The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-05-13
School Board Will Investigate
Trustee Frederic's Action.
A COMMITTEE APPOINTED
Frederic Insists That 1t Was ar Ordi-
nary Business Transaction-The
Other Members Generally
Condemn IL.

made against Trustee j. II. Frederic
nat he borrowed money from several
of the teachers. The matter was
brought up by Mr.. Burke after ali the
other business had been disposed of.
Every member of the board was pres
ent. including Mr.. Frederic.
THE matter had been very generally
discussed and has appeared I'm the pub
lie press" said Mr.. Burke after HI had
introduced the subject. and IL seems
To reflect very much on the manage
ment OF the school. ] regret very much
that any member of this board should
place IL in the power of any one to
question the acts of himself or of the
board. From what | have learned. L
for one. most emphatically condemn
the action of Mr.. Frederic I'm borrow
ing money from any of the teachers
employed i'm the public schools, and |
would like to see the board place itself
ON record To that effect, and therefore
i make "A motion that IL be the sense
of this board that we condemn such
action on the part of Mr.. Frederic.
Mr.. Morgan seconded the motion,
and I'm doing so aid he very much re-
GREETED that such action on the part
of the board was necessary. 1T seems
to me-" he said. that i'm this matter
NV PilNi itEtS VI a. lIuSttf nave GER
tainly been encroached upon and |
think IL Is well that the board should
take some action"
President Long was bou to put the
motion when MIR. Frederic asked IL he
would be allowed to defend himself.
This matter has come up on me rather
Unexpectedly he said. Usually a
person is given notice of some kind be-
fore he is condemned. | borrowed
money from two teachers. but | did it
i'm a business way, gave security, paid
interest and have paid one of the notes
and the transaction had nothing to do
with the fact that | was "a member of
the board of school trustees, as that
the persons from whom | borrowed
were teachers. / got 800 from Miss
Mason after ! had tried and failed to
get IL on the outside. / was in a posi-
ton where l had to borrow money, a
fact that l regret, but of which l am
not ashamed. The article published i'm
the Miner regarding me is a tissue of
falsehoods. | had borrowed 800 from
Miss Kelly and gave her my note for
IL, and when II came due I paid it with
interest. Miss Mason had been a
friend of my family for years. and the
financial dealings | had with her We're
a most friendly transaction. 1t has
been intimated hat | attempted to in
timidate some of the teachers into let
/ titlS III nave HioitN :. HEt1utt tndl anu
brand IL as a lie OF the BLACKLIST type.
l may have been imprvdent. but /
ha We never had a thought of doing a
wrong or reprehenstble act. i have al
| ways been devoted to the public
! schools and the public schools system.
Since my election l AVE spent most of
my time in working for the school of
Butte. ] have taught classes I'm chem
istry and delivered lectures on that
and other subjects gratis and have de-
voted my best efforts to the school. |
have never even asked or expected
thanks for all l did. if l had. l should
consider myself guilty. l have worked
i'm harmony with the other trustees
to eradicate from the schools the evil
from which they ave suffered. m
considering IL all, | think l should have
been entitled to some consideration in
stead of being attacked i'm this man.
ner. Teachers who have known of my
unfortunate financial position and the
losses I have sustained, have volun-
tarily offered me the loan of money,
and | have refused il. No one can I'M
derstand how bad ! feel. how terribly
I felt when this matter was sprung on
me. or l feel to have il brought up in
this name without giving me a
chance to defend or explain. People
look at me On the streets as though |
were a criminal. and no one here can
uidtlStdlu hoN L ndNt bttn ildut 10
suffer since the publication of the
falsehoods, N considering what I
have done for the schools, this action,
to say the least, Is pretty mean"
In answer To a question from Mr..
Clinton. Mr.. Frederic admitted that he
had sought loans from several other
teachers, but they had no money to
loan. and that ended the matter.
Mr.. Burke said one teacher had in
formed him that Mr.. Frederic had tried
To borrow money from her. and had Of
fered her a mortgage on his house as
security. Mr.. Burke considered that
an effort to obtain money by false rep
r~esentation, in view of the fact that the
house was heavily incumbered, of
which he had Information.
Mr.. Long also told about a teacher
who had been approached and said
from h he learned of the particular
case IL looked to him as though Mr..
Frederic used his official position to get
money. 1T was very bad taste, to
say the least said Mr.. Long.
Mr.. Macdonald thought IL was a very
grave and serious matter. He even
thought there was "A possibility that
there was a criminal act committed.
and he suggested that "A committee be
appointed To investigate. MIR. Burke
then withdrew his motion to condemn,
and President Long appointed Burke,
Macdonald N Clinton to investigate.
and requested them to report in writ
ing at the next meeting of the board.
Mr.. Morgan. chairman of the building
committee, reported that the commit
tee had decided upon and would recon-
mend to the board the erection of a IL
room school building in the eastern por-
tion Of the city. N that d of
ground he advertised for. The build
ing is to be placed somew here I'm the
territory between Broadway and Mer-
curry street, and Oklahoma inc War
ren avenue The new school will take
the place of the Parrot building. which
is to he sold. Architect O'Brien sub
mitted plans of the proposed building,
providing for "A two-story structure, -
by 100 feet. and TO accommodate about
900 pupils. The board. after consider
ing the plans. decided that 1t would be
advisable to erect a building of the size
proposed. though all the rooms would
not be required at first. Mr.. O'Brien
estimated the cost of such a building al
about seo.0oo or S25. 900. ON motion OF
Mr.. Morgan, the clerk was instructed