The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-10-12
ANOTHER WRANGLING,
JANGLING SESSION
rss Delayed While SsAool Con.
trolIers Are Snarled In Debate.
MUCH TALK AND LITTLE ACTION
Members Succeeded in Wading
Through the Business That Came
with Committees Reports, but
Wanted to Quit When Mr.. Notz At-
tempted Second Explanation.
Question of Dispute with the Econ
omy steam Company Referred to
the Boards Attorney.

Another unnecessarily protracted and
oratorical session of the board of con-
troll was held last night 1t lasted over
an hour and a half and like the meet
ing of two weeks ago few members
We're responsible for enough useless de-
bate and hap-haZzard way of doing
business to confine the entire proceed
ings to what came under the head of
committee reports.
President Jennings was absent from
the city and Mr.. Wormser was chosen
to preside.
The meeting had not been long under
way before Mr.. Notz arose to acquaint
his fellow-members with the particu-
lars of q criticism made upon him by
Sunday newspaper. The newspaper
had charged him. as a controller of the
Nineteenth ward and janitor Of No. 10
school, with having Joined the two Of
fees as means for exercising undue
and arbitrary authority. Mr. Notz ad-
mitted stopping football playing; chas-
ing back into school boys who had
been excused for a few moments but
who idled outside: stopping cigarette
smoking; locking the school house
doors for fifteen minutes after the last
bell had sounded, so that late corners
would not disturb the opening exer-
cses; stopping refractory pupils en-
route to school and chiding them on
unseemly behavior; visiting the differ
ent rooms and addressing the pupils
on general topics and for their welfare
these things Mr.. Notz admitted.
MOTION TO APPROVE.
Ills lengthy statement was received
in silence. The regular business of the
session lulled for n moment later on
and Mr.. Gibbons offered q motion that
Mr.. Notz' action be approved by the
board. Chairman Wormser declined to
put the motion unless it was offered
in writing. The regular business again
continued and without any comment
upon or vindication of Controller Notz's
policy as jantCr controller in the Nine
teenth ward.
Mr.. Wormser was empowered to sign
warrants for the pay of teachers and
other employees, contractors and others
until the return of President Jennings.
This authority was not voted until af-
ter considerable discussion had taken
place on Mr.. Wormser's observation
that many of the appropriations had
been exhausted and that he would not
sign any warrants for which no ap-
preparation was available.
A mild form of hornets nest was
stirred by a letter from the general
secretary of the Young Women's Chris
tian association asking for the use of
school books that had been discarded
by the board. the books to be used in
the association night schools. Mr.. Bar
kers motion that the matter be refer
red to the text book committee, and
q debate pro and con the granting of
the request caused Mr.. Welsh to state
that the matter should be Investigated
by COMMITTEES.
Mr. Welsh further remarked he had
heard that vast quantity of books, a
wagon load, had been taken to a
Scranton institution, by whose author
ity he did not know. Mr.Welsh did not
name the institution. He offered a mo-
tion that the text book committee in
restigate the charge, and If found true,
ascertain by whose authority the city's
property had been given away. The
Young Women's Christian associations
request was likewise referred to COM
mttee.
FOR RELIGIOUS PURPOSES.
The use of No. school building for
religious purposes was referred to the
controller of the ward with power to
act, provided an affirmative action
would not conflict with the law or the
boards rules.
A petition that a night school be es-
tablshed in No. 27 building was refer
red to committee as was a petition from
thirty foreign-speaking Polish resi-
dents of the Second and neighboring
wards asking for the use of No. 81 or
No. "a building and night educational
facilities at the boards expense. AS
the latter petition provided for teach
ing pupils over 21 years of age it is
not likely that the request will be
granted, at least such was the senti-
ment of the debate on the petition.
The resignation of Miss Minnie Glib
bons, a teacher at No. II school, was
accepted and the appointment of Miss
Mary Riddle, vice Miss Gibbons, was
made on recommendation of the teach
ers committee.
The high and training school COM
mttee made report advising that the
Economy Steam Heat and Power COM
pany not be paid any extra sum for
! cooling the waste steam and hot water
before it enters the sewers from the
| high school building. The committee
| believed the company was obliged to
care for the waste without extra pay
| but as the contract was not clear on
| that point the matter was referred
| back to the committee for consultation
with the boards attorney and report
| at the next meeting.
Mr.. Davis of the building committee
reported that the No. &c annex was in
spected Saturday and found to be COM
pIete and properly constructed. He
| moved the acceptance of the work,
The motion was adopted but not with
out the opposition of some members
| who contended that the heating appar-
L 4 h1aIn tn.tnd q nd hs 4lc