Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-06-28
BOARD OF EDUCATION. BUSY
Its Session Tuesday Was
of Unusual Length.
LASTED TWO HOURS AND A HALF
Not an Idle Moment During the
Entire Period. YH

proposed Plan for Raising Money to COM
plete the New High School, the Resigns
tion Of superintendent Harlan. the Ap-
pointment of Teachers for the Ensuing
Year and Other Matters Considered.
The Board of Education was in sea-
sion Tuesday night from o'clock until
nearly 10. 30, and there was not an Idle
moment during the entire period. The
time was devoted chiefly to the consid.
GRAFTON of a proposed plan for raising
money to complete the new high
school building, discussirg the resig.
nation of Superintendent Harlan and
talking about his successor, the APP
pointment of teachers for the ensuing
year, closing the schools today, pro.
ppsed change in the system Of regulat-
ing the duties of janitors, the condition
OF the schools, and the consideration of
bids for furnishing fuel for the schools.
II was intended TO resume considera
ton of the proposed changes in by laws,
but that matter was postponed until
the next meeting.
PROPOSED HIGH SCHOOL LOAN.
Mr.. Turner, chairman of the finance
committee, subraitted new plan for
obtaining money with which to COM
pIete the new high school building, Is
idea being to accept loans from indi-
viduals on notes, and in order to DEM
onstrate what he meant he read the
following form of note, which he had
found some citizens willing to take up !:
So, 600. - Wilmington. Dell, June
=. 1900. -Forir months after date the
Board Of Public Education In Will
mington promises &c cay to the order of
John r.. Wales at the Union National
Bank Of Wilmington two Thousand
dollars, without defalcation, value re-
ceived Credit the drawer, John 2.
Wales. The Board of Education 10
Wilmington, by Evan G. Shortlidge,
President. - ~
After the note had been read Mr..
Turner explained that the Union and
one or two other banks were willing to
accept them. and he snid enough public
spirited citizens could be found 10 get
the money in this manner, explaining
that only $50, 600 would he necessary Mt
this time. as the contractors have agreed
tu finish the building when that much
is furnished and wait for the balance.
He said only 25 such notes would be
necessary and in order to carry out the
plan 1t would be necessary for the
board to give authority to do SO. lie
offered the following, the passage OF
which, he said, would give the neces-
sary authority:
Resolved, That the Board of Public
Education in Wilmington borrow such
sum or sums of money as may from
time to time be necessary to pay or
liqudate the liability incurred by it
in executing the duties imposed by the
erection of the new high school build
ing on Delaware avenue near Adams
street, and to that end the president of
tho board he and he is hereby author
lied and directed to give the promis-
sorry note or notes OF this board to the
order of such person or persons, indi-
vidual or corporate, as may be willing
to loan this board the money necessary
to meet said liabilities Or any part
thereof, or to the order of such person
Or persons, corporate or individual, as
may be willing to assist this board by
endorsing said note or notes for its ac-
commodation, or by in any otherwise
becoming security for this board in
meeting the Liabilities incurred as
aforesaid; provided, however, that
the total and aggregate amount OF any
note or notes so given by the president
of this board shall not exceed the sum
of one hundred thousand dollars, and
that each note so signed shall be coun-
tersigned by the treasurer of this hoard
before il becomes OF binding validityn
Mr.. Fraim SAID he would never vote
for such resolution, as it would, in
an Illegal manner, place the hoard in
debt to the extent of 800, 200. ]. He
would, however, do all in his power to
got the State to issue bonds in'order to
finish the school. t5
Mr.. Morrow thought the resolution
was in accordance with law aud he
thought ii should be PASSED.
Mr. Turner believed 10 such an emer-
gency the board could strain punt
and he felt sure that the Legislature
would authorize borrowing the money,
as he had never known ola school debt
OF the kind being repudiated. &
MIR. Ross felt that he could not CON
scientiously vote for the resolution. as
he believed it to be contrary to law. He
wanted to see the school finished as
much as anybody else.
Mr., Parker thought il there was any
possible way of securing the money
legally the board should give authority
to follow that course. 4,
President Shortlidge thought the
resolution was legal. He had worked
to get the money aud hoped the reso-
luton would pass, {tfri
Mr.. Adair. commended that the law
prohibited the BOARD from borrowing
money.
Mr.. Carter said the committee could
have done what was proposed, as the
board had given it that authority on
former occasion. Finally. on motion
OF Mr.. Turner. action on the resolution
was postponed until the next meeting.
kEsIaNArIoN OF supT. HARLAN.
The board. with much regret, ac-
cepted the resignation Of Superinten-
dent David W. Harlan, which he ten
dered in the following letter:
Wilmington, Del, June II, 1900
To the Board OF Public Education
Gentlemen: Please accept my resigna-
lion AZ superintendent Of the public
schools of Wilmington, to take effect
August 3lst, 1900. offer this resigna .
tion because failing health renders me
unable to do the work of the office as
we'll as I have been doing it. My rela-
tions with the members OF the board,
the teachers, and the scholars are and
have been for long time of the inost
peasant kind. Working together we
have built up fine system Of schools,
one that has won the praise OF all
visitors who have made themselves ac-
quainted with 1T. Yours most respect
fully, ID. W. Harlan, Superintendent. !"
IN Intt n, 1.a<.s a,.l faalt t,r<