The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-10-24
TROUBLE WITH The
SCHOOL BOARD
Alleged Discrimination Against Ger
tain School Children Raises an
Issue Between President Hughes
and city superintendent Carr.

The school board is in the midst Of
an agitation over the school boundary
lines, that has already caused heap
Of trouble between the two divisions of
the directors and threatens to add to
the size of the aforesaid heap until 1t
reaches an ominous size.
This was the chief topic of discus
sion at the meeting of the board on
Tuesday night; IL was topic of warm
discussion, for President Hughes and
Mr.. Swigert crossed swords and did
some sharp fencing. The clash was
over a resolution from committee di-
recting that the rule of the board with
reference to the boundaries of the diff
fercnt schools he observed. There was
n division. President Hughes, Secre-
tary Kerwin and Mr.. Gallagher voted
TO enforce the boards rule: Messrs.
Swigert. Evans and Vannan voted to
sustain Superintendent Garrs view Of
the situation. The matter. after the
meeting, was in the same position as
before. the disputed point still being in
dispute.
The real issue is between President
Hughes. who is endeavoring to remove
what, in his mind. is the unfairesS kind
Carr. who favors the relaxing of the
boards rule under certain circuln-
stances. 4 few weeks ago. President
Hughes brought before the boards
notice the fact that certain pupils We're
attending No. and No. . schools who
had no right there. while others. who
had as much right. had been excluded.
Herein is where the discrimination is
t.1la G f1a % =
that there was no valid reason for adj
mitting over a score of pupils to No. l
and No. who belonged to No. 3 or No.
9. and excluding others who had an
equal right to be admitted. The par
cnts of the children who had been eX-
cluded made complaint to nearly every
director. and it was then that the cud-
gel was taken up by Mr.. Hughes. He
maintained that as Eighth avenue had
been established Al the boundary line
by the board. it was the duty of the
board to enforce this regulation and
make no exception in favor Of any
scholar as he and the parents claimed
was true. The boards rule was clear
enough and there was no reason why
It should be set aside. at least by pres
ent conditions. Superintendent Carr
contcndcd that it would be disturbing
matters to make any change and urged
that the scholars be allowed to remain
at the schools they were attending. Nh
Hughes could not see that there would
be any disturbances: it was unfair to
discriminate. and to remove this the
board would see to it that ample ac-
conmodations be provided. In his in
vestigations following this discussion,
Mr.. Hughes learned from the teachers
that fully thirty pupils who belonged
to No 3 and No. . We're attending No
] or No. g He ordered these to the
schools where they belonged. as de-
termned by the boards rules. and
claimed that they We're being properly
cared for under the changed conditions
and in conformity with the long estab-
lished rule of the board with reference
o boundaries. Subsequently. Superin-
,endent Carr undid the work of Mr.
Hughes by transferring the children to
No. / and No. > schools. He claimed
that he had the authority of the board
but what authority was delegated to
him must have come from the mem-
hers individually. for there is no record
of such on the boards minutes. As TO
his being empowered by the majority
of the members. President Hughes
makes a challenge. Messrs. Eerwin.
Gallagher and himself gave no such
authority, Mr.. SwiGert was out of the
city. MI. Nannan made no positive
statement and Mr.. Evans was the only
one who was known to be in favor
of the superintendent's action. Mr..
Hughes charged that this was an arb-
trary move on the part of MIR. Carr in
fact, it was more, it was assuming the
role of dictator and giving defiance TO
the board. This aroused the indigna-
tion and ire of President Hughes, and
he freely expressed himself OH the ac-
tion of the superintendent and in that
frank, Independent manner character
istic of him. Thus far the defense of
Superintendent Carr is that he acted
according to the best judgment, lire
spectivc of the wishes or the law Of
the board. He claimed that his course
was the proper one and tina; he in
tended to follow ii, Notwithstanding the