The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-10-07
IS he IN OR OUT.
Momentous Question Concerning
Member Board of Education.
w. G. Williams Status to Be
Decided Soon.
THE BASEMENT CLOSED
Unsanitary Rooms in Grant
School Won't Be Used.
Problem of Crowded Schools Is
Growing More Serious.
THE BASEMENT CLOSED

The board of education, or rather part
of it, met last night. The meeting was
late in coming to order. 1t was nearly
8 o'clock before the jokers of the square
table had assembled a quorum.
E. E. Roudebush was engineering a
political meeting at the First Christian
church and J. Willis Gleed was. to speak
there. They were possible recruits By
o'clock their presence was a reality.
F. E. Mallory was officiating at we'd
ding and he was therefore quite impos-
sfble. Various other members had var
ious other things to demand their at
tention. Each thought the rest could
get along without him. 1t was some
thing like a late minstrel performance
at the theater. 1t was almost o'clock
when p l. Bonebrake began the tradi-
tionary ceremonies by reading the bills
to be allowed This is a mere matter
of form. which on account of having
been esta blished as a precendent, has to
be carried out. Mr.. Bonebrake read
over the bills as fast as he could. No
one INTERRUPTED him or paid any atten-
ton to him until he read something
about ]. Albert Davis having in a bill
for tuning pianos and removing the
WheeZe from an organ.
Whose that?" queried Rodgers.
Davis, J. Albert replied Bonebrake.
Ought to change his name in. the mid
die, hadn't he?"
Whats he charger"
He charges SO for tuning an organ
and 81. so for tuning a piano."
Better change the organ to a piano.
hadn't we?" said Rodgers.
Mr. Bonebrake then proceeded to read
bill for 81, 31O.15 but no one seemed to
know or care what it was for.
superintendent Davidson made his re-
port. He announced that all the edu-
cational machinery of the city was run
ming along smoothly except at Grant
school, in North Topeka where three
hos rd n TIC ca I'D
that City Physician Judd had just no
titled him by telephone that the board
of health had ordered the basement
rooms vacated until the rooms We're dry
and hea1thful. The board accepted the
order at once and the basement rooms
will be closed until the blue mould dis
appears from the walls of the basement
rooms. or new building is erected in
North Topeka.
Superintendent Davidson has been
urging the board to provide more room
in North Topeka for the past two years.
He has opposed the use of basement
rooms The board will be unable to
provide school rooms for the children in
the three basement rooms at Grant un
less a new building is erected. The pro-
position for a new u room building IN
North Topeka will be submitted at the
November election
teachers committee, reported the list of
available teachers quite small, and he
recommended that it be made up of ex-
perienced teachers instead of graduates
from the city schools. ..s.- s5ss
w H Wilson, chairman Of the build
ing committee, reported among other
things that the cupalo of Van Buren,
school is a roosting place for pigeons.
The effect of this announcement was
startling. The board Immediately de-
cided to dispense with the cupalo-
j. E. Stewart, the clerk of the board.
then began the trouble by announcing
I ~ &f1<ax
w. G. Williams, the 'colored member of
the board lives outside the city. Stew
art described the meets and bounds of
Williams residence. The question re-
garding Williams was, was he in or
out The. board heard the evidence. 1t
was found that Washington school.
which is in the city limits, is east of
Williams residence at 1907 Washington
street.
''They told me I was in the city lin
it's said Williams. 81 was told that the
city limits were 25 feet from my house,
and that across that line 1 could keep
hogs
4 move that we build a hog-tight
fence to keep the members of the board
in the city 1imits,'' said Mr.. Gleed.
Where do you live?" asked DR..
En1bree-
IN the city, I Think replied GIeed
The motion, was made by Mr.. Gleed
! that the serious matter of residence be
referred back to the committee and that
Wilder and Bonebrake be added. and
that the committee be instructed to take
legal advice.
1t was decided in the Williams case.
unofficially. for the time being, that he
was out and would have to come in.
Then the matter was forgotten for
awhile until Mr.. Gleed called it up
| again.
Mr.. Williams made a lengthy speech.
and wound UP by saying: It would like
to know where I am at"
| That will he decided 1f the next meet
Ing