The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-04-03
LIVELY TIMES.
The ''Outs" Make a Charge on
the GINS"
Surprising Members of the To-
peka School Board.
PROF. STEPHENS LEADS
The Board Holds the "KOpje;' -
Turns Flank Movement.
Going Into Executive Session to
Consider the Situation.
Report of the SessiOn-Supt.
Davidson Reelected.
New Rules and Regulations That
Promise Developments.
Going Into Executive Session to
Consider the Situation.
Report Of the SessiOn-Supt,
Davidson Reelected.
New Rules and Regulations That
Promise Developments.

filed into the room at the high school
where the school board was in session
last night The delegation was headed
by the Rev. B. F. Foster
The members of the board were not
certain whether they were being am
pushed and when the Rev. Mr.. Foster
arose, started to take off his coat, cast
his eyes around the room and thunder
ed out that he Understood this was to
be an executive session." the board ina
mediately hOisted the white flag and a
weak voice said, 4 move that we de-
clare this an executive session" The
motion was carried and the board re-
solved itself into a star chamber or
ganiZation for the purpose OF pacifying
the ''kickers,' and the State Journal re-
porter. was requested to leave.
The Rev. Mr.. Foster was the first to
talk. He opened with an Is inch bat
terry and after he had shelled the sur
rounding heights he was reinforced by
Edward Stephens, a school teacher or
college professor, who dropped a few
bomb affidavits into enemy's ranks. The
committee made a general attack on
None escaped. Their ability was ques-
toned. 1t was charged that two fami-
lies are represented by three teachers
and that a third family has two teach
ers, making eight teachers from three
families. The complaint is made that a
certain clique of Colored people have the
debating of appointments and that
some of the teachers spend more time
in politics than-in the school room. The
committee produced what might be
termed documentary pleadings. The
statements were not sworn to. The
committee men spent an hour making
their speeches.
Mr.. Bonebrake informed them that
| their charges would have to be present
ed in the form of affidavits before they
would be considered.
Mr. SfQDheuS who is r1rOOrief0T- nf the
| Industrial Institute in South Topeka,
seems to be the prime mover in the at
tack on the colored teachers in the city
schools and as the charges are so
sweeping and as no one escapes it is
evident that Jealousy is the cause
Many of the charges do not deserve
| the slightest consideration. Stephens
/ seems to represent the 'OutS" who want
/ to get in, and he does not appear to
/ hesitate to make all manner of charges
against his own race; all apparently in
/ the main for the sake of getting some
| OF his particular friends in" and some
/ of somebody's else friends tout" The
members of the school board are appar-
entity acquainted with Mr.. Stephens
/ game and may not permit him to play
/ it in the public schools.
/ The Pickwiclian game of Blues" and
Bluffs" is not in curriculum of the To-
peka public schools.
Several weeks ago Stephens went to
/ superintendent Davidson and said he
| wished to get some informa ton about
the colored schools Ito be used in the
| Sheldon paper" He asked many ques-
tiOns and had Mr.. Davidson write the
answers. Not long after a pamphlet ap-
peared with the questions and answers
1 Worded in such manner as to reflect up
on the cOlOred school system. Ths. book
| contained other matter detrimental to
the cOlOred schools and cOlOred teachers
I and was distributed where Stephens
| thought it would do most harm. They
were printed by Mr.. Stephens, who is a
good deal of a ''busybody."
After the star chamber session IRE
| ported abOve) the board passed on the
new rules offered by P. w Griggs. AT
the March meeting Mr.. Griggs notified
the board that at the next meeting he
would present new rules as follows fol-
adoption:
Article VIII. Section 1T shall be the
duty of the finance committee to NEE
month to audit the bills presented agains
the board, in time to report the same t.
the board at that meeting. And the com
mttee snail audit no bill which shall haV,
| been presented to the board of education
| through its clerk for merchandise bough
later than the last day of the month pre-
ceding the regular meeting of the board
/ In furtherance of the work of this com
mittee it shall be the duty of the clerl
to have all vouchers ready for the inspec
ton of the committe not later than L
o'clock on the first Monday of eacl
Article VII. Section 1.-The board shall
have the assistance of the following
SlaHulnR
l. Committee on finance and accounts
2. Committee on buildings and grounds
3. Committee on teachers and salaries.
4. Committee on school laws, rules ant
regulations.
S. Committee on textbooks and cours
of instruction.
ers.
Z. Committee on insurance.
Section 2-The committee on building
and grounds shall be composed of on
member from each ward.
Section 3.-The committee on teacher
and salaries shall be composed of on
| member from each ward.
Section NO member appointed on tn
buildings and grounds committee shall b
! appointed on the teachers and Salarie
| committee and no member appointed OF
| the teachers and salaries committee shal
be appointed on the committee on build
ings and grounds.
Section 5-The committee on examina
ton of teachers shall consist of the sup
erintendent and two others not member
of the board to be elected at the regula
meeting in April.
Section 6.-An other committees no
otherwise provided for shall be compose
of three members each.
Article XII. Section 1.-The committe
on insurance Of buildings shall hav
charge of the insurance of public an
r school buildings, subject to the approve
. of the board.
The rules were adopted as read wit
F The eN ception of the rule governing tn
, teachers and salaries committee, an
/ | on a motion of Mr.. Priddy the numbe
was reduced from six to five The frs
section of article makes it the duty 0
the finance committee to meet befor
: the session of the board and to audi
: the bills.
: He1 etofore the bills have been hur
} riedly audited while the minutes of tn
> previous meeting were being read, an
I very little has been known about tn
z bills.
+ The committees provided for are a