Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-06
SCHOOL BOARD ORGANIZES
Theodore johnson is Elected President on
Il First Ballot
NJ +. FUNKHOUsER is VICE PRESIDENT
Appointment OF the standing Commit
tees and Revision of the Rules
Will Receive Attention ut
an Early Date.

an EARLY Date.
President ................ Theodore johnson
vice President ...........M. +. Funkhouser
BY the election Of these officers last even
ing the Board Of Education accomplished
the chief work Of its reorganization for
the new year. Revision Of the rules, which
in the present state OF the code is regarded
as an urgent and important duty, and the
appointment of the standing committees
by the president still remain, but both mat
tiers will receive attention at an early date,
1t being considered probable that the COM
mittees will be announced before the next
regular meeting.
The election as enacted at the meeting
was a very simple matter, for 1t required
but one ballot to decide the question Of
the presidency and two for the choice OF
vice president. AS prescribed by law, the
meeting was called to order by the secre-
tary, who announced the presentation Of
the oaths OF office Of the new members, w.
II. Butts, DR., w. n; Christie, George D..
Rice, John o. Detweiler and Ed H. Lower.
johnson on First Ballot.
For the purpose Of the election J. ].
Smith was then chosen chairman pro tenn.
and on the first ballot for the presidency
Theodore johnson received eight votes. Mr..
Maynard six and Mr.. Stubbendorf one. Mr..
Johnson, having received a majority, was
declared elected and called to the chair.
In taking that seat he spoke very briefly,
expressing his gratitude to the board for
the honor and stating that it should be
his aim to treat all fairly. He fully real
lied, he said, that the appointment OF
committees would be a dihicult duty to
perform with general satisfaction, but in
making his selections he would endeavor
to be fair to all without regard to politics,
The committees should be non-partisan as
far as he could make them so and he hoped
they would remain so. He hoped that there
would be no factions or cliques in the
board.
On the first ballot for the ONCE OF vice
president Mr.. Funkhouser received seven,
Mr.. Maynard six and Mr.. Smith two votes,
and there being no majority, a second
ballot was necessary. This showed the
necessary eight votes for Mr.. Funkhouser,
with six for Mr.. Maynard and one for Mr..
Smith, and Mr.. F~unkhouser was declared
elected.
To Revise the Rules.
The rules OF 1909 were temporarily
adopted for the guidance Of the board until
a revised code could be prepared and
adopted, and later in the evening the board
adopted a resolution by Mr.. stubbendorf
providing that all members having reyi-
sions and amendments to the rules to pro-
pose shall submit them In writing at the
next meeting and that the committee on
rules report upon these proposed changes
at the next following meeting. The rules
as last printed in 1900 have been very ex-
tensively amended and have become very
much complicated.
The designations OF Miss Katherine 8.
Ruen. now at Oak Park. Ill, and Miss
Mary Lehmer, as teachers In the public
schools, were both accepted. and the leave
OF absence Of Miss Harriet p. Swobe was
extended from January 1 to June l.
On recommendation OF the examining
committee, consisting OF Mary A! Fitch,
]. F. woolery and ClerR F. Cooper, GER
tihcates as assistants in the primary and
grammar grades we're granted to six OF the
candidates recently examined, certificates
as paid assistants in kindergartens to four,
and a certificate as kindergarten director
to one.
Christie Presents Resolutions.
A resolution by DR.. Christie, endorsing
the work Of C. e. Watson as deputy labor
commissioner of the State Labor bureau
aud setting forth that the board would be
pleased to see him continued In office, was
adopted.
Another resolution was introduced by DR..
Christie, suggesting that the law regulat-
ing the attendance Of children at school be
so amended as to require at least six
months attendance in each year and to tx
the age limit at fifteen years, and also to
provide that no child less than II years
Of age shall be engaged in any regular and
systematic labor. This was referred 10
the judiciary committee.
Mr.. Homan presented for the approval OF
the board a draft Of a law the purpose OF
which is to reduce the legal rate Of in
terest OF school warrants Of districts in
metropolitan cities from Z per cent to
per cent per annum. This was approved.
Premium on TreRsurer's Bond.
A bill submitted by Mr.. Funkhouser for
approval, providing that the school district
shall pay the expense Of the bond OF the
city treasurer furnished by him as treas
urer OF the school funds, was laid over "a
the next meeting.
The other members OF the board have
all signed a petition to Mr.. stubbendori
commencing in the highest terms his ad-
ministration Of the ONCE of the chairman
OF the COMMITTEES on buildings and prop
erty and urging him to accept a reappoint-
ment. This petition was prepared and
signed before the election OF the president
and the members feel sure that Mr.. Stub.
bendorf will be influenced to accept the
Craftsmanship OF the committee for another