The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-05-25

At the meeting Of the school board
two weeks ago a discussion arose as to
what was the proper system to be en-
ployed by a teacher in submitting a
resignation. The question was referred
to the committee on rules and at last
nights meeting the following was pre-
sented:
The committee on rules recommend that
hereafter all designations be placed In the
hands of the secretary at least two weeks
before the vacancy Is to occur, the same
to be read at the next regular meeting OF
the board and referred to the teachers
committee,
1t is further recommended that each
teacher shall at the time of submitting
her resignation also notify the controller
of the ward to that effect, and the super
intendent is hereby directed to notify the
teachers of the action of the board.
Any teacher failing to comply with this
rule shall forfeit two weeks salary un-
less a good and sufficient excuse shall be
furnished for such failure.
In tone of deep disgust Mr.. De-
vaney moved to lay the amendment on
the table. A vote was taken and the
motion was defeated.
Walsh, Jacobs, Schreifer, Langan, Notz,
Gibbons, Jennings-9.
Ayes-Messrs.. Carson, Devaney, Worm
ser, Welsh, Shaeffer, Barker, Langstaff-7.
Failing to defeat the measure as a
whole Mr.. Wormser sought to strike
oft the penalty clause saying 1t was
illegal and ridiculous. Mr.. Barker said
the whole thing was ridiculous; that a
teacher could resign whenever he or
she felt like it and the board could
not infict any fine for it.
Mr.. Gibbons thought otherwise. The
board was under contract with the
teachers and was liable for a years
salary If it dismissed the teacher with
out what in the eyes of the court would
be good and sufficient reasons. The
board he though ought to have a right
to penalize a teacher If he or she left
the employ of the board without due
and proper notice.
The penalty clause was stricken off
despite the protests of Messrs. Casey,
Walsh, Jacobs, Langan, Notz, Gibbons
and Jennings and then the remaining
part of the report was adopted without
opposition.
Mr.. Notz called attention to the fact
that allowance had been made in the
estimates for a $500 raise in the super
intendents salary and advised that the
board proceed at once to order the in
crease as 1t could not, he contended,
be legally done after June 1, when the
superintendent next year began. 1t
was finally decided after a. lengthy de-
bate to authorize the increase provided
the boards attorney could see no legal
obstacles. If the law against raising or
lowering the salary Of an official during
his incumbency applied in this case It
is proposed to discharge the superin-
tendent, raise the salary of his office
and then hire him over again. Messrs
Welsh. Shaeffer Jacobs, Schriefer and
Barker voted against the increase.
President Jennings, during the early
part Of the meeting, announced that
three bills for books had been present.
ed to him for his signature, and that
upon looking them up he discoverd
that no orders had been issued for
them, under which circumstances he
would have to refuse to give them his
approval.
Mr.. Langstaff, who was chairman oi
the text book committee, under the
former regime, arose and stated that
Re had personally authorized the pur-
chase of the books in question. The
superintendent on one occasion came Ia
him and stated that he needed the
books at once, and on the strength oi
this he took the responsibility of auth.
orizing the purchase.
Mr.. Jennings, who had scored the
little point he started out to make, re-
marked that in that case, as long AZ the
books were accounted for, he would
certainly sign the bills.
The board decided to attend in Q
body the exposition of the work Of the
| high and training school, to be gtver
| June /, in the high school auditorium
Mr.. Gibbons thought that inasmucf
| rs the schools were delayed a week
| in opening, they should be kept oper
| a week longer than usual. No one els,
on the floor thought SO, and the schoolE
will accordingly close June IS, as rec
commended by the teachers committed
at the beginning of the year.
Mr.. Davis brought up the matter o.
a retaining wall at No. 49, and Mr.
| Shires introduced a resolution for the
| purchase of lot adjoining No. 27, botf
OF which were referred to the building
committee.
On the recommendation of Mr.. Da
Wis, chairman of the building commit
tee, the board decided to advertise fol
$500 more single desks.
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