The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-11-08
i'm FIERY DEBATE.
School Board Members Clash at
''Out of Order" Session.
Indulge in Red Hot Personal
Thrusts and Charges.
CARVER STARTS ROW.
Does Not Approve Of Action of
Body in Special Meeting.
Gathering Proves Anything But
Harmonious One.
STARTS ROW.

Indulging in red hot personalities
bits of scathing sarcasm and holding
| the floor in fiery debate when the
president had given the 'out of order
signal the members of the board of
education whiled away the hours last
night until almost Tuesday morning
George H. Smith. vice president OF
the board, put it aptly when he said:
This reminds me of the song with
forty-nine verses. the first one OF
which begins, The wild man of
Borneo has Just come to town. and
the last one also in the same manner.
The trouble was preCipitated by
Judge T. F. Carver, who did not APP
prove of accepting the action taken by
the board in special session on OCTOBER
IL, when the seven members present
authorized President Swendson to en-
ploy legal advice in defending the case
brought against him by Spencer q
Reese because he had failed to sign
warrant for the payment of monthly
estimate on the Van Buren, building,
which was allowed by a six to five vote
board.
THAT special meeting was not called
in accordance with the requirements or
the law" said Judge Carver. Neither
the meeting being held. and accord
ing to the law, action taken by those
present is not binding upon the board
without our consent"
Smith: 1t looks as though the
law can be twisted to suit the twister.
It has always been customary to use
the telephone in calling the meetings. L
believe that the meeting was regular
and we had the unanimous vote OF
seven members. I think the brain OF
the seven present was Sood, ana the
brain was used"
Had No Notice of Meeting.
GIeed: I had no notice of the
meeting-was in Kansas City at the
time-and no knowledge was left at
my office of the meeting, according 10
the statement of those who answer the
telephone. To ascertain that was not
in the city does not constitute a no.
tice. Kansas City is only sixty-s1X
miles away. Seems to me serious
three-fold wrong has been done, and
now you are attempting to add
fourth one. A serious wrong has been
done Mr.. Spencer, compelling MN TO
bring suit for Just claim -,
Swendson: 1.-The gentleman will
come to order"
Swendson: This is not the question
before the board at this time"
CIeed; cit was a matter of extreme
Importance that the meeting should be
wiped out The meeting was a VIOLA
ton of good faith and violation OF
law
Bv this time the discussion began to
Holiday: 81 don't believe Mr.
GIeed really means what he said II
believed so 1 would say thaI BrotneI
Gleed and Brother Carver are taking
advantage of the absence of one mem
her of the board tonight. (Huston.)
If that man were here they could taIk
until doQm's day and talk to no erect.
know absolutely that the president
did not know the members OF the
board in question were out of town at
the time the meeting was called II
the meetings of the board are depend
ent on whether or not BrotherS GIeeu
and Carver are here, we'd better wait
until we know when they will be here,
If YOU want to start the idea of re-
scinding the action taken at meetings
YOU had better think bit There
won't be a thing done until the next
April election if this is kept up. Inc
meeting was called in good faith, the
action taken in all fairness and 1 am
opposed to it as if this thing IS started
where will it end %
Swendson: st expressed regret at
the time of the meeting that there
were not more members present. did
know that Mr.. Cuthbert was out OF the
city. but that is ALL
GIeed: you knew six members voted
to pay the bills. Did you think those
six members would vote to employ
lawyer to defend you?"
Swendson: Il don't pay any atten-
ton to your question"
SwendsOn Warns Judge Carver.
Judge Carver then arose to speak.
Don't talk too long, Judge Carver"
warned Swendson.
Mr. Gleed, who took exception to
Swendson's mode of conducting the
meeting, said: Now this board has
something to say on how long man
i to talk
Carver: "I don't propose for the
sake of harmony to do things that are
not right. Some people often say things |
they are not sincere in themselves |
(meant for Holiday and they think
others are not sincere. If the law IS |
against the way of calling the meeting |
do you want to go against the law? l
inquired next morning if the clerks had !
heard of a meeting and they said they |
had not. I expected something of this
sort. I don't propose to agree to the |
things done at the meeting especially !
as it wasn't legal"
Gleed: I've been called from Kansas
City to meetings a half dozen times"
Carver: Il don't object to telephone
notices but further time should be
given
Mrs c J. Evans: ''I think the past
custom has been illegal. but I don't
see wha- we can now do but to get I'M
prejudiced legal advice"
Magee. We are up against a stone
wall There is no use carrying this
Spencer and Keesee case to the su-
Frene court. I voted for a clean slate
hereafter we can do differently
Kutz Approves Clean Slate.
Eutz: I approve of what DR. Ma
see says about a clean slate. If you
start a clean slate tonight 1 am
with you"
Carver: This board is not going 10
pay lawyers fees for President Swend-
son. The president of the board OF
education has very little power. 1 was
president of the board and didn't
dream that the president had anythin-
to do after a meeting but sign the
right to pay the bills-the law has
something to say about this 1 tell
you the board of education will not pay
these lawyers fees incurred by the
president