The San Francisco call., 1898-11-10
Board of Education in
 a Bad Fix.
REPUDIATES SOME DEBTS
THEN VOTES TO RECONSIDER
 THE SAME.
The Mission High School Accepted Despite Changes Which Had Been Made in the Speci-
 ScatioGS.

The Board of Education held it's regular meeting yesterday afternoon, following lhe usual secret caucus in one of the ante chambers. Ten members of the board were on hand as early as o'clock, which was more than sufficient for a quorum. but there was a private scheme to be ar ranged in committee of the whole con- corning the unpaid bills which the Grand Jury is inquiring about at the present time. Accordingly the members of the board quietly slipped away from the of ice of the clerk into a private room ad- joining, reporters for the newspapers be- tng barred out, and proceeded to discuss the debts which are threatening to cause so much trouble.
 It was soon ascertained that President Harrington and several others were aVerse to ordering bills paid at the pres 2nt stage of affairs, not caring to increase che acknowledged indebtedness of the board, while Gallagher, Bantel and Wal CT were emphatic in their statements that all bills must be allowed and ordered paid without delay. Reaching no conclusion and the board at once met in the pres tnce of the reporters and half dozen A motion was made that all audited 0llS. winch had been incurred through contracts made by the board. should be ordered paid. Care was taken in this resolution to omit any statement as to the aggregate amount Of the sums due on Gese accounts, but 1t is understood to be
 
 This resolution was passed by |. vote of ' Q s, WhereupOn Gallagher moved that all lthcr bills of every description be also or tered paid. No statement was offered as .o what these other bills are, not even aE :Stimate of their aggregate being in evil fence. The resolution was voted down. 6 70 1. Then there was plenty of trouble Dr. Ragan moved that the clerk of the board notify all creditors whose claims aW. or do any old thing that they pleased O collect their money. MT. Carew attempted to rule the mo- ion out of order, but Ragan protested hat it was legitimate, inasmUch as the Board had repudiated it's just debts He hen charged President Harrington with having sUrreptitOusly held back a num- per of bills which the board had ordered )aid three weeks ago, all of the bills hay ng been presented by the Committee on supplies lie wanted to know on what authority the president was acting.
 Barrngt on replied that he had held back ne ollIS in question pending an investiga- ion He wanted to know by what right he Committee on Supplies had expended arge sums of money in fitting up the auditorium of the Mission High School, ma had purchased twice as many type writing machines for the school as the 'oard had directed. He thought that there lad been gross extrava gance. and under he circumstances he had thought best Q hold up some of the bills which the board had ordered paid.
 Bantel. who was chiefly responsible for many of the bills which represented ex- )enditures which he had made for the tGupmeNt or the Mission High School. became very WTathy at BarTington's tatements and demanded that the board II once take up the subject of unpaid Nils and settle the charges for once and Ill., II was finally decided to hold an ex- "a session on next Friday evening to consider the bills.
 The supply committee was instructed to purchase $50 worth of apparatus for the gymnasium of the Mission High School Ithough a the last meeting of the board was voted to introduce physical culture tt Mission High School on the distinct loGerstanding that there should not be dollar spent for equipment at the pres Tt time. owing to the crippled condition If the school finances.
 Miss Moliie Walsh was transferred rom the unassigned list to the receiving lass Of Jackson School. Mrs. F. Quinlan li the day substitute class was elected a cgular teacher and assigned to Miss Mill 1Uclid CrOOkham of the day bstitute lass was elected a regular teacher and assigned to Monroe School.
 new class was formed in Haight school, and Miss Margaret Mccarthy of he day substitute class was elected a 'egular teacher and placed In charge
 The question or accepting Mission High :chOol brought Bantel to his feet with a 5trOnE protest. He declared that the building had not been constructed accord ng to specifications. Architect Haven re- llied that the changes had been made and hat the committee of the whole of the board had consented to the same On a 7Ote being taken. Gallagher and Bantel ecorded themselves against accepting the building. but the majority decided that should be received.