The Portland daily press., 1900-09-25
THE SCHOOL BOARD.
Regular Monthly Meeting Held Yester-
day Afternoon,

The regular monthly meeting of the
school committee was held in the office of
the superintendent yesterday afternoon.
In the absence of the Mayor, Mr. Brown
son was elected chairman pro tenn. The
other mem bers present were Messrs.
Hutchinson, Heseltine, Whitehouse Mer-
rill McGowan, DR.. Foster. DR.. Buck.
nam, Mrs Bagley. Mrs. Brown and Miss
Coolidge. After the records of thesIast
meeting had been read and approved,
Architect Tompson, who had been invit.
ed to the meeting, presented plans for
the new manual training school. These
plans were closely examined by the mem
bers of the committee and explained In
in detail by Mr.. Tompson.
On motion of DR.. Foster 1t was voted
to accept the plans.
Mr.. Whitehouse In speaking of the
PARK street school, reported that there
would be 882 pupils in this school when
they all should attend More teachers
are necessary This would make eight
teachers in this school, He recommend
ed the transfer of Miss Proctor, teacher
from the West school, and the election OF
Miss Carrie Gordon. The recommenda-
tions were adopted.
On motion OF DR.. Foster 1t was voted
to transfer Miss Thompson from the Oak
dale grammar school to a room in the
Odd Fellows block at Woodfords which
had been fitted up to accommodate an
overflow of pupils. Miss Sands was also
elected a teacher in the Deering Centre
school at 1915, and Miss Elinor l.. Boody
in the Oakdale school at S4OO
At the request of Mr.. McGowan, Miss
M. Louise Hunt, a teacher in the Shailer
grammar school, was given leave of alb
sence, and Miss Lucy b. Leighton was
appointed to fill the vacancy. Mrs.
Brown reported from the committee ap-
pointed to amend the rules of the rank
ing of the pupils. She recommended an
amendment to the general rules that all
pupils from the grammar schools enter
ing the high schools should attain an
average rank of 70 per cent In all studies
and that they should, on the recon.
mendation Of the principals and teachers
OF the schools, then be admitted. Those
pupils not receiving these recommenda-
tions should be allowed the chance to
take examinations a week before the
beginning of the fall terms. The amend
ment also provides that promotions can
be made from any class at any time at
the consent of the superintendent and
the subcommittee. The amendment re-
ceived passage.
On motion of Mrs. Bagley Miss
Josephine E. Cragin was appointed to
ill the place of Miss Isabel W. Robinson
of the Vaughan street school, who has
been granted a leave of absence.
From the committee appointed for the
purpose Miss Coolidge reported on the
proposed change Of closing the schools
one week earlier in the year. She had
seen many Of the teachers all of whom
were IN favor of the change except one.
DR.. Foster, another member OF this COM
mittee, stated that he was IN favor Of the
change. Mr.. Hutchinson. the other mem
ber said that undoubtedly there was a
large number Of the Inhabitants of the
city who were in favor of the change and
that there was also a large number who
were opposed to it. 1t was voted to lay
the matter on the table until the next
meeting.
Miss Julia Thompson was appointed a
substitute teacher in the Pearl street
kindergarten in place OF Miss Martha
Howe, who has resigned
Mr.. McGowan brought up the matter
Of teachers being given leaves of absence
without having applied sufficient time
before hand. He thought that this prac-
tice had been more and more cresping
into the schools. he wanted this con-
sidered for a month and stated that at
the end OF that time he would offer an
amendment to the rules so that no teach.
er should be granted a leave Of absence
for more than six months except by the
unanimous consent of the board.
Bills approved by the finance commit
tee were ordered to be paid