The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-04-12
EAST PROVIDENCE.
The School Committee Has a Rather
Lively Session.
Major Bliss Unsuccessful Effort to Defeat
Superintendent Ellis.

| '''Ney 'Nt'iHk tHc SCHOOL cOfnfnlttce
mot In the council chamber and organized
Tor the new year. George n. Bliss pre-
sented his credentials, he having been
elected member. Mr.. George :. Dean
was reelected chairman and Edwin Ii.
Lincoln was reelected clerk. The matter
OF electing a superintendent was then
taken up. Mr.. Bliss made spirited
speech. and said he was In favor OF ap
pointing college graduate for that posi-
tion ana thought man should be APP
pointed who was not n member of tho
committees, for numerous reasons MIR.
Lincoln said he agreed with much that
Mr.. Bliss had said but the cry Of the
people was FOR economy, and he was not
oil the opinion that the time had yet ar
rived for such an appointment Mr.. Bliss
snld the Increased expense would be but
goo as the committeeman who holds the
Olnce or superintendent Is entitled 10
1000 for that Office and $50 as his Office Of
committeeman, and in that case there
would Dc no increased expense Mr. Bliss
SAID that superintendent Ellis had often
admitted To him that he was not fit for
the position and would hold 10 no longer
than last year. This statement Mr.. Ellis
denied. MIR. Bliss, however. reiterated his
statement and told Mr. Ellis chat he had
not got an ordinary grammar school edu-
cation. Mr.. Ellis made no reply To this
accusation, and before ballot was taken.
Is. johnson and Frederic Is. CARPENTER
ana he nominated Mr.. Carpenter On
motion Of MIR. Pierce, a ballot was taken
which resulted In one vote for MIR Car
Icnter ono for Mr. Bliss, ana three for MIR
Ellis and the latter was declared elected
Mr. Bliss then thanked tho inoIuber for
voting for him, but declared he was not "a
candidate, and offered the following pro-
test: hereby protest against the election
of William W. Ellis as superintendent of
the schools OF the town of East Provi.
denoe Tor the reason that he lacks the
education necessary for the proper dis
charge OF the duties Of the office -
The organization having been completed
some OF the mem bers began To talk
about adjourning. Mr.. Bliss said he had
considerable which he would like To say, as
there were matters pending which should
ciain the attention OF the committee
and le thought a special meeting should
be held before the regular meeting which
occurs the fourth Monday evening of this
month. lie mentioned the Gardner case
which was now pending in the Seventh |
District Court, and which the town solic- |
ltor had refused To try as there was no |
case, still Mr.. Gardner's son was not |
permitted 60 return TO school. Mr.. Bliss |
also cited another case, where the daugh- |
ter of Benjamin Wallen was losing n
high school education because OF some |
trouble with the principal Mr. Alex
ander These stories should be looked
INTO by the committee, and both sides
heard. Accordingly it was decided to
hold a special meeting next Wednesday
evening and notify Mr.. A. ID. Shepard.
principal of the A. Il. Hoyt grammar
school, Mr.. +. W. Alexander, principal of
,ho high school, Mr. George Gardner,
Mr.. benjamin Walle1 and the truant
,iiicer, Willard j. Barney, TO be present
or the purpose OF being heard The
Meeting then adjourned.
Saturday night Nestell johnson com
)lained TO the police that he had been as
anIted by Emil jacobson, and had been
mt upon the wrist with n knife. The |
'olice Investigated the affair ard found
small cut upon Johnson's wrist The
wound was not more than quarter of
IN inch long, and needed no surgical at
entlon witnesses were found who saw the
ssault but did not see any knife Both
nen are Swedes and reside on Valley
trcct where the assault was made There |
as been no arrest rs yet.
yesterday afternoon aS Officer Taguart |
yas patroling in the vicinity OF Fort
I'LL, he saw man sitting on rock. As
oon as the man saw the officer Inc ran
own the steep hill and down the railrond
ne officer dld not want the man, but 10 |
'as the old saying cxcmplificd, "A guilty
onscience needs no accusor
Last nght woman who said she hnd |
'alked from Fall River applied 10 the {
olice station for lodgings, but when told
here was no guest chamber attached TO
ne police station, she trudged on to the
ty.
Yesterday morning at the United Con-
regational Church, Mr.. Harris T.. Starr of
rown University preached upon "The :
lcssedness of Giving" and i'm the even.
NJ upon the Conscience. " At Haven I
!. r.. Church yesterday morning. after the q
)ening exercises Mr.. j. f.. &. Farnham )
epped To the altar and in "A very happy !
'eech presented the retiring pastor Rev '
Jhn Oldham, with n set of resolutions q
hlch had been passed ut the last qunr- q
rly conference and which had been beau !
fully engrossed and framed. Mr. Oldham D
as taken 10y surprise and was visiby
fected. He replied as best he could
lder the circumstances, but he was un-
lie 20 preach and made short talk Mr..
ldham will leave for the annual confer 4
ice on Wednesday. {,
Mrs. G.. w. Rigler, wife of Rev. Mr. Rig 4
7. pastor of the Second Baptist Church. +,
in Boston visiting her sister. ;,