The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-02-17
LEONARD FLAYEO BY
BURTON IN HOT
DEBATE
SCHOOL BOARD, UNDER FOR
MER'S LEADERSHIP, is STENCIL
IN NoSTRlLs OF COMMUNITY,
SAYS SECOND WARD INSPECTOR

What started out as a debate be-
tween School Inspector Simpson c.
Leonard and School Inspector c. NJ.
Burton. leaders, respectively, OF the
Martindale and anti.Martindale fac
tons IN the school board, developed
into an inquisition Tuesday night
with Inspector Leonard on the rack
and Coroner Bennett, former In
spector and still an active champion
OF the "antis, doing the quizzing
There is no telling how 1t would have
ended had IL not been for the inter-
yention OF the Rev. A. II. Cameron,
pastor OF Emmanuel Presbyterian
church, Porterst. and the Boulevard,
which was the scene OF this discus
sion.
Inspector Goldberg. bitter foe OF the
Observation-Disclosures. at whom Inspector
Leonard had aimed some bitter shafts
during his talk had just advanced 10
ask some questions" when the min
lister rose to suggest an adjournment
A member Of the mems club or the
church, under whose auspices the de
bate was held, suggested that 1t was
orly fair 10 give Goldberg a chance.
The question was put 10 vote anu
the ayes and nays seemed 10 be about
equally divided But President A. ~.
Stewart decided in favor OF the nays
In view OF the late hour and the fact
that MIR Goldberg had addressed the
club on a previous occasion.
In view OF the fact that the meeting
was in Mr. Leonard's own ward and
that his friends and adherents were
out in force TO lend moral support. the
reception accorded Mr.. Burton was
fiatterlng His frmness seemed to
make a hit. and his remarks were fire.
quently interrupted with applause. he
did not mince words in dealing with
his opponents he called a spade
spade, and talked right out from tho
shoulder.
"School Board Stencil"
"You know and | know that tho
board OF education is a stencil In the
nostrls OF the community is the way
he threw down the gauntlet. Every
newspaper and every individual who
has investigated conditions declared
Il hot-bed of rottenness. DO We de-
serve such a reputation? sometimes
we act as though we did.
First | want to say that the gen.
tleman who sits here on the platform
tonight indicating Mr.. Leonard) is
The leader of the school board. In the
British parliament he would be called
the whip. for when he cracks the
whip the rest follow, like so many
Cogs with their tails between their
legs If there's anything wrong in the
school board, he's 10 blame. And II
there's anything right it's because it's
right In itself or has been made right
by himself and others.
There has been an effort on the
part of dominant members Of the boari
to build up political machine. the
purpose OF which Is to perpetuate
Superintendent Martindale and Super
visor Stewart in Office. las been \
great success and Mr. Leonard is At
the head OF it,"
Expense Piles Up.
Mr.. Burton then went on to show,
from figures in his possession, that
the cost of maintaining the schools
had increased 2l5 per cent In 10
years. while the city has increased In
population. in the same period, only
so per cent. and the school attendance
but % per cent.
And he's to blame" he reiterated,
again indicating Leonard
Burton showed that the night
schools, with fewer pupils than they
had 10 years ago, had increased in
cost of maintenance from $500 to
$36.425. Ii now costs the city for
school maintenance s50.74 per pupil,
as against $2S and some odd cents in
1898. an increase OF 70 per cent.
Part OF this increase. Burton de
clared. was accounted for by an ur-
warranted increase in the cost OF
schools. and while he acknowledged
an increase In the cost of labor AMI
material this increase did not begin
to explain the difference, In his
1 opinion.