The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-11-10
TICKET OF OWN.
Women Will Put One in Field at
City Election.
Seek to Reform Methods OF
Board of Education.

The women of the Federated cluDs
of the city of Topeka have mapped out
campaign which if it is carried out
as contemplated will mean more than
little grief for certain members or the
school board who have dominated al
most every action of that organization
for years. The trouble started rev
weeks ago when the salaries OF two OF
the teachers were advanced while the
salaries of number of teachers VINO
have been faithful to the interests oil
the schools for years were left where
they have been.
There was a rnurmur of disapproval
for this action from a number OF
sources but it remained for the women
of the Federated clubs of the city TO
call the matter prominently to the at
tention of the public.
A number of interviews have been
published on the subject but all OF
them have been far from the meat OF
the matter under discussion and this
fact has prompted the Federated club
women of the city to take hand IN
the discussion.
A meeting was held at the home OF
Mrs. j. D. Mcfarland Monday after
noon when the Topeka Civic associa-
tion was formed and while this organl-
cation has the school board PROPOSE
matters will be considered from time to
time. A temporary organization was
effected at this meeting, though 1t has
not been made public for fear that II
may interfere with the permanent or
ganization which is planned for the
next meeting which will be held within
a few days.
The list of those present at the meet
ing Monday afternoon includes Mrs. ].
p Raster, Mrs c. o. Knowles, Mrs. 1.
r. Gro Mres q a
S. A Swendson, Mrs. J. D. Mcfarland,
Mrs. Carnahan, Mrs Lee Monroe, Mrs.
H. o. Garvey and Mrs. A. E. Jones,
all of whom are admitted to be among
the leading women of the city.
The organization will consist or
two members from each ward in the
city and it is not probable that they
will all be members of the federated
clubs of the city as a fair representa-
ton on the board will be men. The
Topeka Civic association has num-
Der of reforms in view and while 1t
has seen fit to take action against the
attitude of the school board a num-
Der of other reforms are being con-
sidered.
1t is settled that tere will be a
woman's ticket in the field when the
next election is held at least as far
as the school board is concerned.
I'VE demand representation on the
school board said one of the moving
spirits in the movement this morn
to have. The affairs of the school
board have been handled in a high
handed way for years and we pro-
pose to see to it that the star
chamber methods of the past are
abandoned and that light is admitted
to the meetings of the board.
There are number of things
which concern the public in general |
pose that we will be told that we
could have secured them if we had |
gone to the proper sources. We will
ask for a financial statement which |
can be understood and means some |
thing to others besides the members |
of the board.
I'VE want a report which will in |
dictate the receipts and expenditures |
of the board as far as the general
items of receipts ana expenditures |
are concerned. A statement which |
will indicate what is being done with /
the immense amount of the tax payers |
money which the school board is ex-
pending each year. We want to see |
the star chamber methods which have /
characterized the school board of To- |
peka for number of years done |
away with.
I'm other words we want to see
them come out in the open and trans
act business for the good of the pat
rons of the schools and at the least |
possible expense to the tax payers of |
the county. There are a number of |
opposed to the attitude of the ma
jority but they are ignored. They are |
opposed to many of the things which |
are done but are powerIess to act be- |
cause they are hopelessly in the |
minority and will be until some of |
the old members of the board are dis |
posed of.
1.-THE ruling spirit on the school |
board have run things with a high |
hand for years and are at this time |
attempting to prove that the agita- |
ton against their methods is the work |
of a few women who are not aware |
of what they are talking about. That |
may be so but we have a well defined |
idea of what we want to accom- |
plish and will attempt it at the next
election
"As mothers we feel that we are |
entitled to representation on the |
school board and intend to make an |
attempt to see that our rights are |
observed. This is matter which |
cannot be ignored or laughed out of |
existance as one of the members of |
the board has attempted to do. We |
believe in the economical manage
ment of the school board and do not |
believe that its affairs in the past |
have been handled in this way and |
are now asking for a new deal and a |