Evening star., 1902-03-12
FOR CONGRESS TO ACT
The Question Of Salaries for
Night Schools.
DECISION
DISCUSSES INCREASE IN PAY
MENT TO TWO TEACHERS.
Controller Says He is Not Prepared to
Question Discretion of Board
=
of Education.


-.-.4
Controller TraceweI has rendered to the
District Commissioners q long decision OF
much interest to the people and especially
the school teachers of the city. 1t is as
fellows:
BY authority Of the provision OF section
Of the act of July 81. 1894 (2S Stat. 2OS),
which authorizes disbursing officer or
head of department to obtain decision
from the. controller Of the treasury on any
question involving payment to be made
by him or under him. you ask my decision
on the questions presented in the following
letter addressed to you by the auditor CT
the District Of Columbia: =
Mr.. r. Riordon. a teacher In the day
schools. is also employed as superintendent
of the night schools. On certain nights.
when not acting as superintendent. he is
engaged as principal in teaching. Mr.. c.
Hart, teacher in the day schools. is also
a principal in the night schools. When the
night schools opened in October l was noti-
fed by the board of education that for the
fiscal year 1902 the pay of the superin-
tenoent had been fixed at $3.50 per, night.
and the pay Of principal at $3.50 per
night.
when the pay roll for November, 1901,
was received 1t contained an allowance of
ST 90 per night as superintendent, and III
addition $3.50 for five nights at $3.50 per
night. as principal. for teaching in an en-
gine house class composed entirely of
members of the fire department. Mr.. Hart
was credited on the same roll with $50 for
teaching twelve nights as principal. at $3.50
Per night in some of the schools. and with
$3.50 additional for five nights, at $2.5O
per night, for teaching school in an en-
gine house, to which only members Of the
Sirc department were admitted.
Doubling the legality. of using for this
special school of adult pupils moneys ap-
tho suspension Of the voucher until the
question should be submitted to the con-
troller for decision, the initiative to be
taken by the board of education.
II was not afterward officially advised OF
any action to this end, but when the pay
rolls for December were received it was
observed that Mr.. Riordon's pay as super
intendent was increased to $5.97 per night
and no credit given him for or mention
made of teaching in the engine house, al
though. as matter of fact learned that
he did teach therein. The pay Of Mr..
Hart, as principal, for teaching in schools
creased to 1897 per night and no credit
allowed for or reference made to his teach
ing in the engine house school, although he
taught there regularly. Mr.. Riordon and
Mr.. Hart are the only teachers in the fire.
mems schools, and they were the only
teachers whose pay was increased. AS no
additional duties were devolved upon Mr..
Riordon as superintendent the inference is
plain that in increasing his pay from $3.50
to $5S per night he was being paid as
superintendent to the extent Of $1.47 per
night for services which he had rendered
as teacher in fremen's school, and for
which there is reason for believing the law
does not allow any compensation.
This Is true also of Mr.. Hart. whose
compensation was increased from $3.50 per
night. the amount received by all the other
principals of the same grade. to 1897 per
night without any additional duties, as l
am advised. unless the services rendered as
teacher in the engine house school be reck-
oned in the account. iE
There are two schools located in engine
houses which are equipped with a complete
educational outfit. embracing text books.
stationery and typewriters, which were pur-
chased from the appropriation for night
schools. In view Of the facts as stated 1
have the honor to recommend that the fol-
lowing questions be presented to the con-
troller for decision:
Il. Can the appropriation for public night
schools be used to equip and maintain a
school located in an engine house which
is not open to the public. but Is limited to
and composed wholly of members of the
fire department stationed at the engine
house in which the school aforesaid is
held?
'2. The board Of education having fixed
the pay OF the superintendent at $3.50 per
night, is 1t a proper exercise Of their dis
cretionary authority to increase his aMow-
ance to $5.97 per night in order to compen-
safe him for services rendered In q different
eapaGy sas hcaa aamsiy that Of teacher in an
%. The board Of education having fixed
the regular pay Of all the principals of q
certain grade at $3.50 per night, Ia 1t q
thorlty to increase the pay Of one principal
OF that grade to 1897 per night whose
duties are the same as those of the other
principals Of that grade except that he
teaches in addition a class of firemen In an
engine house school?''
Incurred by Beard Of Education.
The expenses in question were incurred
by direction Of the board Of education OF
the District of Columbia. appointed by you
by authority Of the act of June 8. 1900 (sl
Stat, 56D. which contains the following
provisions:
1.-The Commissioners of the District OF
Columbia are hereby authorized to appoint
seven persons = who shall constitute
board Of education. The board
shall have complete jurisdiction over all ad-
minlstrative matters connected with the
public schools of the District of Columbia
except that all expenditures of public funds
for such school purposes shall be made and
accounted Tor as now provided by law un-
der the direction and control Of the Com
missioners Of the District Of Columbia. The
board shall make all needful rules and reg
ulations which may be proper for the gov
ernment and control Of said schools.
"The board shall have power .
to employ and remove all teachers. ofn
GERS and other employees connected with the
public schools not already specified. The
board shall annually transmit to the Com
missfoners Of the District Of Columbia an
estimate In detail Of the amount of money
required for the public schools for the en-
suing year. and said Com missioners shall
include the sum in their annual esttmate
Of appropriations for the District of Co
lumbia with such recommendations as they
may deem proper"
The act of March I, 1901 G1 Stat. 8s3o.
making appropriations for the public
schools Of the District OF Columbia, con-
tains the following provisions:
For teachers OF night schools. who may
also be teachers in the day schools, Sc. 500:
for contingent and other necessary ex-
penses Of night schools, $780,"
1t is In these two acts. If at an, that a,i-
thority must be found for the expenditures
in question. The position Of the board OF
education in the matter Is thus stated in
q letter addressed to this Office by its vice
president:
The board Of education came into ex-
istence as the result OF legislation approy-
ed June 6. 1900. In which act 1t Is provided
That the board shall have complete juris-
diction over all administrative matters con-
nected with the schools Of the District of
Columbia and that the board shall make
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