Omaha daily bee., 1900-01-16
HESS DEFIES SCHOOL BOARD
Announces His Intention Of Fulfilling
Duties of Truant Officer
COMMUNICATION SENT TO The ATTORNEY
Temporary Arrangement Made for
supplying the High school cadets
with Guns-Cowic Absent
from the Meeting.

The chair Of Member A. W.. Cowie was
conspicuously vacant at the regular meeting
OF the Board of Education Monday night.
G. G. Trey, the other member under charge
Of bribery, wac also absent from his post,
his friends being still uncertain as to the
date Of his return from Pennsylvania.
EN-Member George II. Hess, however,
nothing daunted by the recent disclosures
affecting his official integrity, sent in a COM
munication virtually setting the will Of the
board at defiance. lie stated that he had
been legally elected truant officer by a ma
jority vote of the board and wished the fact
understood that he had carried out his duties
so far as he had been permitted up to this
time. He served legal notice that he stood
ready to fulfill all the duties attendant upon
the position. The communication was re-
ferred to the boards attorney.
The board gave a hearing to a delegation
from the South Side Improvement club rela-
tive to the need of that locality for a public
school building, J. Harry Minds. spokes-
man of the committee, pointed out that
children were obliged to walk over a mile
to attend recitations at Tenth and Phelps
streets. The structure there, he said. could
only accommodate five grades and was
poorly heated and lighted. He asked that
the board consider the erection of a new
building at the earliest possible moment.
The delegation was requested to put its
request in writing.
The High school committee
that the request OF the senior class to aban-
don the present commencement arrange
ment be granted. The class wishes to sub
stitute the address of some well-known
speaker for the sophomore declarations of
the graduates. The report was adopted.
Rifles for the Cadets.
A temporary arrangement was made for
partially supplying the High school cadet
battalion with rifles. Forty pieces will be
borrowed from the state a~djutant generals
department and others will be secured later.
The names of Miss Emma j. IRE and Miss
Florence McHugh were presented as can
didates for positions at the High school
and on ballot they were elected. The ad-
ditions are made necessary by the increased
attendance. Miss IRE will take the place
vacated by Mrs. Craven at $50 per month.
while Miss McHugh will go on the additional
list at $40 per month. The designations of
Miss Minnie Burgess and Mrs. Elizabeth
Craven, previously received. were accepted.
The High school committee reported that
the GLOWING numbers had been successful
in. the recent teachers examinations: For
grammar SCHOOL, NOS. l, s, I, b, =, 10, Il; Tor
High schools, Nos. II and IS.
The ommitt on supplies
that seventeen pianos be rented from Hospe
Brothers under a proposal by that firm TO
apply the amounts paid for rent upon the
eventual purchase of the instruments The
secretary was directed to enter into con-
tract with the music dealers.
A resolution was presented by Howard
and passed notifying the council that mas
much as the board paid a fixed rental for the
use of the fifth floor it be provided with bet
ter elevator service and more satisfactory
heating accommodations.
A resolution was passed that the alley in
the rear of the Pacific school be brought to
grade at once, the board to bear one-fourth
of the expense and the city three-fourths.
A report was received from the superin-
tCndent of construction to the effect that
the Cass school would be ready for occu-
pancy next Monday. 1t was suggested that
the opening of the new s~ixteen-room build
ing would make changes necessary in the
district boundaries and the subject will be
taken up at a latter meeting.
The on claims presented a de-
tailed list Of expenditures amounting to
$2,S32.1S. The items were allowed as read.