The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-07-08
Board of Education Holds Up
Much Needed Improve
ments for a Year
IS FORCED TO ECONOMIC
President HoIman's Plan to Defer
Extension of Manual Training
Course This Year Is De-
feated.


adopted a portion or his proposition
for strict economy, which rescinds the
notices for bids for the Superstruc-
lures of the Davis, Grant, Harrison
and Baker schools, but baked at the
provision enforcing this economy to
the extent of doing away with manu-
al training, and after a long debate
stood by Prof Smith by a vote of 6
to /.
Manual training will be established
in the Humboldt, Cleveland and grad
ed schools, at a cost not to exceed
$500, and tWo-room frame building
will be erected in the front corner of
the Madison school site for the Me-
chanic Arts school, not to exceed in
cost $4,000.
Since the last meeting President
Holman has given a great deal of time
TO figuring out a solution of the finan-
cial difficulties which beset the board
When the report of the financial COM
mlttee to the mayor was taken up
Mr.. Holman explained at some length
the disadvantage resulting from the
fact that the citys fiscal year begins
Jan. l, and the boards on September
l. He said that in September last
year the council appropriated $675, $3.50
for the school fund, and in December
appropriated $692,10 for the mainten-
ance of the school system for the fiscal
year beginning Jan. 1. The board
was miSled by the first appropriation
which was never available, the sec
ond appropriation being the one cred
tied to the board. In some years the
second appropriation has been less
than the first, and the board greatly
hampered thereby. He introduced the
following resolution, which was adopt
ed:
To Do Away With Confusion.
Whereas, The system of accounts now
in use by the board was devised under
laws no longer in force;
And whereas, Under this system the
hscal year OF the board is treated as COM
mencing on the first day of September
OF each year, and While under the system
of accounts followed by the city comp
trolier the fiscal year of this board and
OF the other departments of the city gov
ernment IS made to commence on the
nrSt day OF January of each year in ac-
cordance with the provisions of the city
charter, adopted on May l. 1900;
And whereas, This radical difference be-
tween the accounts kept by the board and
confusion and controversy;
And whereas, The board fully appre-
GATES the skill and accuracy with which
the secretary of this board has kept its
accounts under said system, but deems it
of vital Importance that its accounts
be made to conform with those kept by
the city comptroller;
Therefore, resolved, That the SECRETARY
be, and he is hereby directed to open and
keep new set of accounts in conformity
WIN the accounts of the comptroller, and
OF the board be made to commence on the
nrst day of January of each and every
year, commencing with the year 1908.
Resolved further, That the secretary be
and is hereby directed to open two ac-
counts; one to be known as the MAIN
ten3nce Account and the other as the
school Accommodation Account; that
the former be subdivided into accounts
covering salaries OF teachers, engineers
janitors, Ocers and other employees and
Iiuel, supplies, repairs and such others
items as the secretary may deem advis-
able and that the school accommodation
account be subdivided into accounts COW
erlng new sites, new buildings and ad-
dltlons and furnishings and fittings to
new buildings and additions.
Resolved further, That the secretary be
and is hereby directed to prepare and
furnish to the board at each regular
monthly meeting statements with respect
to each of said accounts showing the fol-
lowing particulars
First, the amount of the annual appro-
prlatlon made by the common council in
each year for said maintenance account
and said school accommodation account.
=, second the amount of cash placed to
Inc credit OF the said accounts, from the
nrSt DAY or January of each fiscal wear
to the first day of each month preceding
the date of said regular meetings and the
balance que said board from said annual
apprOpria ton.
Third, the balance of money on hand
to the credit of said accounts on the first
day of each month preceding the date of
said regular meetings.
Fourth, the amounts of the bills of
every nature, passed or approved by the
board and remaining unpaid.
Fifth, an estimate of the expenses and
disbursements to be incurred, or required
by the board from the first day of each
month preceding regular meetings to the
end of the fiscal year. -.
He explained that the financial re-
port to the mayor was not budget
and that no appropriation would be
based on it. In November he said the
board would go before the council
and ask an appropriation for the fis-
cal year, beginning Jan. /.
The following abridged resolution of
Mr.. Holman's was adopted:
Improvements Are Deferred.
Whereas, Recent Investigations have
led the board to believe that at the end
OF the present fiscal year there will be a
large excess of expenditures above the
Gil in December last and
whereas, 1t is the desire of the board to
promptly pay its teachers and other en-
pi0yes the full salaries fixed by the board
and to retain in its service ali who were
appointed at it's meetings held since the
close of school; and,
Whereas, 1t is the duty Of the board to
promptly pay the balance still due on the
contracts for the construction of new
buildings and the amounts required for
fuel, supplies and necessary repairs dur
ing the present fiscal year; and,
Whereas, By the plain terms of the CITY
charter the board is expressly prohibited
from the making of any payments or the
creation OF any liabilities in excess of
said appropriation; and
Whereas, 1t will be impossible to dis
charge the boards obligations to it's teach
ers and employees and to pay for buildings
already under contract and to furnish the
necessary fuel and supplies and make
needed repairs If the board should CON
tract for additional new buildings; there
fore,
Be 1t Resolved, That the mayor and
president of this board be and they are
hereby requested to discontinue the pub
LEGATION of notices for the construction of
the substructures of the Davis Grant
Harrison and Baker schools and for the
heating and ventilating plant for the
Longfellow school and for a retaining
wall at the Mound Park school and that
said matters be deferred for consider
alton and action until the next fiscal
year.
In it's original form it provided that
there be no extension of manual train
ing in the Central High school or its
establishment in other schools this
year, and that additional room for
the Mechanic Arts High school be de-
ferred year.
Director Fry opposed this section
vigorously, declaring that the work
had been well started at Central and
should not be tracked for "a