Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1901-05-29

There seems TO be disposition on
the part of certain individuals to Gre
ate the impression that there is great
dissension in the Marietta Board of
Education and that the condition of
affairs of the district is nothing short
of disastrous. Stories of this kind
have been circulated on the streets of
Marietta by few irresponsible lolS-
nosed busy-bodies, but people here at
home thoroughly understand the facts,
and have given them no heed. I'm
fortunately, however, some one who
SC ems to have little regard for truth,
has gained access to the columns of
the Pittsburg Dispatch, as the follow
ing message which appeared under a
Marietta date line in Tuesdays issue
of that paper, will go to show
At a meeting of the Board of Edu
cation Saturday evening Mr.. E. NJ.
Booth, one of the new members, Great
ed a sensation when it was discovered
that the Board had spent during the
past year $2,000,000 more than the
amount of the appropriation. Mr..
Booth has been objecting to the eX-
penditure of the public money in eX-
cess of the appropriation, and the dis
covery called forth the statement from
him that he was willing to contribute
$333.33 if the other members would do
the same, and the shortage would be
wiped out and a new start made on
economical lines. The other members
did not show a disposition to do so.
He succeeded in having an auditing
committee appointed to examine the
books and is preparing to get the bus
mess matters of the Board done on
a more systematic basis Mr.. Booth is
President of the Citizens National
Bank.
1t is unfortunate. indeed, that such
statement as the above should be
found in any paper, especially one
away from home, as it has a tendency
to place our city in bad light before
the world There was no trouble
whatever, much less a sensation, at the
Board meeting referred to, or at any
other meeting, for that matter. True,
there was a friendly contest over the
organization of the Board, which was
settled amicably, and by the unani
nous vote of the body. The members
of the Board are business men. and
they discuss all questions that require
their attention in a business-like man
ner. 1t is indeed folly to think that
just because of honest differences a
bomb-shell is liable to be exploded at
almost any moment. The statement
that the Board had spent during the
past year 100000 more than the
amount of the appropriation is sim
ply preposterous, and the implied |
charge that Mr.. Booth made such a |
declaration is not only absurd, but |
very unjust. Mr.. Booth is a careful
official, just as he is careful in his bus
mess affairs, but because of this fact |
it does not follow that he is dis
turber.
AS to the appointment of an audit
ing commlttee-such action is manda- |
tory not discretionary, on the part of
the Board. and of course there was no
friction whatever on that point Inas-
much as the affairs of the district are
in splendid shape, and that very friend
ly relations exist between the differ
ent members of (ne Board, all of whom |
have one aim in view-the advance |
ment of the public schools--it is very |
that such a scurrilous |
communication as the one printed in
Pittsburg Dispatch should |
be allowed to find it's way in print.