New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-15
CENTRES NOT TO CLOSE.
BOARD RESCINDS ACTION.
Knoscs No Waste an SchooLs-GroIt
Is Raped.

The Board of Education held It's first monthly
meeting of the new year yesterday. 1t lasted
almost four hours. The members took action to
show they resented the criticisms recently made
by Controller Grout regarding the boards man
agenlent of its finances.
President Rogers presided. The first shot was
fired when Commissioner Felix NJ. Warburg. of
Manhattan. introduced this resolution:
Whereas. The Controller of the city of New
York has stated that this board in the admin
istraton of its affairs is extravaganza and waste
full with funds at its disposal, this board de-
sires TO state that it has no knowledge OF any
waste or extravaganza. that 1t welcomes any IN
vestigaticn the financial officer OF the city de-
sires to make. and will cooperate with him IN
every way ascertain If any economies can DC
secured With that object IN view, be IL
Resolved, That a special committee or nve De
appointed to make such investigation anu CO
operate with the Controller to ascertain WheEe
and how economies may be made
This resolution was unanimously adopted.
The result of the visit OF President Rogers and
superintendent Maxwell to Mayor Mcclellan on
Wednesday became apparent when another reso-
luton was introduced by Commissioner William
IJumnis. chairman Of the Finance Committee,
and was adopted. This resolution read:
whereas, The Mayor of the city has request
ed through the chairman of this board that the
resolution heretofore adopted on December 20
1903 closing the recreation centres after the
S1st inst. be resclnded. and that said centres be
continued pending investigation Whether the
funds now at disposal are sufficient 10 carry
on the same, and If any economies can be maze
as IS stated that If it be ascertained as the re-
suit OF such investigation that our funds are
not sufficient and that our demands heretofore
made are just and proper, in such case other
moneys will be appropriated: and this board.
being DESTROYS that these activities be contin-
ued without interruption. it is therefore
Resolved, That the aforesaid resolutions so
far they affect the recreation centres Dc ana
the same hereby rescinded
These were the only resolutions passed that
concerned the Controller but the feeling OF the
board was shown IN the remarks OF a few men,
bers, and no commissioner saw fit to defend tho
criticism Of Mr.. Grout General George w. Win
gate was one OF the first to speak of the resolu-
lions before they were adopted. He said:
Why didn't Controller Grout say something
about these alleged eXtravagances before now
He has been in office for two years. ana has mad
plenty OF time to find out how aHairs IN TINS
department were going. But he does not seem
to have found out until the budget came along
Commissioner Stern. also referring 10 these
criticisms. said:
1t seems to me that the financial officer OF the
city should feel that the members Of this board
doing the best they could If he had any
suggestions TO make IL seems to me he should
have made them to this body instead OF going
20 the newspapers. We are not mere 10 quafreI
with Mr. Grout. but TO serve the best interests
of the city, and get at the solution or this ana
any other matter that may come before 1t We
do not recognize partisanshfn in this board Tho
Controller was elected under one administration.
and now that he is elected under another Il
may be that he has TO view matters IN dir-
ferent light
Mr.. Stern then went on TO speak Of the con-
diton OF school buildings in Brooklyn and
Queens. These. he said. particularly In the lat
ter borough. do not have proper means Of es-
cape. and are not sanitary. lie added that 1t
would require 81 600 900 to put the schools OF
those two borouehs I'm a proper condition
President Rogers read q resolution providing
for the erection OF temporary one-story school
buildings in crowded sections OF the city and In
some OF the East Side parks. There OPP
position 20 the proposition. but until the board
cas- determine where the money Is TO come from
the resolution went over.