Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-04-13

the board TO pay the teachers on
April IL
Accompanying the report or the
finance committee was a letter from
Schmelz Brothers requesting the
board to relieve them Of paying Tour
per cent on the daily balance OF the
board. The bankers explained thst
they were called upon TO advance
large sums TO the board and thar IN
view OF this they did not think that
the board should hold them TO the
four per cent. On motion OF Col.
HUFFMAN the board adopted resoiu-
ton relieving the bank from paying
the interest and thanking Schmelz
Brothers for the various favors IN
advancing funds 10 the board.
Resignation Accepted.
BY a unanimous vote, the board
accepted the resignation OF Miss Nan
ME Turner as teacher In the North
End school, the resignation being ef-
fective since April |. Miss Annie Is.
Conway was elected substitute
teacher
The committee on buildings and
grounds. through Chsirman Sutton,
reported that the total cost of COM
pleting the four extra rooms In the
Second ward school was Sl,07G.O6. The
lowest bid on this work was $1,000
and the board ordered Janitor-in-
Chief Briley to complete the rooms.
Return Costly Clock.
On motion of Col Huffman, the
buildings and grounds committee was
instructed to return the electric sec
ondary clocks which were ordered
for the new school buildings. at a
cost of s105. The board decided that
in view OF the present conditions OF
the finances of the board, the clocks
are little too fancy for the board
Night School Closed.
Supt. Jenkins reported that Prof
Taylor. teacher of the night school.
had given up that work and that the
school had been closed for the re-
maiDder of the session.
New Building Cost $4,000.
Clerk Tabb reported TO the board
<,
fund borrowed from the State literary
fund for the construction of the new
Second ward school is exhausted. The
board borrowed $4,000 from the liter
airy fund to supplement the $4,000
appropriated by the council for the
construction of ne building. As it
now stands. the new building repre-
sents a cost of $4,000
Offer of Janitor Service.
An offer from the firm OF Jones q
Blanton to furnish the school board
janitor service for all of the schools
at $4,000 per annum was deferred I'M
I'll the next meeting. when teachers
and janitors for the next session are
to be elected The janitor service at
present costs the board about $4,000
per year.
Amend New Regulations.
In pursuance with notice given at
the last meeting of the board. Col.
Huffman. chairman of the committee
on rules and regulations, offered sew
eral amendments to the new reguia-
tons governing the grading of teach
ers on a merit system. The first
amendment was to the section cover
ing the manner OF the grading. AS
originally drafted. the regulations pro-
yided that the grading of the teach
ers of the white schools should be
done by majority vote of the grad
ing board. which is composed of the
superintendent. principals and special
teachers Col. Huffmans amendment
provided that this grading should be
subject to the approval of the CON-
mitfee on rules and regulations and
the school board
Some Opposition Develops.
There was some opposition to this
amendment. Mr. Bachelor contending
that IL would upset the entire sys-
tenn. Supt. Jenkins also opposed the
amendment. taking the same view as
that advanced by Mr.. Bachelor. After
quite a lengthy discussion, the board
adopted the amendment BY a vote OF
seven to two. Messrs. Bachelor ana
Harrison voting against Il.
The second amendment provides
that no information relatives to the
grading shall be made public until the
school board has acted on the report
OF the grading board. This amend
ment was adopted without opposition.
Report to Committee,
The third amendment require that
instead of reporting TO the school
board. the grading board shall report
to the committee on rules and regula-
tons The fourth change was that
the grading board shall make its re-
port to the committee on May ] in
stead OF June ].
On motion OF Mr.. Bachelor. the
new rules were amended so as 10
make the paw Of the substitute teach
ers pro rata to the pay received by
the regular teachers for who-n fhev