Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-03-27
MEANS UNDESIRABLE
PUBLICITY 0F CITY
Col. Jones Thinks Trustees Should
Operate Schools for Full Term ana
Try 20 Wipe out Deficit oraous'y
by Cur.ailing Expenses IN Other u
rection5.

Strong opposition 90 the shortening
OF the present session OF the city pun
lie school has developed and II is Ger
tain that a strenuous fight against
snch action will be MADE on the hooi
Of the school board. The closing OF
the schools ten days before the 'nd
of tho full term was recommended
bv the finance committee al the last
meeting al the board in order that
the impending deficit for the session
might be reduced The trustees re-
ferred the recommendation to Il re-
trenchment committee and some Of
the members OF that committee have
recently been talking about closing
the schools on May 81. instead oil
June TO-
Mayor Marquis Jones. several mem
bers of the city council and some oi
the trustees have PIT themselves on
rect I'd as opposing amy reduction III
the length OF the school term and
they believe thai in the end such &C
ton would be false economy
What the Mayor Says.
In discussing the matter yesterday.
Mayor Jones said that he thought the
board should go very slow in consider
ing this matter. To close the schools
ten days before the end OF the term
and thus advertise TO the world that
Newport News hasn't money enough
To keep its Schcol system up would,
the mayor said. give the city unde-
sirable advertising that must work
harm TO the city. He thinks that the
trustees should keep the schools open
the full term and then see if other
expenses cannot be curtailed so as to
gradually wipe out the deficit
CoIncilmen J. J. Cheadle, OF the
First ward and L. f. Christie, of the
Second ward, also are opposed TO
shortening the school term. MIR.
Cheadle SAYS that he is opposed 20
cutting of any money from the
te3chers as they are but poorly paid
at best and need every cent that they
can earn teaching school II neces-
sary. he thinks. that the board should
the present, at least.
Teachers UP in Arms.
Naturally most of the teachers en-
ployed in the schools are violently OPP
posed 10 any curtailing of the length
of the session. They claim that they
signed contracts &c teach nine months
and should be paid for the fun term.
IL was reported yesterday that the
board could not legally close the
schools before the end OF the term
because OF the wording of the con
tracts with the teachers. These cen
tracts bind the board TO paw the
teachers so mach salary for nine
months unless the contract is termi-
mated fer cause" 1t is claimed by
some that the board cannot make the
cause and that the services of the
teachers can be dispensed with only
when the teachers give cause for
the annualling of the contracts.
Want ioint Purchasing Board.
Some Of the members Of the school
board want the city council to give
the school board representation on
the purchasing committee which IS
to be created by the council 20 par
chase all of the citv's supplies. The
trustees point out that the city ane
the board use much OF the same KIND
of supplies and that the purchasins
committee could buv for both the
council and the school loard. II &,
believed that this would mean a saw
ing in both the expenses Of the cit,
government and the schools Thb
matter may be taken up at The NEE;
ing OF the councils retrenrhmeu.
committee Tuesday night
Pruning" Committee 10 Meet.
The retrenchment committee Of IN.
board viii bold lis meeting tomorrow
night az the High school building an,
the matter Of pruning N, expense
OF the board will be gone over YER
carefully. Some Of the trustees VII,
have examined into the matter chin
:hat n least $1,000 can b. CIT or 49,,
expenses for janit0rs Anofhe- o.,
can be made in the purchasing d
supplies. Z = claimed.