQlQ nave taken Inc city library
out at the hands of the board. Although
the bill failed the majority members have
never forgiven those who labored in the in
terests OF its passage. They felt that the
was gross piece of presumption and was
a direct imputation on their ability and in
with these gentlemen. There was a feeling
among the members of the majority that
Miss Browning had ''lobbied" in favor of the
library bill, and these gentlemen calamity
V0Wad 70 get II has been said that
Miss Browning would have been cut off at
the April election in 1896 had her enemies
dared to show their hands them. They
realized that her defeat, closely following
the adjournment of the Legislature, would
too plainly indicate petty spite on their part.
So the majority waited its opportunity.
The question has been raised as to wheth-
er the new board, when it Is reorganized in
June, will be bound by the action OF the
recognize the newly elected librarian. A
member of the board is of opinion that
the new organization will be bound by all
the event that Mr.. Harrison waits until
after the June election before deciding TO
come here the board can use its own pleas
ure about taking him. In the meantime Miss
Browning will continue at the head of the
city library.
There will be five vacancies on the board
to be filed in June. The retiring members
are Martiadale in the Third district; Won
negut, in the Ninth district; Loeper in the
Sixth district. and Gavin, In the Seventh
1hC NdSdhSy NuuSSN W NhS tNN.o
nation of Mr.. Appel will also have to be
flied. Mr.. Loeper, who made the surly fight
on Miss Browning, desires to be reelected.
The other retiring members have not an
nounced themselves.
Mr. Blackledge, on the library question,
said: THE charge has been made against
the recent management of the library that
ii lacked the discipline and system neces-
sary to prompt and efficient service The
cause of this is clearly the fact that power
has not been given to Miss Browning to
appoint or remove employees. One person in
library who openly violates rules neces-
sary to its proper management, can ruin the
entire service. The gentleman who has been
chosen librarian made the condition that
authority should be granted him to appoint
and remove without the dictation of the
board I believe asura business principle
of public service 1t Is sound.
''Since 1 have been on the board / have
advocated granting such authority to the
librarian, but have deemed a resolu-
ton TO that effect in open board
as certain TO fail. To withhold
from Miss Browning the authority
necessary to the successful conduct of her
office. and then charge her with shortcom-
ings directly traceable TO that fact is high
y unjust to her, and is especially empha-
sized by proposing to give the new IL
brarian the authority withheld from her.
II notice I have been quoted opposing
the proposition TO continue Miss Browning
The statement attributed to me was made
by another memberJs If Miss Browning
wishes to continue / certainly would not OBJ
ject A very graceful thing for the board
to do would be to make her assistant IL
brarian."