The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-02-19
BUTTE News.
SCHOOL TRUSTEES MEET
A Large Accumulation of Bust
ness Tackled.
DALE WAS EXONERATED
Financial Statement for the Month of
January-People With Kicks Re-
quested to Keep Out Of
the School Houses.

The board of education gathered to-
gether a quorum last night and finished
up the business which has accumulated
on the files since a week ago last Tues
day, the regular meeting night. MI.
Burke, representative in the legislature
from this county, was present, the oth-
ers being Messrs. Lane, Clinton, Dorais
and President Long. BY the unani-
nous consent of the board, Principal
Dale of the Garfield school was exon
Grated from the charges of unbecoming
conduct preferred by Mrs. Desnell and
Mrs Currie.
The clerk read his financial statement
for January and the report was adopt
ed. There was an informal talk on
financial matters pertaining to the dis
trict, after which the business of the
board was taken up. A petition sign
ed by Mrs. D. A. Curre and 81 others,
including Mrs. Desnell, was read 1t re-
quested the removal of Principal ]. w.
Dale of the Garfield school on the
ground that he used improper language
towards several of the petitioners. This
petition was put in the hands of the
board a week ago. At the previous
meeting the matter was taken up under
another head and referred to the teach
ers committee The latest petition asks
that the matter be taken out of the
hands of the teachers committee and
considered in open meeting
Chairman Lane of the teachers C0m-
mittee read the correspondence which
led up to the trouble. 1t appears that
a daughter of Mrs. Desnell soiled a
book and that, acting under the pro-
visions of rule, Mr.. Dale requested
her to pay for the book. Mrs. Desnell
replied that the book was not soiled
to an extent to warrant the principal
in asking for payment for it. Later the
principal wrote again notifying the lady
that the rules compelled him to suspend
her daughter unless she paid for the
book. Then the lady went to the school
house, had a word or two with the prin-
cipal and this interview was the basis
of the charges made by Mrs. Desnell
and Mrs. Curre against the principal.
Principal Dale was present last night
and when asked TO make statement,
he said that, the charges We're false.
Trustee Clinton suggested that the prin-
cipal was merely UNFOLDING rather
harsh rule which required parents to
pay at once for books damaged by their
children.
Extracts of the rules were read which
provide that persons having grievance
against teachers shall present them to
the board and it is clearly stated that
they are expected to keep out of school
houses with their troubles n Copies of
these rules ,haye beemssRnt to all the
parents of pupils in, the district. Mrs.
Desnel admitted TO lpSuperintendent
Hendricks that she had received one of
the circulars. In regard to the petition,
careful inquiry into the matter revealed
the following facts:.53 n.spI " .e
First, nearly 50 per cent. Of the petit
tioners have no children attending the
Garfield school. Second, 9S per cent. of
the enrolment of the school is not rep
resented in the petition. Third nearly
one-sixth of the petitioners are not res
idents of the Garfield district and have
no direct interest in the schools of
that building Fourth. SO per cent of
the petitioners who had children in the
Garfield school the past year paid for
or signed INDECENT certificates for dam
aged books ordered condemned by sec
tions IS and SO, rules of the board of
trustees.
Upon motion of Mr.. Dorais, seconded
by MIR. Lane, Dale was exonerated
President Long suggested to the prin-
cipai that hereafter whenever aggrieved
parents call on him he decline to dis
cuss the matter with them and for
ward the matter to the superintendent
The principal thanked the board, and
retired completely eXonerated.
President Long made a statement
bearing upon financial matters, in
which the board and Passmore g. Co,
architects. are in dispute 1t was fig
ured that the board owes the archit ects
sl,c25. The architects claim $4,000 about.
and offer to compromise for $27O0 The
beard il willing to compromise for 81 OPS
and will so instruct the attorney.
The schools will be closed on Wash
fngton's birthday, according to custom
y number of bills We're audited and
ordered paid, after which ensued an in
formal talk on insurance. 1t was sug.
gested that the board at previous
meeting had agreed to give preference
TO American insurance companies and
that it might be wise to continue to
lean towards American institutions
1t was ordered to increase Janito1
Bartel's salary to 800 month, as he
has assumed the responsibility of chief
janitor of the High school building
Mr.. Burke reported that the school
bill he had introduced had passed the
house and was now on general orders in
the senate. 1t corrects the registration
and other faulty clauses in the present
law.
On melton of Mr. Clinton. VINO want
ed to pay his fine, the meeting adjourn
ed
A SUMMERTIME CHRISTMAS.