The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1908-12-18
EAST BENTON CO.
DIRECTORS MEET
EAST END SCHOOL DIRECTORS
SETTLEPUzzLING QUESTIONS
LARGE ATTENDANCE

SCHOOL N1ItClpI6 IlicellllS, Uiittf tlc ,
direction Of Miss Annie Golf, coun-
ty superintendent of schools. was
held Thursday, Dec 18th, at the
Presbyterian chapel, kennewick. !
There was an unusually good at
tendance, eleven districts, and all
but one being represented.
MORNING SESSION
The meeting was called to order
at 1000 by Miss Golf, who in a few
words stated the object of the meet
ing~and introduced J. II. Perkins,
County Superintendent of Adams
county, who spoke on the subject,
Some Unwritten Duties of Direc
tors. F." Mr.. Perkins stated that
while the director was to hire the
teacher best qualified he was to give
the same tests a merchant would
give if he were hiring some one to
work for him.
He must not attempt to get her
to work for less than the district
could afford to pay. Pay her what
you can afford, get the best teacher
you can and see that she gets her
money when it is due her without
having to go all over the district to
get her warrant,
Mr.. Perkins gave an opportunity
for discussion after which a short
recess was held
The next was a Question Box and
Conference" conducted by State
Superintendent Dewey. This was
the most interesting number OF the
day; all took part and many points
were brought out. One question
submitted was: When the teacher
is incompetent and her resignation
is requested and she refuses it, what
can the directors do?" Mr.. Dewey
answered that the director could
hire and discharge a teacher for just
cause. The teacher could appeal to
the county superintendent and if
the charge was sustained the decis-
ion of the board would stand: if
not sustained the teacher could re-
sumo work and collect her wages.
a general discussion followed as to
what constituted a just cause, "
who should be witnesses and differ
ent ways to get the teacher to re-
sign rather than that the board dis
charge her. The question Of a
teacher breaking her contract was
also brought up and the law quoted
showing that she was acting within
her rights if she gave thirty days
notice. The right of school boards
to insert conditions in the contracts
other than those contained in the
printed form, also to make rules
and regulations and the enforcing
the same were brought up by
different ones present.
AFTERNOON SESSION
The Modern School House and
It's Equipment" by Superintendent
Dewey, was the opening number for
this session. The school house
proper, its arrangement, heating
and ventilating, Lighting, black
boards and furniture were each taken
up and a great deal of useful infor-
nation given. Mr.. Dewey desl
cribed a modern school house suit
able for about Al pupils. The out
side measurements sc 26, the
school room 32x26, with the en-
trance at one side, between the
stove and the chimney; cloak rooms
in the rear back of the teachers
desk, cupboard or closet to keep
supplies, etc., under lock; windows
at the rear above the black boards,
and on the side, a good stove sur
rounded by jacket reaching from
the floor to six feet in height;
brick chimney 12x1S inches coming
to the floor aud opening like fire
place for foul air flue; inside this
steel pipe for receiving the stove
pipe, under the stove hole with a
pipe extending outdoors to bring in
fresh air; this heated air would rise
causing the foul air to be taken up
in the foul air chimney. If the
latter were put in the cloak room
and it's doors hung with openings
at the top and bottom, the clothes
would dry Registers in both this
and the fresh air pipe would enable
one to control the ventilation to
suit the weather.
After brief discussion and recess
Prof. Showalter, Comfy Superin
tendent of Whitman county, spoke
on the Proposed Changes in our
School Laws The most impor-
tant of these was the one enabling
the poorer schools and the ones +
needing it the most to draw upon
the state fund for bonus regardless
of their location and number of pu-
pills. and the ones able to help
themselves going without; helping
the high schools by allowing them
one and one half times the levy for
the grades and to give each aecred-
tied grade bonus, the high school