The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-06-24
THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
FINAL MEETING BEFORE THE SUM
MER TACATTON LAST NIGHT,

Anthony Carroll Was Before the hoard
and Gave His Reasons for Having
Prof. Jepson's Services as Supervisor \
Of Music Dispensed With-Defects in
the Annual Reports Pointed Out
Other Business.
The last regular meeting of the board
of education before the summer vaca-
tion was held last night. It was very
busy meeting and all the members were
present. After the transaction Of con-
siderable routine business the board
heard by appointment Anthony Carroll
on Mr.. Carrolls proposition that the
board dispense with the services OF
Professor Benjamin Jepson as super
visor of music in the public schools and
also to enable Mr. Carroll to point out
discrepancies alleged by him in the an
nual reports Of the schools. Mr.. Car
roll began by saying that Professor
Jepson had been the supervisor of mu-
sic in our schools since 1866 or for about
thirty-three years. He said that all
the knowledge of music which Profes-
sor Jepson had he must have kept to
himself, as he never saw evidence of
his having impaired it to anyone. He
further said that he knew no reason
why music teacher should not be
treated the same as other teachers.
If the public, said Mr.. Carroll, don't
get anything for the money which they
pay out for a music teacher, then
think he ought to be done away with
He then called attention to the report
OF Professor Jepson, as published tn
1895, which related in part to the res7
fusal of the principal Of the Normal
school to allow Professor Jepson To n
supervise the teaching OF music III
that school. 1t also noted the fact
that the majority Of the members of
various choral and instrumental soci
eties Of the city attribute their success
to the training they received In tho \
public schools. In regard to the lastB
statement, Mr. Carroll said that II uni
investigation were made 1t would be
found that the majority Of the mem
bers of the societies spoken OF had resA
ceived their musical education, not
from the public schools. but from pri
vate lessons. He closed by saying that
Mr.. Jepson had been teaching mueio
for thirty-tWo years, but yet according
to his report he did not consider aTy
one that had received instruction ll1l-
der him capable Of filling his position.
Mr.. Carroll then turned his attention To I
various annual reports OF the board
He had reports for several years and M
lot of short statements copied from pre-
vious reports. He took up the finas.~
cial parts of the 1897 report and conn
pared the figures of the same with
those of former reports. The principal
point in Mr.. CARROTS criticism was that
there was nothing in the financial rec
port from which the general public
could learn for what or In what way
their money was spent. He said that
the figures were too general and not
enough in detail. The greater part of
the report OF the finance committees
was taken up item by item and the
figures shown to disagree with those
of former years. He said there was a
general lump sum Of $281, ,968.24 paid out
for teachers, but there was nothing
anywhere in the report to show how
much each teacher had received or how
the money had been used.
In taking the report up item by item
Mr.. Carroll stated that it was for the
purpose Of showing that he did not find
fault with an item here and there, but
that there was something wrong with
all and each Of them. He Challenged
the members of the finance COMMITTEES
to show for what the money under the
rent account was paid. Mr.. Carroll
pointed out several mistakes in the ad-
ditions made by Clerk Hewlett and
characterized the same by saying that
"if a man cannot count up three coll
| umns of figures correctly he is not AZ
to be clerk of the board Of education
Of New Haven. In closing, Mr.. Carroll
said that IL Professor Jepson or Clerk
| Hewlett had anything to say in reply
| he would be glad to hear them. He
dlsclaimed any personal enmity to-
| them, saying that he was making
| these expositions for the benefit Of the
| general public. He was listened to
with much interest by the members Of
| the board and number of citizens who
| We're in attendance at the meeting.
When Mr.. Carroll had concluded the
| board went into executive session
At the business meeting the superintend.s
ent reported the transfer of Miss Charlotta
Warner OF Zunder school to the position 0f
assistant teacher at the Eaton school to
take effect at the beginning OF the next
school year.
There will be an exhibit of the work of
the Boardman school at the Boardman Man
| ual Training High School Monday, Tuesday
and Wednesday Of this coming week June
9th, 2Sth and 10Th. There will also be an
exhibit of the work In penmanship at the
| same time under the direction Of Mr. Hous-
| ton, the supervisor. The public Is cordially
| invited to attend these exhibits and it Is
| hoped that many will avail themselves Of
seeing not only the work of the Boardman
school, but also the penmanship
Miss Laura Curtis was transferred from
Room Greenwich avenue school to Room
| 4, Day school.
! Miss Amy Cooley was transferred from
the Ferry street school to room 2, Orphan
Asylum.
Miss Keefe was assigned to room g. Fair
street school; Miss Mary A. Gilien to room
4, Fair street school; Miss Margaret Seery
to room 3, Wooster school; Miss Florence
Lowe to room 4, Wooster school; Miss Min
ME Smith to room 10, Strong school,
| Miss Minnie Smith was transferred from
the substitute list to position as teacher
| in room 10, Strong school.
1 The Committee on Schools reported as
! follows: The superintendent has appointed
Miss Alice Reynolds as supervisor of pri-
| mary schools of the Lowell district, said
appointment to- take effect September 1st
| 1875 and the committee recommend that