The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-01-09
THAT NEW
HIGH SCHOOL.
Members of Board of Edu-
cation Refuse to Pay
the Bills. More
Trouble Ahead.

The Board of Education in regu-
lar session last evening discussed
many subjects, paramount of which
was the new High School.
E,The discussion started when the
bills of contractors A. S. Reed g.
Bro Co., tor $13,994 and Harry A.
Miller & Co., for $4,000 were pre-
sented by the new building commit
tee. A motion was made that the
bills be paid.
Mr.. Fraim raised the question
that there was no appropriation
with which to pay the bills.
Mr.. Carter moved the bills be
paid when the finance and new
building committees make the ne
cessary arrangements. ,
President Shortlidge said these
bills could be paid out of the pros
pective appropriation. which will
be received next August.
Mr.. O'Donnell said the Board
was guided by its charter, and it
had no right to depend upon pros
pective appropriations.
President Shortlldge asked Mr..
O'Donnell, why he and others had
voted to issue other certificates of
Indebtedness on other schools and
now opposed issuing them in this
case.
Mr.. O'Donnell said he did not re-
member having signed call for
meeting for that purpose, and he
did not think he was a member Of
the Board when some of the certi.
fcates were issued. Mr.. O'Donnell
proceeded to quote the law to show
the Board had no right to create a
debt.
Mr.. Fralm read an amendment to
the city charter, passed in 1891,
forbidding the Board Of Education,
to create a debt and making the
members who voted for the debt
liable.
Mr.. Morrow said this was not
new debt. The Board is sure of
the funds and the Board is not
creating debt which it cannot
pay.
DR.. Frantz said this was a duty
imposed by law, tor which the
amendment makes provision. The
money needed will be Forthcoming
in time to pay for this building.
Mr.. Ford said the Board was
limited to $4,000 a year. He fa-
yored stopping work on the building
and gong to the Legislature to get
power to borrow the money.
Mr.. Carter said the time had gone
by to make this objection. This
money is due and should be paid.
Mr.. Adalr said it was not incon-
sistent for those who voted against
the erection of the building, to op-
pose this matter now.
President Shortlidee called Mr..
Carter to the chair and took the
floor. He said the new building
had been ordered with but three
members opposed to it. He was
sorry the newspapers and the peo--
pie had no more civil pride than
they have.
The amendment and original
motion were carried by vote of
IA to 4.
Mr.. Ross gave notice he would
vote for no more of these bills.
Mr.. Carter said it was the inten-
tion to have the committees meet
and decide upon some plan to con-
tinue the work.
DR.. Spruance said while he op-
posed the matter, he believed the
board should pay its honest debts.
An increase of $25 in all the janl-
tors salaries was reported upon.
This increase is to date from Janu-
airy 1st.
The treasurer's report was sub
mitted.
A long discussion arose over the
question of insurance on school
properties. Some members thought
the Board was CARRYING too much
insurance. Notwithstanding the
COntcullou, lAC usual ~ III uHSS iiSI
was adopted and the amount of
premium due ordered paid.
The salary of J. c. Hinkson, as
sistant teacher of manual training
at the Howard School. was increas-
ed from 5000 to $3.50 a year.
Action on the proposed amend
ments to the bylaws was postponed
until the next meeting.
The action Of DR.. Palmer in hav-
ing schools disinfected was sane
toned.
1t was suggested that the vacancy
created by the resignation of John
II. Hartman, of the Fourth ward,
be filed by the appointment OF Vim.
Turner, former member of the
Board. but as Mr.. Ford said he
understood the people of the ward
were opposed to Mr.. Turner, he
would not motion that he be ap-
pointed to fill the existing vacancy.
Several members spoke of Mr.. Tur-
ner's past valuable service to the
Board, but he was not elected. The
matter will be discussed at the next
meeting.