Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1909-05-22
WHAT ARE THEY DoINc2
rom The word OF Tuesday :

From The World OF Tuesday:
The contract for the erection Of
the new school building has been
awarded by the Board OF Education
This matter was to have been decided
on May IA hut on that date the matter
was postponed until Monday, because
| it was said, there were several bid.
ders who had not sent in their bids.
= The representative Of this paper
who went to attend the meeting OF
the board for the purpose Of being
in position to give to the public the
full details OF such an important mat
ter. was excluded from the meeting
and was informed that the board
would hold an executive session. Why
the awarding Of the contract was done
in secret was not stated. The infor-
nation that comes to the people OF
Martinsburg through The Evening
World, was given to its representative
by the secretary of the board.
Why ouch matters, OF importance TO
the people, and where body OF men
are spending the peoples money,
should done behind closed doors
is hard to understand The public
has been in the dark regarding the
actions of the school board for some
time. They awarded the heating con
tract without advertising for bios, or
giving the local people an opportunity
TO submit bid. This matter was
done quietly and he local plumbers
we're not aware that there was any
thing doing In their line until some
foreign company had captured the
job.
The public has a right to know
what this board, elected by the patrons
of the school to transact their bust
ness, is doing in their interest. me
fact that all these important matters
are transacted in executive session
does not inspire confidence in the
board. Their actions in the past
have caused the people to become sus-
picious. There are ugly rumors afioat,
which the boards persistent refusei
to take the public into its confidence
tend to suDstantiate. There may be
nothing wrong, and there may be no
graft, but as long as the board per
sues its present course. the public is
going to believe that they are trying
to cover something over
The .axpayers, through a committee
of the Board of Trade tried to find
out what they intended to do in the
interest of the people. The Informal
ton that the committee secured Was
anything but satisfactory. No won
der the public believes the story that
is on the street, that one man was APP
preached, and asked TO become can
didate for school commissioner, and
when he declined he was told that
there was thousand dollars in it.
These rumors floating around about
the school board are not good
for the community, yet the
board doeg nothing to lead
the people to believe that there
is nothing in them rather, on the
other hand they do everything to
make the public believe they are cor
rect.
1t is now near the first OF June, and
as far as the public knows the board
has done nothing to give us more eff
ficient teachers next year; there is
nothing done which will add to the
education of our children.
While we need new school buildings,
the board should secure some new
instructors for the high school. Moth
ing has been mentioned about a
while other boys and girls can enter
college from other high schools. The
board should secure teachers now, and
not wait until fall when all the good
ones have been engaged. Get into
the field early and secure choice. Do
not let this important matter be de-
layed.
change. Do we want changer ASK
the people Do not forget the past,
things that happened last year will
happen next year. The high school
course will be laid down by the state
superintendent, but we want instruc-
tors who are competent to teach that
course. You do not want your boy
or girl to graduate here and go TO
some academy where they will be
compelled to spend a couple wears,