Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-03-27

The Board of Education at its meeting
last night, accepted the resignation of
BENJAMIN L. Bartram as secretary and
Harry J. Guthrie was elected to succeed
him. The new secretary will assume his
new duties on April lst.
The motion 10 accept Mr. Barram IS
resignation was MADE by Dr. Cooper. who
also moved that it take effect The last Of
Aprl. and that he be given a vacation
during that month. The motion was
carried. He will be at the board & room
probably much of the time, however. to
instruct Mr.. Guthrie in his new duties
Mr.. Bartram held the position for nine
years. His reason for resigning was that
beneeded a rest.
Several members of the board desired
70 wait until the next meeting to elect a
secretary, but others argued that as Mr..
Bartram was to have a vacation during
April it would be necessary to elect his
successor at once.
There were four nominations. as fol-
lows: Mr.. Tadman nominated Mr.. Guthrie;
Mr. Burton nominated William w. Doutv.
who is employed by the American Car and
Foundry Co.; Mr.. Sullivan nominated L.
Harry Johnson, a bookkeeper for the Belts
Machine Co., and DIR. Cooper nominated
William L. Hamann secretary of the
Board Of Health.
All the members were present but Mr..
Kersey II required four ballots to elect
and the vote on each ballot stood as fol-
lows: rst,-Guthrie, 5; johnson, /;
Hamann, 4; Douty 2. Second-Guthrie.
s. Hamann, 5; Douty, 2 Third-Guth-
rie, 6; johnson, 1; Hamann, 4; Douty, /.
Fourth-Guthrie, z; johnson, l; Hamann.
3; Doutyi1. As there were only u mem
bers present it required but seven votes
elect. Mr.. Guthrie was declared elected.
The committee on new buildings. Viii
liam o. Brown, chairman, reported that.
after carefully considering the plans for
the proposed new building at Thiritieth
and Madison streets, it had unanimously
agreed that it would be injudicious to
make any changes in them with the ex-
ception of possibly leaving the assem-
bly, room in the rough state, TO be finished
and Furnished at some future date, and
10 change the steps from stone to wood.
The amount saved from the assembly
room would be SS43, and from steps S557,
which would make a total saving of
81 400. This would leave the lowest bid,
which was submitted by NJ Smith Bark
ley, to be S20,462; estimated cost Of heat
ing and plumbing, $1,000; estimated cost
Of furniture, $1,000, which would make
the total cost of the building and equip
ment S24,362. Mr. Barkley original bid
was S2l ,S62 and the next lowest bid was
that of A. s. Reed & Bro Co. So. 500.
When the report was read Mr. O DON
nell moved that II be accepted and that
the committee be authorized 10 award
the contract to the lowest and best bidder.
DR.. Buckmaster thought the bids should
be brought back to the board, for It to
take some action.
DR.. Cooper stated he was sorry the cost
could not be cut down more, as 1t would
probably interfere with erecting another
school at the other end Of the Ninth ward,
which is badly needed.
Mr.. r.Baynard said the only way to reduce
the cost would be either to cut down the
quality or size of the building, and neither
was advisable.
MrTadman moved TO amend the motion
made by Mr. O Donnell by referring the
matter to the committee, to further cut
down the plans, so as to reduce the cost
The amendment was lost and the original
motion was carried by a vote of to >.
The committee will probably award the
contract in a few days.
AoAiANA IL I'd manu. NidilIlhM Dl lilt
finance committee, reported that the COM
mittee had taken up the matter of borrow
ing $4,000 for the purpose of building
the new school. It had conferred with
officials of the Union National Bank and
that bank was willing to loan the money
at four per cent interest. A resolution,
prepared by City Solicitor Townsend
providing for the borrowing of the money.
was adopted.
Mr.. Baynard stated that he thought
It would be necessary to get a new cor
porate seal. The old seal reads "Board
Of Public Education, Wilmington. Della
ware, 1852, and the title under the new
charter is "Board of Public Education in
Wilmington" The secretary was in
stucted to get a new seal.
For the first time, probably, in the his
tory of the board, there was not a report
Of repairs or furnishings needed at
any of the schools. The board decided
10 appropriate $3.50 necessary TO furnish
the physical laboratory at the High School
with a number of sets of apparatus.