The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-15
WONT CLOSE THE SCHOOLS.
STEPS TOWARD CLEARING UP THE
mo TlSGLE.

haitian, Brooklyn and The Bronx for Tid-
Ing Over the Public schools Crisis-Situ-
alton Still Unpromising in Queens and
Richmond-Bonrd Meetings Last Night.
The tangle over the pay o' the public school
teachers In the various boroughs OF the city Ia
which the different school boards and the Cen
trial Board Of Education have become involved
because OF the alleged illegal actions OF the
borough boards In adopting certain salary
schedules and in exceeding appropriations.
led TO an important inference held yesterday
afternoon between representatives. o. the cdu-
catonal branches and members OF the other
city depnr ments concerned In the matter.
The problems which the school Buthor-
ties have been wrestling with for some
time have recently assumed such
serious aspect that both the Comptro-
Ter and the Corporation Counsel have agreed
that some remedy must be found at once. as
the city is already threatened with lot Of law
suits by the teachers and also with the possi-
billty Of closing the schools in two borouRhs.
TO meet this situation temporarily and enable
tho legai payment %! tho teachers for the rest
OF the year, the Comptroller and the Corpora
ton Counsel printed plan Yesterday which
tho school teachers were asked to accept The
conference WAS held in Mr.. Whasns ONCE and
WAS atten ded by President Little OF the Board
OF Education and also OF the Manhattan
borough School Poard; Henry. W. Maxwell.
Chairman Of the Finance Committee OF tho
Central Board md also representing tho
Brooklyn Board. and Auditor Cook Of tho
Central Board Mt. Coler was represented by
Deputy Comptroller Levy
The proposition made by tho Comptroller
was that the teachers be asked to accept from
now to the end Of the year salaries based on
old schedules over which no question OF legal
ity has been raised. Tho teachers will further
more be asked to accept these payments on
account without prejud cling their rights to the
balance. which means tho increases over which
the question Of legality has been raised aud
which will possibly hav" 10 b. settled in the
courts. ln this way, Comptroller Coier con-
tends 1t will lie shown that the sity's intention
is to pay the teachers at once all IL can without
dispute. The action IL necessary on Mr..
Co'ers part In order to avoid personal liability
III the matter. as he would be held Tesponsib
providing the courts decided that he had paid
out money to teachers for Illegal increases.
This arrangement devised by tho Comp
troler was accepted by President Little for tho
Manhattan School Board. In which the situa-
ton appears to be the least complicated. and
will result In tho teachers getting for their Oc-
tober pay the amounts they received on April
- last under the schedule then in force Tho
they would also get besides this tho increases
made mandatory under the Ahsarn law MIR.
Cook. the Auditor OF the school Boa ri. after the
conference sad they would receive both and
raugsmsnt 10y the end o, tho week. Mr Co er
declares. however that the Ahearn law in
crepaeA are not included entirely in tho
arrangement. but that that matter will be
hXrd NJ hy computation. ami that the teachers
will receive The increases under that act within
a month. After payirg the October salaries.
%ynns or .sari.. Tor X" rest ' o. the year
fange io- November and December. Mr.. Cook
would not attsmpt To estimate the amount
Ss Hn ,s. ctS bit h. .s ha' that hs oes
wOulI work night and day in paying them ac-
eording to the arrangement on the old
While Mr. Maxwell Of the BROOKLYN board
acIuiesced % SONS PARTICULARS to the arrange
ssMr Cosr admitted yes'eriay. because the
tange In Brook lyn dates ba"k Tor months and
has d'Td Z" a. e.. .oS,or 81.
Cook will he the same salaries they .re,e we'd
ior sep,.mber., which amount 20 S2sto32.
i"aSh.r. allow =. city to ie.vs an account
some,hlnG, ise *lo|.ooo. which had to Be
an opIn H VIC Of Ii. Corporation Counsel.
P III dFT"s ar RrS1S,q snc. oi
an Of ..n. iulc snown ns re Pst,inFiIi 'ch.d,
to 'ast June the teachers In tho borough for
son,- unknown reason were paid on the basis
~ another 'heiule. AMI received loss money
than they did under the Pettingill schedule
which was IN force from September. lSluS. to
January. 1850 The BROOKLYN Teachers CON
IN carry on tho Pettingil schedule. and that
they have richt to back pay on u. IL this
contention In successful. II was declared YES
terdHy. eventual y the Brooklyn teachers will
get moro ~ an those In Manhattan, In Brook
lyn there Ia mouSy enough, IL IL said. to pay
the tNANhprs from now MI 'he end OF tho wear
the same amount each month a. thew received
n few weeks ago for Sept"mb Der. BY this ar
rangement there are the difference In tho
salarie. OF the teachers between what they W II
get from now on and whit they have been re-
CeivinV which are left pending legal settle
In the nature Of a modus vvendt in regard 10
the horonRhs OF Brooklyn and Manhattan and
The Bronx.
No s.ttlrment wns reached Yesterday con-
corning Queens and Rich monr. and when mp.
proachsd on the suhIec', Mr.. cn'~r anl Mr..
them ,luubte Yesterday II solnt on 81 tho
financial troubles Ia those two horoughs for
tho present year wsra POSSIBLE and. although
the matter wRs discussed ut the conference.
absolutely no settlement was PROPOSED.
"Shoul the Board 81 Estimate desire to hs'p
yesterday. by giving them s50.oOO by the Sec
tion OF the Charter .reIulr ring tho aprortion-
m"nt o. al money for school pnrpnsss by the
Central Board. We would have 10 give Manhat-
tan s2OOOuuO. In other words. the law does
not allow ih""'ty to give money directly to tho
School Board in trouble. IL hasto otn tho
Central Board and there h" apaortioned On
basis Of the school atten 'ance OF punils
While Manhattan might not need the money II
would have to take nearly all OF II to let Rich