Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-11-15
HUFFMAN TENDERS
HIS RESIGNATION
Unwilling to Remain Chair
man of School Boards
Finance Committee.
SAYS TRUSTEES HAVE
VERY LOOSE SYSTEM

Action Follows Refusal of Body to
Adopt Rule Requiring Submission
of BiIIs-Colonei Refuses to With
draw Resignation, But II is Not
j. Acted Upon.
After the board of school trustees
had refused by vote OF three TO
four to adopt rules requiring the 9th
or committees to submit all bills for
payment to the finance committee and
TO furnish that committee at the end
of each year with a full list OF their
expenditures and estimates OF the
amounts needed by them for the en-
suing session, Col. +. W. HUFFMAN
chairman of the committee on IL
nance. last night rendered his reslg-
nation as such chairman to the school
board. In taking this step. the col
onel declared that the present sys-
tenn of keeping the finances OF the
board is very loose one and that
there is no way in which the hnance
committee can keep track OF the eN-
penditures made by the various de-
partments and make an Intelligent
annual report 10 the board and to
the council.
II do not propose TO be held up as
a figure head here declared Col.
Huffman. You don't give the finance
committee the proper rules whereby
we can get at the expenditures OF
the board. don't want the public
and the council to hold me response
Bile for something about which | can
know nothing. Therefore, | tender my
resignation as chairman of the finance
committee.
RESIGNATION Not Acted Upon.
Chairman c. V. Sutton. of the COM
mittee On buildings and supplies.
moved that the resignation be accept
ed. but the motion did not meet with
a second. Mr. Cosby, member OF
the finance committee, said that the
board should have a practical bust
moss mar at the head of this commit
tee and he expressed the hope that
Col Huffman would withdraw his
resignation. President Bivins SAID
that the president would make per
sonal request that the resignation De
withdrawn.
Col Huffman did not withdraw the
resignation and il was not acted upon.
After the meeting. the colonel told a
reporter that the resignation was De-
fore the board and that he wanted 1t
ccapted as he does not care TO longer
of fDn commit
tee and be a mere figure head.
Copy Of Richmond Rules.
After the board had amended near
" all of the rules and regulations
governing the schools and the bylaws
governing the board. Col Thurman
offered his amendments to the by
laws governing the finance commit
tee These amendments are exact
comics of the bylaws of the school
board of the city of Richmond and
provide for the apportionment OF the
funds of the board to various depart
ments. the amounts thus apportioned
to be regulated by the estimates SUD-
mitted by the committees OF the
board.
Col Huffman said that by appor-
JlOnin2 the luItu. ttit OONAO N0NA0 Mp
In closer touch with the various ex-
pendstares and would he in a better
position to determine what expenses
could be reduced. He also said that
by having each department furnish an
estimate for the council. the board
could give the councilmen a detailed
statement of the amounts spent and
what they were for and that then the
matter would be sIuarely up to the
council and would not fall back on the
school board as IL had done in the
past.
Entail Too Much Work.
There was opposition to the amend
ments on the ground that Il would en-
tail too much extra bookkeeping and
require too much time for compile
ton. Chairman Sutton. Of the com
mittee on buildings and supplies. OBJ
jected because he did not think II
was proper for any one committee
to be made to report 20 any other
committee Of the board. He declared
that all bills are now passed upon by
the entire board and that there was
no reason why all expenditures can
no; be checked by the members Of
the board when the bills are passed
upon.
After some further discussion the
motion to adopt the amendments was
put and lost. Aycs-Cosby. Huffman
and Bivins. three: nays-Christie.
Harrison. LEM and Sutton. four.
Changes IN Jsnitor system
Following a very lengthy discus
sion. the board adopted amendments
10 the rules abolishing the position OF
janito--in-chicf and placing all % the
janitors under the direct supervis ION
~ the principals. who. with The writ
ten consent OF she superintendent.
nay dismiss the jaai;ors for cause.
Under the old rules. the janitors were
4 rozror fble 70 the ianifor- On chief only