The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-03-10
THE SCHOOL
COMMITTEE.
The Training School Report
Was Considered In
Executive Session.
Plan Presented For ReOrganiza.
tiOn of This Feature OF
School Work.
DISCUSSION UPON THE REPORT.


Session Was Carried By Vote Of 5 to
4Other Business That Was Done.
Every member OF the School Committee
was seated last evening when Chairman
Blodgett raped for order. The records OF
the last meeting of the committee were
read and approved.
The following bills were passed subject
to the approval of the proper committees:
Supplies, s4e.55; janitors' wages, sS.s3;
repairs and care, S139.27; fuel and gas, s413:
incidentals, s64.26; evening drawing
school, s339.Ss; evening schools, 1881;
reference books and apparatus, $3.50;
furniture and furnishings, $3o.5S; adver-
tising and printing, $30.75; text books and
stationery, $519.25; total, s2137.7.
A communication was read from Alder
man Thomas O'Brien asking that the city
be granted the privilege of using the
South Woodlawn school room as voting
place for the second district of the Fifth
Ward at the spring election. This request
brought fourth considerable discussion.
Mr.. Pierce claimed that the voters would
use tobacco to an extent that would result
in damage to the property, and as second
objection that the use of the school would
result in the loss of several school hours.
Mr.. Slattery favored the use of the build
ing for the election purposes. Mr.. Cronin
also favored the use of the building for
election purposes, on the ground that the
School Committee had been saved consid-
erable expense by the use of the ward
rooms as schools, and it appeared to him
as though the refusal of the committee
would appear discourteous.
The committee, after a somewhat pro-
longed discussion, voted to allow the city
to use the building for the purpose de-
sired, Mr.. Pierce alone voting in the neg
ative.
Mr.. Cronin reporting for the Committee
on Qualifications the appointment OF Miss
Mary Davis was recommended as regu-
lar assistant teacher in the High School.
The recommendation was approved. This
action was not taken, however, before an
objection had been raised by Mr.. Emerson,
who said that although member OF the
committee he had been present at no meet
ing where any action had been taken, and
had he been he would not have voted for
the recommendation.
Mr.. Cronin said that several meetings of
the committee had been called for various
dates and several times postponed. The
meeting had been finally held on Feb. Y,
and that notices of the meeting had been
sent to all members of the committee. At
this meeting the recommendation was ap-
parently confined to two teachers, Miss
Davis and Miss Marshall, and the former
was voted for, as she was resident OF the
city and had been educated in the schools OF
the city. The recommendation of Miss Mar
shall was, as he understood it, owing to
her proficiency in French.
Mrs. Jolly took the floor at this period
and stated her views on the question
which were in substance as follows: That
she favored the ap ointment of Miss Davis
because she considered her thoroughly
capable, while possibly Miss Davis might
not be as proficient in French as Miss
Marshall, but when Miss Davis called
upon a Providence professor to arrange
for lessons she was asked il she was the
young lady from Northampton, and when
she replied that she was from Pawtucket
was informed that the young lady from
Northampton intended taking a course of
instruction. After asking the principal of
the High School about the qualifications
of Miss Marshall she was inclined to rec
ommend Miss Davis. Mrs. Jolly said she
was opposed to the employment OF
teachers, who were recommended through
the various agencies which collected B
per cent of the first years salary received.
Mr.. Emerson said he was inclined to
endorse Miss Marshall from the recon-
mendation he saw from the High School,
in which she was formerly employed. The
vote was then called for, and the recon-
mendation adopted, Mr.. Emerson casting
the only negative vote.
Mr.. Slattery of the Committee on High
School presented the request OF Principal
Curtis of the High School for q leave Of
absence during the coming term, and
he recommended that Mr.. Hastings
be placed In charge during the absence Of
the principal, and that q substitute be en-
gagged in the place of Mr.. Hastings. The
question was finally referred to the Com
mittee on High school with power to act,
provided the principal did not expect
salary during his absence.s Mr.. Coop was
the only member of the committee voting
in the negative.
The motion of Mr.. Emerson that the
committee consider the report OF the Com
mittee on Training School In executive
session, caused the most interesting por-
ton of the proceedings Of the evening.
Mr.. Pierce expressed himself as opposed
to executive sessions on general principles,
giving as his view Of the matter that the
public were entitled to know the action
of their servants. He was In favor OF the
consideration of all business In the pres
ence Of the reporters. Mr.. slattery adopted
the same view of the question, and desired