New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-11-28
SCHOOL BOARDS DEFIANCE.
REFUSES TO PREPARE PAYRoLLS AC-
CoRDING TO MR.. GOLFERS
SUGGESTION

The School Board OF the boroughs OF Manhattan
and The Bronx yesterday held a meeting. which
was called by the president. owing to letter re-
ceyed from Controller Coler last Friday Al the
last meeting Of the School Board II was voted TO pay
the salaries OF the teachers for october minus the
increase given by the Ahearn law.
This payroll was sent to the Controller, and his
letter arose from that fact. He said that he had
approved the payrolls so that there might not De
any further difficulty but he must insist that IN the
payrolis for November and December the amount
Of money which was paid In June. July August ana
September in accordance with the Ahearn Id" oe
deducted as we'll as the increase itself This wouid
leave the teachers practically without any money
coming 10 them. Their salaries in the first place
have been placed back at the standard previous to
the passing OF the Ahearn law. Besides tnis INC
amount OF the increase for four months Is to De de-
Quoted from the reduced salary
AS soon as Mr.. Little had had the secretary reao
the letter calling the meeting Mr.. o'Brien took the
floor and began series OF questions directed at the
president that made him falter. Mr.. OBrien ac-
cused the president Of not having busnesshke
methods in making an agreement with the Con-
troller Corporation Counsel and himself, which was
done and then not making Coler stick to H. Inc
next hour taken up with the reading or the
correspondence that has passed between the Con-
troller and Mr. Little and with numerous short ana
decisive debates the subject.
Mr. O'Brien took occasion 10 introduce resolu-
,,on during the discussion which. after long pre-
amble. as follows;
Resolved That the principals OF the public schools
OF the boroughs OF Manhattan and The Bronx oe
cordance TO the salary schedule in force in May last
for payment
The resolution Immediately caused the Board 70
divide itself into two parties. Commissioner Abra-
ham Stern was the most active opponent OF the
resolution He said: The Board has no right 70
repudiate the legal opinions OF the Corporation
Counsel or OF the Controller II is inexpedienr
II is the duty Of every member Of the Board 70
stand by the agreement as made. and not 70 try
% go against II this way. II we do, who VIII
suffer? The teachers"
Commissioners Livingston and Birmingham fa-
vored the resolution Mr.. Birmingham SAID in part
what's the opinion OF the Corporation Counsel
| anyway? The Controller has no right TO say when
! the deduction shall be paid. We have no legal
right to take one cent from the teachers salaries
Now we are told by the learned Corporation Coun-
sci that there is a mistake in the law Any one
who knows anything about law knows that the
law cannot be changed. The Controller has no
POSSIBLE right 20 dictate 10 US. Until we are COM
PEELED by the law. we must not vote 10 deduct
! one dollar from any teacher in the schools"
! Commissioner O'Brien in defending his reeolu-
ton. said: Il have no desire 20 clash with any
! member Of the city government. I remember with
! pride that when the Ahearn schedule was passed
| there was not a dissenting voice We were unit
in the interests OF the teachers. don't propose
/ TO take the rulings of the Controller as member
/ OF this Board II the law said stop. would, but
we are waiting for a decision. II this Board goes
10 court and defends It's action 1 would 90 H.. too
/ The resolution finally put TO a vote and was
| defeated by of s 70 T. the president voting
against IL. -,
/ general discussion Of the salary muddle then
| ensued and kept up for some time, until
President Little remarked: The action or the
! Board has so far left the meeting, exactly where
] cd hat is Dleaeure2'
! Commissioner Stern then introduced resolution
! 10 the effect that the payrolls for November De
made out In accordance with the conference OF the
Controller Corporation Counsel and President Lit
tie Al that conference II was decided 10 pay the
/ payrous as they were before the passage OF the
! Ahearn law This resolution debated for some
time and upon being put TO vote was defeated by
/ 9 TO g. The Board then adjourned
BY the action of defeating the two resolutions
the letter received by President Little asking Tor
some action concerning the paayrols for November
and December not acted upon, This action,
/ the Commissioners afterward said, was the same
as IL Commissioner OBren's resolution had passed.
as Il refused 10 touch upon the subject and re
undated the action OF Controller Coler in asking
for A change Of schedule. The Commiss iouers say
that they will not await any further action on the
part Of the Controller and If II is necessary the
matter will be taken TO the courts