The Savannah morning news., 1904-09-27
ROOM QUESTION
STILL UNSETTLED
THE KINDERGARTEN MATTER
DISCUSSED AT LENGTH BY THE
BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Need of Room for Accommodation
of school Children of Legal school
Age Is Becoming More Apparent.
Definite Action Postponed Until
Special Meeting of Board satur-
day Night-Miss Florence oImstead
Chosen as New Assistant in High
School.
The question of recalling the room in
Chatham Academy, heretofore used fol-
kindergarten purposes, has not YET
been decided definitely. It will be
taken up again at a special meeting OF
the Board of Education to be held on
Saturday night at o'clock.
The board assembled in adjourned
session in Chatham Academy yester-
day afternoon, with Messrs. J.. r.
Saussy Samuel By Adams, Herman
Myers, T. j. Charlton, M. A. O'Byrne
and P. A. Stovall present, together
with Supt. Otis Ashmore.
Mr.. Baldwin's letter concerning the
giving up of the room, and earnestly
advising against it. was formally. pre-
scented to the board. though each of
the members had received copy in
duplicate. The claim that the room
was given him by the trustees of Chat
ham Academy, and that the board had
nothing to do with the matter was
taken up and discussed, as were all the
other points brought out by Mr.. Bald
win.
The attention of the board was called
to the fact that It was absolutely nee
essary to have more room for the chill
dren attending school in the district in
which the Chatham Academy is situat-
ed. The indications are that the pres
ent accommodations, IL the kindergar-
ten room is excluded. will not be suffi-
cient to enable all the children to have
seats. AT least fifty will have to be
turned away.
More High School Room.
Besides this fact. the outgrowth Of
the normal increase in school attend
ance, there will probably be big in
crease in the High School attendance.
This will be the natural result of taxi
ing off the tuition fees this year, and
there is a general feeling that more
room will he absolutely essential.
Under all the circumstances IL is
probable that before the close of the
year there will be at least 100 pupils
turned away, owing 10 lack of room,
unless some other arrangements are
made. The only way open at present
seems to be to take up the room,
though the board is very reluctant TO
do so.
Attention was also called to the fact
that the pupils who will be turned
away will all be of legal school age.
Their parents are taxed for the sup
port OF the schools, and will have the
right TO demand that their children be
seated in preference to children not Of
legal school age to whom an entire
room is given over. After further dis
cussion. the board decided to postpone
action until more of It's members were
present.
New Teacher Selected.
Reports were made to the board of
the results Of the examination for as
slstant lady teacher In the High
School. The general average Of Miss
Florence Olmstead was the highest OF
the four contestants for the place ana
she was given the position. Miss Ohm
stead was last year a teacher IN Chat
ham School No. / and her friends
Will be glad 10 learn OF her merited
promotion.
A petition from the residents OF
Wilmington Island asking for the
erection OF a public school on the is
land was read. owing 10 the fact that
the board did not have sufhcIent In
formation 10 take action on the sub
ject AZ present the matter was referred
10 supt Ashmore ana Pres. George A.
Mercer for a report.
The resignation Of r. l.. Erwin. a
teacher IN the East Broad street coll
Ored school, WAS read and accepted
All the teachers On che lower grades
MnLn uLnmnlnL 10 al a.. u.....L.-