Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-04-05
SCHOOL BOARD WRANGLE,.

has done private business during school hours. Is that right?'
 Commissioner Larkin: There Is i nothing in the rules to prevent him.'
 Commissioners Phelan He's in the employ of the schools, isn't he?' | Commissioner Larkin: I've seen 1 the dirt on these walls and have seen l 1t come off on my finger when it was l wet.'
 Commissioner Phelan: .Yes. but it dries up again. There Is nothing to do with the walls but paint them. that's the only way to get the dirt off. This 1 is peculiar action from first to last. | At the meeting of the committee it seems not only was the committee ready to dispense with the services of this janitor, but in fact had man on the spot ready to take his place."
 Mayor Elton: Tt is up to you, MT Phelan, to prove that. That's state l ment."
 ] ! Commissioner Phelan: My author is Mir Lawlor."
 Commissioner Lawlor: "The first I knew of it was when the motion was made to discharge Mr Brennan. The | other two members appeared to have known of it before that" Commissioner Larkin: 'Tell 1t all, Mir Lawlor. I made the motion to sus- pend MT Brennan, and the inspector l said we did not have a man to take his place. I said there were plenty on the waiting list.
 Commissioner Griggs: And I sug- gested that We get the list of applica- tions from the clerk. Who was the man mentioned for the placer" Commissioner Phelan There has been lots of talk outside about this matter; about what was going to be done about it."
 Mayor Elton thought Mir Phelan ought to be more explicit, and Com missioner Larkin asked Commissioner Phelan who was his authority for such a statement Mayor Elton said that no matter what was said outside, no matter what way the winds blow outside, so long as they blew all right inside everything ought to be all right. Commissioner Griggs: II think it Is our duty to support the action of an official of the board. I consider the school inspector is doing very well. There Is nothing in his conduct to be criticised. The school buildings are better kept to-day than ever, and the janitors are doing better. Only to-day n case came to my notice; jaintor spoNe J there is any feeling here on this mat ter think it should have no place here. It is no place for 1t. It is a question of principle and we ought to take care that the schools are properly cared for"
 Commissioner Phelan: "When did the refusal occur to follow out the re- quests of the inspector?'
 Commissioner Griggs: "Oh, it has been going on for weeks. l can't tell the exact day. 1t did not come to a head till now"
 Commissioner Mcdonald: ''Why not give the man a hearing; 1t is hard ly fair to dismiss him without giving him chance to defend himself"
 The mayor: T don't believe tn hear ings of matters of this kind. I be- lieve i'll the inspector. He has got charge of the work and he must see that 1t is done properly"
 Commissioner I4awlor: "Mr Bren- nan did try to take off the dirt. He did wash the walls and he stopped when he found he could not take the dirt off"
 The mayor Gentlemen, I certain ly object to any hearings on matters like this. The committee ought to know what is best to be done. feel sorry for you if you don't stand by the inspector"
 Commissioner Phelan: .Tt is merely his statement against the janitor's."
 Commissioner LawlOr: MT Bren- nan did wash the walls; he did try to take off the dirt, and that is matter Of importance"
 Commissioner Larkin: T went there one day and took the dirt off on my wet finger"
 Commissioner Phelan: .'You could do the same in any building in town"
 Commissioner Griggs: .SThere is no reason why the inspector should tell wrong abaut this matter; there is every reason why Mir Brennan should
 Commissioner Phelan: T don't know about that. I believe in MT Brennan very much I have every confidence in him, more, i'll fact, than have in the inspector"
 It seemed by this time that all that could be said had been said. The mayor moved restlessly in his chair and silence fell over the table. "The motion is, gentlemen" said he, ito dis- pense with the services of the janitor of the Clay street school" The motion was put, but the response was not sat isfactory. and he told the clerk to poll the members. The clerk did so and the result was a party vote, the repub- licans voting for the motion and the democrats against it. MT Brennan was no longer Ill the employ of the city.
 Commissioner Griggs then moved for the appointment of his successor. The list of applicants was read by Clerk Fitzgerald. Mayor Elton said he recalled Michael Lonergan as q good man. He remembered him when he was i'll the employ of the Waterbury Brass Go. Commissioner Griggs nom- mated James Lancaster, and then Will liam J. Mulvey and George F. War ren were nominated. Mir Lonergan was elected, chosen by a vote of 5 to 2 MT Lancaster getting one and MT Warren one.
 The contract for building the Mar garet Croft school on the site Of the old Elm street school was awarded last evening by the board of education