The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-10-20
THE SCHOOL
| CURTAILMENT.
Mass Meeting Held in Infantry
Hall Last Evening.
A COMMITTEE WAS APPOINTED
To Have the Schools Continued According
10 The Original Plans.
A COMMITTEE WAS APPOINTED
MOVEMENT FOR AN INVESTIGATION.
Resolution Adopted Requesting Mayor TO Appoint
Committee 10 Inquire Into the Whole System
Of Public School Management.

The meeting held at Infantry hall
last evening for the purpose OF dis
\ cussing the school situation called out
an audience of about 500 persons, con-
sisting very largely of the teachers of
the public schools and members OF the
| Beacon Hill Improvement society
| There were no sensational features
whatever about the gathering, every
thing being done in dignified manner,
| the main desire being to devise some
scheme whereby the public schools
| should be continued in their entirety
1 through the present year.
The meeting was opened at few
! minutes past o'clock by Mr.. Alfred
Stone, who called for the nomination
! OF a chairman. Mr.. Amasa Nj. Eaton
| nominated Rathbone Gardner and he
| was unanimously elected Amasa NJ
| Eaton was then elected secretary. on
| the platform were seated John W. Yer
non, George w. Whitaker, Stephen O.
Edwards, Alfred stone. Rev. Anna
Garlin Spencer, Rev William H.
Spencer, Prof. w. H. Munro, Amasa NJ.
Eaton, President Clarke Of Brown uni
versity, Miss Sarah Il. Doyle and John
b. Anthony.
Mr.. Eaton read the call for the meet
ing, and then Chairman Gardner made
a statement of the situation as he un-
derstood IL. He said the school com
mittee had arranged. as usual, for the
regular studies and had asked the city
council for an appropriation for the
same, which the city council had not
given, being short OF funds from the
tax receipts. The school committee had
therefore decided To cut off certain
courses of study. The object of the
meeting was to avert the danger that
threatens us now and to prevent it's
reoccurrence, and he hoped that the dis
cussion would be confined strictly to
the matters set forth In the call. IL
this was done something might be ac-
complished; II not, very little could be
done.
Mr.. Alfred Stone then offered two
resolutions as follows:
Resolved, That the chairman ap-
point a nominating committee -eEfiNe
to present the names of five persons for
election at this meeting who shall con-
stitute a committee to take the neces-
sary steps toward securing, by the ac-
ton of the city authorities. the con-
tinuance of the public schools on the
plans entered upon at the beginning of
the school year.
Resolved, That the mayor be re-
quested to appoint committee of five |
citizens of Providence not connected |
with the city government. 70 nvesti |
gate the whole system Of public school |
mana cement In our city, and To make |
such recommendations as shall seem |
to them wise, ard in the interest OF |
true economy and public welfare. and |
to report at a public meeting on or be-
fore May ], 1899.
Mr.. Stone then moved the passage of
the first resolution. and Chairman
Gardner asked whether II was sec
Dnded
Mrs. Anna Garlin Spencer seconded
the resolution. and said the meeting
vas not called by the Municipal league.
not called by the teachers not called
oy any faction; nor had IL been called
or the purpose of criticising any MEM
Der of the city government. nor TO un-
'arth any scandals. II was "A meeting
If men and women who believed I'm the
'ause of education. Mrs. Spencer said
hat she believed the city was under n |
moral obligation To the teachers who
lad been engaged, and she did not
Inow but what II might bc LEGALITY re-
ponsible. II was not n meeting TO stir
lp strife. but a meeting called to en- |
'hasize the point that the city is moral
Y obligated to fulfll it's obligations
made towards the teachers and pupils
{ the beginning of the school year.
Acting President Clarke OF Brown ,
said he arose simply TO be
ounted on the side OF the public
chools. When he read the action OF ,
he school committee a few weeks ago |
e was shocked and felt ashamed. The 5
liability OF our government depends
pom the education Of our people. hence q
is necessary To give the people the {
cry best education. His life work as I
teacher had brought him into n near
with the teaching force OF l
he city. and any misfortune which :
)uched teacher touched him. They |
ere here simply to protest against
losing any Of the schools before the |
egular period and against cutting off
NY of the regular appendages. The
losing Of the evening schools he con- |
dered q public calamity He there
,re hoped the resolution would pass.
nd then " any other evils exist they
an he remedied az tho proper time and
: tho proper way,
Mr.. John w Vernon said the school
was the accredited agent of
ne city 10 make contracts with teach
RS. and he understood the teachers had
igned contract which permitted the
ity To discharge them at months
office. This he considered a proper
rovision, for the teachers should be
nder the immediate supervision Of the
chool committee. There In no mu-
In the country whose credit
las stood higher than the municipality
II Providence. and this because people
lad confidence that II would fulhI its
Obligations. He did not believe the city
n Providence could AFFORD 20 violate
r. obligatiens-e4 either expressed or-ifn.
lied.
stephen %. Edwards reviewed the
'Osition or the school committee and
hen spoke OF what had been said about
moral obligation" The school com
nlttee had found itself between two
1oral obligations. one n moral obliga-
lon not To expend more money than n
ould legitimatcly spend. and another
ioral obligation. n ~ was such too