The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1908-02-01
TAFT'S PAY RAISED
HARRISON TRUANT OFFICER
PLAYS IN LUCK.
Four Members of Board Oppose the In
crease, but the other Five
Git It to Him.

The salary OF Truant Officer William
Taft. of Harrison, was raised from $40 a
year to 5000 Mt a meeting of the Harrison
Board of Education last night after a
lively discussion. The vote wis ) to I in
favor of increasing the pay. Trustees
Martin L. Desmond, Anthony O'Malley,
owen f. Kahn and James A. Brophy votsl
against the increase, while Trustees John
J. Enright, John j. O'Neill, Francis Me
Sorley, President Thomas f. Lawless and
John f. Reilly voted for 1t.
Truste Enright proposed the raise and
said that Taft was doing good work and
deserved more money. Trustee Desmond
declared that he would not vote for the
raise. aud that ii was unfair.
Il did not know that we had phil
a~nthropists in this board said he. Il
think il Mr.. Enright was at a committee
meeting here recently he would have been
enlightened as to the condition of the
money market at present. ] bear no
prejudice toward Taft. 1t may be true
that the truant o Ger is doing good work.
but he is getting well paid for it, Every
body who receives money has to work or
they would be fired.
when Taft was appointed at was
agreed that 1t first he would get S120 a
year, and that after holding the position
a year or more he would get an increase.
Now you. are starting in before Tart is
a raise. If Taft gets a raise the rest of
the board employees will expect more
money also. If this board votes to give
the truant officer a raise it will show
poor Judgment"
Enrfght said that when Taft was APP
pointed 1t was understood that he would
work u couple of months and then get
more compensation.
O'Malley agreed with Desmond, saying
that he would not vote for the raise.
why, the truant officer doesn't do the
work the teachers do, and yet he Is receiV-
ing more money than the teachers" said
he. THE fact is, some people are too
liberal with other peoples money. There
are some members of the board who do
nothing but propose raises in salaries.
Kahn said that he was Of the same opin-
ion as Desmond and O'Malley, and that
he would vote for no increase.
District Clerk Brophy also coincided
with the three, and asserted:
Il will vote against the proposition of
awarding an increase. The trouble is VIC
are going too fast with our money"
A debate was created when a bill was
read by Clerk Brophy from ~Assemblyman
Edward Kenny, of East Newark for legal
services rendered some time ago, for the
amount of SLY. Included in that amount
was interest charged to the amount of S21,
Trustee Kahn, chairman of the finance
committee, said the board .'shouldn't rec.
ognize it, 1t was explained that Mr.
Kenny had received a voucher for his
money, but that when the voucher was
presented to Town Treasurer Edward j
Grace, of Harrison, he refused to honor
ton
Clerk Brophy denounced Grace for his
alleged action, and said that Grace was
in the employ OF the school board and
should do what the board bids.
"He is in the boards employ" he stated
ard If he does not carry out the board
request he ought to be made TO do it.
The matter was referred to Town Coun
sci Barrett.
Miss Sarah Cairns, daughter of eX-Coun'
Gilman Patrick j. Cairns, Of Harrison, was
appointed a permanent teacher at a salary
of $500 a year. Miss Cairns will start or
her salary March l.
A motion was adopted providing thai
whenever any mechanics go to any Of The
schools to work that the ~janitors of thf
schools watch them and keep n record oil
the hours the workers do and then make
a report to the board Kahn was the In
PRODUCER of the proposition. 1t was aimed
at Frank Hughes, a Harrison carpenter.
because Kahn remarked that he only voted
to pay n bill presented by Hughes under
condition that hereafter all the mechanics
be looked after.
Supervising Principal John Dwyer in his
monthly report said that the total number
@ rolled in the Harrison schools was 1,226,
and that the average daily attendance
was 1,150.
1t was decided to hold a meeting of the
finance committee on February II for the
purpose of voting on the budget for the
coming year.