The herald., 1897-01-05
II WILL BIZ A SOLID SEVEN
New Board of Education Starts
Out BriskIy
FIGHT FOR TIE PRESIDENCY
Better City Government Candidate Was
Turned Down
Only Eight Applicants for the Secre-
tary's Job and No Choice.
A Social Lesson.

Only Eight Applicants for the Secre-
tary's Job and No Choice.
A Social Lesson.
The rooms of the board of education
in the Wilcox building were thronged
last evening as though a public recep-
tion were in progress. 1t was the occa-
| sion of the first meeting of the new board
and the formal retirement of the old
The members of the two boards did not
constitute the whole of the crowd, for
| they were outnumbered by the mon in
the lobby, nearly every one of whom was
supposed to be an applicant for the only
| appointive office the board had to fill at
| once, that of secretary. In addition to
these already referred to there were
number OF citizens interested in watch
ing the proceedings of the evening.
| OF the old board only Directors Ken
| nedy and Wills were absent a meeting
Of the others-Directors Garland Pit
| man, Mathis, Grubb, Fulton. Simonton
and President Hale-was first held, and
after the reading of the minutes of the
! last meeting, each of the members made
a neat speech, referring in compliment
ary terms to colleagues and congratulat-
ing the city upon the character of the
new board. After this ceremonial, the
members of the old board dissolved and
turned over the affairs of the city schools
to their successors-W F. Poor of the
First ward. N. p. Conrey, Second; A. G..
Bartlett. Third; C. c. Davis. Fourth J.
II. Braley, Fifth; DR.. E. N. Mathis,
Sixth; Joseph F. Adams, Seventh; ]
McInerney. Eighth Walter E. Webb,
Ninth.
Immediately after this exchange of
courtes!es the new board went into an
adjoining room to caucus on, the NOM
nation of president, while the old
board hovered near and speculated on
what was going on beyond the ground
glass door. When the caucus had pro-
ceeded to some length of time it was
taken for granted that a lively time was
in prospect, and one man said he knew
to certainty that the new board pro-
| posed to deprive it's president of the
power of appointing committees. There
was no sound of battle in the star cham
Der and after a long time the new men,
bers filed out again to the public meet
ing place and took their seats.
Secretary Dandy first read a COM
| munication from City Clerk Lucken-
bach announcing who had been elected
This was only fomality, for everybody
there knew it all before.
On motion Mr.. Conrey of the Second
ward was chosen temporary chairman
and MT. Dandy was made temporary
secretary. The next business was to
elect a president Of the board for the
ensuing year, and this displayed some
politics of kind that promised we'll
for future fun. Mr.. Webb of the Ninth
nominated DR.. E. N. Mathis, who was
a member of the old board for the past
three months. j. H. Braley os the
Fifth nominated Charles Cassatt Davis
of the Fourth.
When the question was put Mathis
received the votes of Directors Poor.
Conrey, Bartlett. Adams. McInerney
and Webb; Mr.. Davis received the vote
of Mr.. Braley; Mr.. Braley was voted
for by Mr. Davis, and Mr.. Bartlett
was voted for by DR.. Mathis. AS DR..
Mathis had received six of the nine
votes, he was declared elected and es-
corted to the chair.
The new presidents opening address
was very brief, but significant. Re-
ferring to Mr. Braley's remarks in nom
irating Mr.. Davis that his candidate
had been elected solely by the Better
City Government league, Pesident Ma
this said that business matters of the
board could be facilitated greatly by
ignoring partisanship. He felt honored
by his election as president, but would
have been better pleased If it had been
unanimous.
It was rext in order to elect a Sec
retary of the board. The acting secre-
tary read the applications of F. A. Dew
ey, who offered to cut rates by work
ing for $500 less than the established
salary; Charles w. McMaster. Oren N.
Raney, Leo v. Youngworth, N. s. Av-
eril1 and c. p. Dandy, the incumbent.
Director Webb moved that the board
take a list Of the names of applicants
and retire to the other room to delib
crate in secret. This prevailed and the
new board again filed out. leaving the
old members to hang about and tell
stories to each other and the reporters.
For nearly an hour the new board
fought nine-sided battle in that in
ner room. In addition to the six names
already mentioned as applicants, two
more were brought forth from vest
pockets making eight In the field. With
eight candidates and only nine school
directors, no choice could be made, and
the board came back.
When the board had again taken seats
outside, Director Conrey moved that the
present temporary secretary, Mr.. DANDY
continue to act as temporary secretary
during the pleasure of the board.
Director Davis arose to ask if the rec
concentrations embodied in the report
of Superintendent Foshay and President
Hale as to needed legislation required
immediate attention. Director Conrey
said he thought Mr.. Davis was referring
to move to pay salaries to the members
of the board of education, whereat an
audible smile was noticeable in the
room. Professor Foshay said that the
recommendations alluded to were al
ready included in the omnibus bill before
the legislation and no immediate action
by the board was necessary.
Director Davis moved that the exist
ing rules governing the board be con-
tirued at the pleasure of the board, and
the motion carried.
President Mathis said he took 1t for
granted that he still retained the power
of appointing committees, and when as
sured that under the existing rules, still
in force, he had that prerogative. he
said that at the next regular meeting,
next Monday evening, he would make
announcement of his choice. In the
meantime he hoped each member of the
board would write on a slip for him
the names of the committees of which
each would like to be chairman, naming
first and second choice.
This concluded the business of the
board and adjournment followed.
THE RERKEI Ey ROWS