The Virginia enterprise., 1909-07-09
WOULD DICTATE SCHOOL POLICY
Oliver Iron MiniaQ 60. Sends Special
Envoy to look After School Needs
and Public fxOeuditures.

Oliver iron Mining Go. Seads Special
Envoy to look After School Needs
and Public Expenditures.
The question of providing ample
school room for the rapidly increas-
ing school population of Virginia
by the erection of co,nmodioue
high school building on Block 81
and of a six-room grade building at
point designated within a certain
distance of the southwest corner of
section 5, 58.l7, as decided at le-
gaily called election of the voters
of the district in April last, must
again be fought out by the voters
Of the district-but this time the
fight will not be 80 much between
the legally qualified voters of the
district as between the voters as a
whole and a new element which has
"bobbed" on the horizon in the per-
son OF Capt. Theodore H. James as
a representative of the Oliver Iron
Mining Company, whose arrival in
the city was duly noted in our last
issue aud whose mission here has
become apparent, to a degree,
through communication present
ed to the school board at meeting
of that body on Friday evening last
in which objection was made to the
proceedings of the legally called
meeting at which decision Was
reached by majority rule to author
ize expenditures for necessary
school room.
In his communication Captain
James, who is accredited az coming
from the steel company's model
town of Carey, Ind, contends that
the acts of this meeting were lille
gal and as a representative of one
of the larger tax-paying interests of
the district asked to have the board
declare null and void the actions of
the voters and to have all actions
regarding the provision of school
room under authority of the meet
ing rescinded, and new vote taken
on the proposition as to whether
the voters of the district want new
high school or two new grade build
ings, stating that the Oliver COM
pany feels that they should be enti-
tied to hearing when the expendi.
ture of large sums of money are
contemplated.
This communication was handed
to the clerk at the meeting Friday
evening but was not the subject of
any action, being retained and at an
adjourned meeting Tuesday even
ing duly accepted and ordered filed.
At this adjourned meeting, at which
number Of the taxpayers and
school patrons were in attendance,
was also presented at the instiga-
tion of Captain James petition for
new vote to again decide whether
the voters of the dis,rict wish to
have erected a high school OR two
new grade schools, aleo another Pc
tition by Taxpayers and citizens who
desired thr board to submit the
question in such form that the vot-
ers of the district might again voice
their sentiments on the erection OF
a high, school AND two grade build.
ings as we'll. Attorney Poirier was
present and advised the board that
it was unnecessary to heed either
request, inasmuch az the opinion of
the Attorney General had been rem.
dered in the matter and was of rec
ord, holding the acts of the meet.
ing at which the high school and
selection OF the site therefor were
voted as legal, but in difference to
the wishes expressed by the signers
of the two petitions the clerk was,
upon motion of Director Moore cup
ported by Director Roskilly, in
structed to again submit the ques.
tions in such manner az may be
seen fit to cover the complicated
case, at the annual meeting of the
school district to be held on Satur.
day, Julo 18th, at which time two
mem bers of the board will also be
| elected.
In consideration of the fact that
Virginia as city and that the board
of education of the local school
district have ever been mum bered
among the most economical oi
range governing boards, the action
of the Oliver company in making
Virginia the mark of their initial
campaign for retrenchment came
as thunder.clap to the voters and
tax payers OF the city and schoo]
district, who can but hope the ap
parent purpose of the company
through its non. resident represent
alive, may be misunderstood, auc
that a calm may come out of tn,
threatened storm which will worl
to the advantage of the educationa
advancement of the district through
the voting of funds for not only ,
high school but for two commodi
Gus grade schools 40 well-the on,
at the north and the other at tn,
south edge of the city, both of which
are acknowledged necessities of a,
great importance as 10 the propos
ed new high school at this time.