The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-03-15
THE SCHOOL ELECTIONS
-FOUR COMMISSIONERS ARE TO BE
SELECTED IN JUNE.
President scott VIII Not BE CandI-
Try to Beat BlackIedge.

Next June there are to be elections in the
First Second. Tenth and Eleventh school
districts. represented now, respectively, py
Messrs. Blackledge, Scott, Hendrickson and
McNeeley. Mr.. Scott has been a commits
sioner from the Second district for six years
and is at present president of the board. a
position he has filled most acceptably since
the clique was turned down a year ago. He
has announced that he will not be can
didate for reelection. he feels that he
has occupied the position long enough, be-
sides which he has grown little weary of
the trying responsibilities of the place. 1t
is believed, however, that Mr.. Scott might
be induced to lay aside personal considera-
tons for the good of the common schools,
inaamuch as 1t is absolutely necessary at
this time to keep the present supremacy
over the old ring. There is floating in
debtedness approximating $685. OO which will
have lo be provided for shortly after the
June election and with the ring again in
power, it is said that there would be cause
to apprehend danger from extravagant
manipulation cf temporary loans. Besides
this, IL Is In the power of the board to
make an additional Decent levy of which
there Is danger the rirs might take advan-
tage to still further increase the complica-
lions in the financial conditions of the
schools President Scott will oppose any
Increased Indebtedness, although new build
ings are needed.
Mr.. Backledge, whose term expires in
June. enjoyed the distinction OF turning
down the king bee himself when he de-
fcated John Il. FrenZel in the First district
two years ago. Whether or not Mr.. Fren-
eel Is candidate himself is not known,
but the assertion was made day or two
ago that one of his personal representatives
would be If he were lot and that every
effort would have TO be made to keep this
district out of the hands OF the old crowd
at the coming election.
Mr.. HendricksOn represents a district (the
Tenth) that is regarded as safely 'nonring''
in its sentiments and tendencies. For sew
eral weeks Mr.. Hendrickson has been una
bic to attend to business owing To sickness
and death in his family. 1t is said that he
has told some of his frier Us that he did not
care to be a candidate th,S summer.
Mr.. McNeeley was elel ed last June TO fill
out the unexpired tern of Commissioners
Appel: who resigned. His election was a
sore defeat for the ring which bent ev-
cry effort to carry the Eleventh district.
1t is confidently asserted by those who
Keep in pretty close touch with school af-
fairs that Messrs. Scott, Hendrickson and
McNeeley could be reelected without
doubt. 1t is also said that Mr.. Blackledge
would be strong candidate from the Fren-
eel district. but ii is realized that IL Mr..
Frenzel enters the fight, of which there
seems no doubt, that the anti-ring candi-
date from the First district would have a
long and hard fight on his hands.
At this time, IL is said the city cannot
afford TO allow a single district TO fall back
into the control of the clique, there is
now bare majority of one, and 10 lose
a district at this time would throw the con-
troll of the schools back into the hands of
the old crowd. In this connection il is
pointed out that Mr.. Vonnegut, who has
been on the board three years, will be the
only anti-ring commissioners with any eX-
perience i'm school affairs IL Messrs. Scott
Hendrickson and Blackledge are not re-
turned. Mr.. Sloan. the other member of the
anti-ring majority, was elected last June.
OF late years school elections have been
almost devoid of political considerations
and have shown Democrats and Republic
ans working shoulder to shoulder against
the factions of the ring. 1t is believed that
there will be an interesting fight this sum
mer.