Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-09-27
There Has Been Large Amount
Of Trouble.
TEACHERS WONT RESIGN
Though the Board Wants Them to Do
s0--The Tax Levy--ExpenSe
of the School Clerk.

This year is one of many troubles in
the Anaconda school district. which
causes the life of the average trustee to
be one continual round of annoyances
over which it seems they have no con-
troll. Before the close of the last school
term. the board met and employed a
full corps of teachers for the ensuing
term. Nom but Anaconda teachers We're
employed. Acceptance blanks We're
sent ont to the several teachers so en-
gagged which We're returned signed in
every instance. Before the opening of
the term of 1897 1900 it was apparent
that the regular tax levy would create a
sum insufficient to run he schools a
full term. A special election was called
the same as a year ago, for the purpose
of voting a special tax Of four mills for
additional school facilities. The election
was held August "a, and was defeated
about two to one. Right here the
troubles of the school board began. The
tax payers began to complain about the
school xDense being too high. Some
people We're opposed to the expense of d
music teacher and a teacher in drawing
which We're to be added at the beginning
of the school term. Others claimed the
school clerk was drawing a 5000 salary
per annum when the work could be done
for $50. Still others claimed the number
of pupils We're decreasing and the num-
Der Of teachers should be reduced.
A second special school tax to vote
four mills for additional school facilities
was called for Sept. 8. The schools
opened Sept. 5 and it was then learned
there was a marked decrease in the
numbe of pupils over last year which
was expected by all who had watched
movements closely in Anaconda. 50
many families had moved away ii could
not have been otherwise, still the school
board in hiring teachers overlooked this
matter and engaged a full corps. The
vote on the tax on Sept. 2. carried by a
vote Of 433 to 221. During the campaign
OF this election tax payers wrote articles
for the papers and worked in the field
against the measure. 1t was easily de-
termined that some people wanted the
school board to economize and the board
were so favorably impressed that the re-
duction of six teachers was talked OF.
Prof. Stapleton would not consent to a
greater reduction than TWO teachers. ac-
cordingly the school board decreed that
two should go and their designations
We're asked for on or about Sept. II. Other
teachers to the number Of six all told. ex-
pected to be asked to resign, but it is said
only two teachers. Mrs. Foley and Miss
Nav Shea. have been asked to resign.
They nave refused to resign and will, SO
they say, continue to do so. FOR the reason
that the school board cannot break their
contract. Speaking of the matter Miss
Shea says she was asked to resign about
a week after the opening of school at a
time when the board found a decrease in
the number of pupils in the schools and
also at a time when it was too late for her
to secure another school elsewhere. Had
she been notified in due time she had the
refusal of a good position. A teacher
speaking of the matter today said that
under the existing circumstances the
school board would do we'll to place one
teacher in the position of school clerk at
a salary of 5000 per annum inasmuch as
the school clerk had a permanent salary
of 81, 900 per annum besides. The person
speaking said it appeared that the school
board could not put the teachers out, and
this would lessen the expense, provided
of course, that the school clerk has not
got a contract also. The school board
will meet Friday night, but they will not
have any designations to act upon. The
teachers say all demands in that direc-
fion will he refused,