Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1898-09-29
The Parker Twp, school Fight.

L n
ker twp, assembled in the Court room
Tuesday morning to hear the case
against the school board of Parker twp.
on whom rule had been granted to
show cause why they should not be dis
missed from office for not furnishing
schools for the Bruin school district.
The war began with dispute be
tween the attorneys regarding the old
and new school laws; and then about
fifty witnesses We're called and sworn
for the petitioners.
L.C. Miller took the stand and said
he had lived in Bruin for about p years,
his children were grown up, excepting
two, who were yet of school age, that
no schools were now open in BruIn and
no preparations were being made for
school there; he was one of committee
to wait on the School Board and ask for
schools. but received no satisfaction
from them: the School Board had as
signed three of the township schools
Oak Hollow. Stevenson and Shakeley,
for the use of the town children; Bruln
was not borough, the committee had
demanded the opening of the new
school house, no other rooms in the
town were fit to hold school in; three
of the rooms in the new building were
equipped and would accommodate about
fifty scholars each; the building is OF
brick. cost about S5, 500. and has four
rooms. the contractors have been paid;
the township bonded and bonds sold to
Mrs. Brown of Kittanning, etc.
Then the attorneys got to jangling as
to whether this proceeding was not for
the purpose of compelling the new
Board to accept the new building and
whether it was proper for the commit
tee of citizens TO accompany the Board
in it's search for school rooms etc. The
petitioners offered to occupy the new
building without prejudice to the Dlrec-
tors.
Lawl Heydrick certified to the cor
rectness of township map giving the
distance from the bridge in the town to
certain school houses-ie. Oak Hollow
$50 rods, Shakely 610, Campbell $40 and
Stevenson 460-320 rods make mile.
S. R. Walker one of the directors, and
Secretary of the Board, said the Board
had tried to rent Lincoln Hall and kel-
ley's hall but had failed, did not try to
rent a club room that had been con
demned for church purposes, reported to
Board that he could not secure room.
township schools opened Sept. ., the
Board was advised by counsel not to
open new building; had keys for one
hour and took them back to Mr.. Kelly.
Here Col. Thompson for Directors
admitted the necessity for schools IN
the town; Messers Bowser and Brandon
for petitioners thought the new build
ing should be opened; and the Court
said he would make an order directing
the School Board TO supply teachers
and rent rooms, and have the schools in
operation by Monday Oct, 10; and if
they find themselves unable to do so
they are to be here on Saturday morn
ing Oct, Sth and give their reasons,
otherwise will be dismissed from Office.
This seems to be a case of town YER
sus township or vice versa. A year or
two ago the School Board of that tim e
bought large lot in field below the
town, and on it proposed erecting a
township high school. The project was
fought by the farmers at the time and
bill IN equity was filed but not sus-
tanned. The Directors went ahead and
built the building, bonded the town
ship to pay for it, and levied tax to
pay the bonds; but this tax levy has
been declared illegal by the court here.
An issue was made in the township
and the new Board of Directors is un-
favorable to the whole proceeding
They considered the old school building
(which the old Board sold and which Is
now being used for a machine shop
good enough and large enough for the
Bruin school district, that the new one
was needless extravaganza, and now
that the tax levy has been declared IL
legal they think that the old Board
should pay for the new building, as
best they can.
The present board will probably have
no trouble in securing room and start
ing school by the time fixed, and the
tax levy question will probably go to
the Supreme Court; and if the Supreme
Court sustains the court here, and the
bonds are declared illegal and Mrs.
Brown loses her money, then-Who
will own the property?
There is no prettier spot in Western
Penn'a for an Academy than that one,
and if there is anything in the posses
sion of the key then Esq. Kelly is in
great luck.
The assessed valuation of Parker twp.
for this year is $3.50, 900.
Judge Greer's decision on the Tax
Levy Case is as follows
And now, September 21, 1898, this
case came on to be heard upon bill,
answer and testimony, and after being
fully argued by counsel on both sides
it is hereby ordered, adjudged and de-
creed that the school directors of Park
er township school district, their success
sors in office, their agents appolntees
and employees, and all persons acting
by, through or under said directors, be
and the same are hereby perpetually en-
joined from the collection of the tax
of eight mills, described in the bill, or
any part thereof, which was alleged to
| be assessed upon the taxable inhabitants
CT said township, and the said levy of
the said tax is hereby declared irregular
illegal, null and void, and it is further
adjudged and decreed that the schools
directors of Parker school district pay
the costs of the proceeding.