Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-04-05
.Tanitor Brennan Dismissed
 Last Night.
INSPECTOR WAS SCORED.

INSPECTOR WAS SCORED. Commissioner Phelan Sailed Into the
 Opposition Hand and Glove Mayor
 Elton, Backed by Republican Mem-
 hers of the Board, Stood by the In-
 spector-Supt. TinKer's Report Con-
 corning Some of the Outlying Dis-
 triCts.
 The meeting of the board of educa tion had scarcely got well under way last night when a big row burst. Com missioner Mcdonald, who may be called the father of the board, having been member of it under many ad- manifestations, can't remember another such row taking place on the board. Matters were so serious at one stage of 1t that 1t looked as though the dem ocrats, the minority, would quit the room without even looking In the glass to See if their Easter hats were on straight. Indignation at motion by Commissioner Griggs as chairman of the committee on schoolhouses and hy- gtene, to dispense with the services of Lawrence Brennan, janitor of the Clay street school, was the source of the trouble, and, although the janitor went down in the storm, the school lnspec- tor, MT Tyrell, was lambasted right and left by Commissioner Phelan
 Mayor Elton. too, showed considera- ble spirit In the matter and, in the vernacular of the day, ''put it up to- Commissioner Phelan with yigor that showed without question he would stand by his men through thick and thin, no matter what way the wind should blow or what the consequences may be. It was simply a question of standing by the inspector, he said.
 Commissioner Griggs made two or three reports as chairman of the com mittee on schoolhouses and hygiene, and the one recommending the dis charge of Mir Brennan was about the third recommendation the committee had made.
 What for?" asked Commissioner Phelan, bristling like parent bird de- termined to defend its young.
 "For disregarding the instructions of the school inspector" said Commls- sioner Griggs.
 "In what respect?' asked Commis- sioner Phelan.
 ''In respect to cleaning the walls of the halls," was the reply.
 "Sure of that?' asked Commissioners Phelan, Tor is 1t merely report of the fnspector2"
 'I have no personal knowledge of the matter" said Commissioner Griggs; 1t Is merely report"
 Was 1t properly brought before the committee?1 asked MT Phelan.
 'I guess it was"
 "T Qr1IpS9 not" was Commissioners Phelan's startling answer.
 Thereupon Commissioner GrfggS stated that the inspector had told Jani- tor Brennan to clean the walls of some halls in the Clay street schoolhouse, and he refused to do so. Commission CT Griggs then wrote the Janitor in- forming him of the inspectors posi- ton Ill the matter and the power Of his office. The commissioner got no reply from MT Brennan. He then called upon him and told him of the inspectors complaint, and the janitor did try to clean the walls. If we in ianitors," said Commissioners Griggs, i've have got to back up the inspector, else the janitors will do as they please"
 "Well," said Commissioner Phelan in reply, 'T heard about this matter, and I must say that I went to the school myself and saw those walls. and will say now that it is Impossible to clean them by washing them. They should be painted or whitewashed. Anyway, the matter was not properly followed out according to the rules"
 ''What rule do you refer to2' asked the mayor, tartly.
 "1he rule that says the board shall . elN lan's answer.
 "Well. that rule is compiled with now,'' said the mayor rather decisive ".
 Commissioner Larlzin took up the book of rules and the argument went on gathering warmth every minute.
 '+We were not notified as a commit tee" said Commissioner Lawlor, who fs n member of the committee on hy- giene and schoolhouses. ''We were simply notified individually. The first I knew of it was from member of the committee when motion to dis pense with the services of the janitor was made. That was the first I knew of it but the other two membefs of the committee appeared to have known all about,it 1t"
 Mayor Elton concluded that was suf- ficient to bring the matter properly be- fore the committee; that 1t was com plying with the rules.
 At this Commissioner Phelan seemed to become more angry. He seemed to bristle with opposition to the move ment to dismiss Janitor Brennan. "There is something very wrong about this whole business" said he. his face extremely flushed '"This school in- spector appears to be antagonizing ev- erybody connected with the schools. He seems to the average man as wholly incompetent and 1t is my opinion that he Is not fit to do the work. I don't think he would he kept in any other occupation. He has not the tempera- ment of a public official. He ran afoul of one of the most estimable women in the city, the principal of the Walsh school. He quarreled with the princi- pal of the Clay street school. and good ness only knows what else he has done and not done, besides. He is running up against everybody in authority in the schools. I think there have been more complaints made about this