The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-11-03

Chief Topic for the Consideration
of the Board Yesterday Was the
Recent Report of the InquisitOrs,
Who Found Fault with Existing
COnditiOns-Chang in the List
of Teachers.
The school board doesn't like the i'm,
putation which has been cast upon it
by the grand jury in its report, made
upon the suggestion of DR.. A. ]. Stone,
of the health department, relating to
the sanitary condition of number of
the schools where the Smead dry closet
system is in vogue.
The board at its meeting yesterday
afternoon fully considered the matter,
and was Of one mind in the belief
that the grand jury was not only
hasty in making a report upon the
sanitary condition of nine of the school
buildings, but the information upon
which 1t based It's report was entirely
at error.
Gustav Willius, who was a member
of the grand jury, appeared before the
board and stated that the report had
been made upon the recommendation
of DR.. A. ]. Stone of the health de-
partment. The jury had proceeded
wholly upon the official figures and
facts which were laid before it by city
officials
President Zimmermann-We can't
see on what basis DR.. Stone finds fault
with the sanitary condition of the
schools.
MI. Wlll1us-The grand jury was anx-
ious to complete its work and save
the county further expense The SAN
1tary condition of the schools was onlv
one of several matters which we had
TO consider, and as [ say we made our
report on the information furnished ia
by officials. The grand jury is no long,
er in existence, but after adjourning
we organized citizens committee ia
look after in a general way the sug-
gestlons which were made and see that
they We're carried out
Mr.. Franklin-Dr. Stone has evident
~ charged up the sickness in some of
the schools to buildings where the
Smead dry closet system is in vogue
For instance, the superintendent re-
port shows that there was a great deal
more sickness in the Madison and JEFF.
ferson districts than in any of ths
schools complained Of Both of these
schools have the flushing system. vet
they are credited with the most sick,
ness. DR.. Stone says: st have made a
personal examination" Now we all
know this examination was made NV
an assistant In company with Mr.. Ger,
ZACH.
We court investigation of the con-
dlt1on of any of these schools" assert
ed President Zimmerman. "WhiIe the
Smead system is not all that could be
desired, it is kept in excellent condi-
ton at all times, as we have not funds
with which to extend the flushing svs-
tenn and we feel that the grand irrv
was wasting time in taking the mat
ter up
Inspector Franklin.-The grand Jury
also recommended that city water he
put in at the Robert A. Smith school,
when, as a matter of fact, we have
nad water connections at this school
for two months.
Inspector May-I don't think the
grand jury would have made the re-
port 1t did if the board was called in.
1t is pretty hard to criticise the grand
jury. Yet that report was made on
one-sided testimony and does not do
the schools or the public justice. We
might appoint committee to meet
with Mr.. Willius and the citizens com
mittee and include the chamber of
commerce committee, and let them in
VeStigate the matter.
is there not some way" put In In
spector Corning, sarcastically, ''that
we could arrange to work the health
department in, too?"
We'll, gentlemen" said Mr.. Willius
the grand jury has no apologies to
make, as it delivered its report from
what was placed before it officially."
1.-THE fact Is, Mr.. Willius," said In
spector McNair, "Dr. Stone has several
times reported that these schools were
IN an unhealthy condition. From these
reports the people who patronize the
csah 1r hcroH
healthy and are afraid to send their
children to school. The public should.
/ think, be relieved of this misappre-
tension"
After considerable more discussion,
Mr.. Willius agreed to arrange for a
meeting between the board and the
citizens committee of the late grand
Jury Tor the purpose of making an in
Vestigation of the matter.
The board again wrestled with the
question of It's liability to pay water
tax out Of the general school fund. A
communication was read from John
Caulfield, Of the water board, enclos-
Ing an opinion from Assistant Corpora
tion Attorney Taylor, which neither af-
flrmed nor denied the boards liability
to pay for water, but was in the same
strain as other opinions which had
been rendered by the corporation at
torney's office.
"I'H tell you what We'll do" said
President Zlmmermann eve will re-
fuse to pay for this water" and the
subject was left at that, with the
board as much at sea as ever
Prof. ]. D. Bond, S. A. Farnsworth
and J. D. Bryant were granted per-
mission to attend the Southern Teach
ers' association, which opens tomor-
row at Mankato.
Secretary, Healy was authorized to
purchase a new carpet for the super
intendent's office.
Inspector McGill introduced a reso-
luton calling for the payment of a
bill of $115 for castings furnished the