Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-04-13
Mr.. Massie Advises teachers
Contracts are Binding.
BOARD HAS LIVELY MEETING
Report Of Committee of Six on JAM
tor Situation Rejected, Only Four
Members Voting for .t--Authority
Transferred.

With every member present and yot-
| ing, the board of school trustees last
night by a vote OF five 20 four re-
| jected the unanimous report OF the
committee OF six, which was appoint
| ed at the last meeting OF the board
| to hear the charges preferred by su'
perintendent of schools Willis A. Jen-
kins against Janitor- in-Chief j. Z.
Briley and to curtail the expenses or
the board for the remainder of the
session. This report set forth that
| the charges against Briley had been
sustained and recommended that ne
| be severely reprimanded and also rec
, commended that two of the janitors be
dropped and that woman be EN-
pioyed in the place of one OF them.
J.. T.. Harrison was the only MEN,
| Der of the committee of six TO stand
by the report. President Pickett and
Messrs. Bivins, LEM. Christie and
Sutton voting against IL. That feature
| OF the report relating TO the charges
! against Brlley was not considered at
any time, the fight on the entire re-
| port being centered on the recon-
mendation that the janitors be drop
ped. Chairman Sutton. of the COM
mittee on buildings and grounds led
| the fight against the report and was
| backed by the other members of his
committee and President Pickett and
Chairman Bivins, of the finance com
mittee.
Trustees Are ArraIgned.
While the report was under consid-
Grafton. O. ID. Bachelor scathingiy
arraigned the board on the janitor
| matter. He declared that the board
is throwing away $4,000 of the city's
| money every year. There isn't
man here who would not whack this
| $4,000 cost in half If this was his pri-
vate business Unless We cut this
janitor service we are derelict in our
duty. We can't consistently go be-
fore the council and ask for large
sums of money when we do not
whack this ianitor cost in half" con-
timed Mr. Bachelor.
Mr.. Harrison said that this report
merely covered for the remainder OF
the session and that il was his inten-
ton to call for complete retrench
| ment before the ianitor service IS
| taken up at the regular. meeting next
| month.
Chairman Sutton, of the committee
on buildings and grounds, reported
that. acting under instructions from
the retrenchment committee, he had
dismissed the janitors named in the
report. but that the janitors had EN-
ployed counsel and that he had been
compelled to take them back again
He did not think that II was right for
the board TO dismiss the janitofs with
out giving them some warning.
Notice to Amend Rules.
In connection with the janitor mat
ter, the committee on rules and regu-
iations gave notice that at the next
meeting OF the board the committee
will move to amend rule 81 by max
ing 1t read as follows:
"Janitors are responsible to the
principals of the various schools. sub
ject 10 be authority of the superin-
tendent under rule So
Each principal shall fix the hours
of service and prescribe the duties OF
the tanitors under him or her. and.
| with the concurrence In writing of the
superintendent, may discharge any
| such janitor. Janitors may also be
discharged by the committee on
buildings and grounds or by the board.
In case OF vacancy from any course.
the building and grounds committee
shall MI the same pending the action
| OF the board"
Break Up Present System.
Mr.. Bachelor explained that the
idea of the proposed amendment is 20
break up the present system of janf-
tors and place the authority over tne
janitors In the hands Of the superin-
tendent and the principals instead OF
the jsnitor-in-chief.
Can't Shorten Session.
No action was taken by the board
reiatise TO closing the schools on
May 81 instead OF June !. as recon-
mendec by the finance committee
However. the clerk read letter from
CITY Attorney MaSsie IN which the
city attorney stated that the board
could not legally terminate the con-
tracts With the teachers except for
some cause furnished BY the teachers
themselves The opinion was filed
and the matter ~ss passed over with
OFT discussion Of any kind.
Pupils Trsnsferreo.
The committee on rules and REM
lations reported that The schools N
the new school building in the second
ward have been resrrsneed and. BY
transfer Of some Of the pupils 10 tho