Daily inter mountain., 1900-12-14

state school of mines and the state
board of education growing out of the
fact that the latter refused to honor the
last night in the trustees announcing
thelr determination to resign from their
positions.
The meeting of the trustees was held
in the office of Attorney James w Forbis
and after considerable business had been
transacted, President Leonard submitted
copy Of the action of the state board of
education which confirms the election of
Profs. Winchell ana Bowman as menu
bers of the faculty and fixes their sal
aries a. 81, $50 per annum instead of 81, 400
as contracted for by the trustees The
report showed further that the state
board refused to confirm the appoint
ment or an assistant secretary at a SAL
airy OF $50 per month and directed that
the Office be discontinued. The report di-
rected that the acting president establish
classes in conditional subjects" the in
structor to receive a salary of 81 900 per
year; further that the title of Prof
Leonard be changed from acting presi-
dent to president
Trustee Folbis moved that the title of
Prof Leonard be changed in accordance
With the reconiiat ndation by the state
heard but before the motion was put 1t
was decided to go into executive session.
After a brief session the doors were
thr0Wn open AMI Trustee Mou!thr0D
stated that the state board of education
had issued three warrants for claims
that had not been passed upon by the
trustees. He Believed that the matter
should be Strengthened up.
If the stat board Masses uo~,, hi,lc
that we have not passed upon ii is their
funeral" said Mr.. Forbis
Ii s cur turn EoW," said Mr. Long
MI. forbls moved that the secretary be
instructed to notify the state board Of
education that warrants ma | been drawn
without the authority OF the trustees for
the bills of G. l.. Miller, A. ~ Winchell
and the woman scrubbing at the school
of mines This motion was carried
The matter of the action of the state
board in re.ation to reducing the salaries
of the faculty was then taken up and
eX-Gov. Richards did not believe that
the notice was official.
II have written to the secretary of the
state board of education several times
and he never answered me-" remarked
Mr.. Moulthrcp.
Gov. Richards said that the notice was
'''' q Ci'buSl Ia lllill anu lle ulu
not believe that they should take any ac-
tion until the report was received. Mr..
Moulthrop stated that Prof. Leonard had
told him that the reason that the state
board had allowed Cnly $1.75O was be-
cause they had established a scale of
wages in other states. He said that 9TH
ed officers in Montana state institutions
We're receiving more than that sum.
Ex-Gov. Richards still advised caution
and Mr.. Forbis said:
Il will act tonight"
EX-Gov. Richards said that he felt ag-
grieved and did not think that the trus-
tees had been treated respectfully in the
matter but he was 10th to advise resign
ing at that time He felt like postponing
action, as they had not been officially no.
titled.
1T is official enough for me not to have
anything more to do with them said
Mr.. Forhis. He then offered the follow
ins, resolution:
That. whereas, the members Of the
board of trustees of the state school Of
mines are residents of the city of Butte.
where the state school of mines is by act
of the legislature located, and
"Whereas, 1t is to be presumed that
the appointment of the members of this
board was based upon the fact of their
residence and assumed knowledge of
local conditions, and
'Whereas, The board has in it's best
Judgment elected the faculty of the
state school of mines in it's best inter-
ests, and has exercised it's best judg-
ment in the selection of the faculty and
the fixing of salaries, having at all times
in view the cost of living and the high
character of talent necessary to conduct
the school of mines to the credit of the
people of, and the state of Montana, and
Whereas, 1t became necessary to
procure the services of professors re-
siding out of the state. and even out of
the United States, basing the selection
upon their qualifications; said professors
accepting the positions upon the repre-
sentations of this board that their salar-
les We're fixed. and which We're. in the
opinion of this board reasonable: and
Whereas, After the selection of the
professors. and their acceptance of the
positions. undr fixed salary, the state
board of education has seen fit to repu-
diate the contracts of this board: has
seen fit further to refuse to indorse the
employment of an assistant secretary to
the board and faculty, the employment
of whom was considered necessary in
order that the accounts and detailed
business of the board and faculty should
be properly kept, and
Whereas, The state board of educa-
ton has, according to an authorized ia
terview with one of it's members, based
it's action upon statements of law, which
are absolutely incorrect, and has shown