The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-05-29
BOARD OF EDUCATION BOUNCE.
MAYOR COLLIER OF ATLANTA USES
HIS Az.

The Old Board Composed of EiEh-
teen of the Most Prominent Wen
in the city, and Their Decapitati"n
Accomplished without Giving
Them the slightest InISlinE of
What Was in store for Them-Onlv
one Member of the Old Board
Given n Place on the New Board OF
Seven.
Atlanta. Ca, May 2S.-Mayor Collier this
Afternoon worked d coup d'etat on the
board of education which has caused a
greater sensation than anything that has
happened in municipal affairs within the
recollection Of the Oldest inhabitant. With
out the slightest warning and under the
guise Of a special meeting of council 10
pass upon another matter the surprise Is
sprung. 1t was in the form of an ordi-
nance abolishing the entire board of edu-
cation, which went through with celer-
ity that showed the direction of a master
hand. Immediately after passing the ord
nance. abolishing the board of education
which was introduced by Alderman Wood
ward, a new board was created and the
council proceeded to elect new members.
The old board was composed of eighteen
of the most prominent citizen Of the city,
who served without compensation or rec
ompense of any kind. In constituting the
new board. which was reduced in number
TO seven. one from each ward, but one
man from among those who composed the
old board was selected. This man was
Col w. S. Thompson, president of the old
board. All the others were fired out ig-
ANONYMOUSLY, as if they had been guilty
of some reprehensible act, debarring them
from making defense or being notified
of the contemplated expulsion. Their
terms OF office would not have expired for
one or two years yet.
The action of the council was as much
a surprise to the newly elected members
as to those who had been expelled 50
o,iietlv was the combination worked that
some members of council did not suspect
what was to be done when the body was
called to order.
The plan to Dust the old board came like
q thunderbolt from a clear sky only
Yesterday afternoon the old board met,
and its committee reported the names OF
the new teachers for the ensuing year.
which are to be elected two weeks hence.
This will have to be done over again. and
there may be many changes in the lists.
In fact il is said that one of the causes
behind the expulsion of the old board to-
daN is a desire TO defeat Superintendent
Slatou and some of the other teachers.
All the expelled members are indignant
ct the manner in which they were ousted.
They are among the city's foremost and
most digniied citizens, and they think
that they should have been given some
consideration at least. There was some
hot talk among them this afternoon, and
several expressed themselves as faVoring
a fight over the matter in the courts, on
the ground that the council had no right
10 expel officials elected for a regular term
of Office without preferring charges, or
upon good cause.
1t appears that the coup was the result
of the controversy between Mayor Collier
and the board. which commenced last fall
when the mayor ordered a general reduc-
ton in the salaries of the teachers, in
pursuance of his plan of municipal re-
trenchment. The board resisted, declar-
ing that the mayor had nothing to do with
the apportionment of salaries. The sal
aries were finally cut, however, though
not in the manner planned by the mayor,
and ever since that time there has been
a feeling of hostility between
his honor and the board. No
one suspected though. that the
mayor was making a still hunt for the
scalps OF the whole board until he had
them all hanging at his girdle this after
noon with one quick slash.
Further complications in the situation
are promised by the threatened refusal of
the newly elected members of the board
to serve Ex-Secretary Hoke Smith Is one
Of the new members. The formal reason
stated in the resolution of council for
its action is that the old board was too
large and unwieldy, but it is understood,
of course, that this is only pretext.