The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-08-15
kICklNG IL UVER
School Board Engaged in De-
strOying Work Of Old Board.
w. J. Stage Is Ousted as the
Clerk.
HOLMAN MOVED OVER
Takes Place Made Vacant by
Stage, Removed.
Attempt to Draw Color Line
Creates a Stir.
HOLMAN MOVED OVER

The work of the board of education
Monday night was to undo recent
transactions of the former board and
to fail to accomplish what might have
been of inestimable value-thS passage
of a resolution to include stenography
and typewriting in the business course
of the high school, which without
these branches is Of little practical
value
M. C. Holman, who was given the
position of engineer to the board by
the old 'insurgent faction" was jerked
out of this job and was asked to as
sumo the duties of the clerk, W. ].
Stagg, who was let out entirely. VIII
liam H. Conroy, a mechanical engin eer,
was chosen to fill the vacancy left by
the "yanking" of Mr.. Holman.
The real fireworks at the meeting
however, did not start until the latter
part of the evening, when the question
of the appointment of tue janitors for
the ensuing year came up for consld-
Grafton. The hot argument was pre-
cipitated by L. NJ. Penwen, chairman
of the committee which prepared the
list of janitors to be voted upon, when
he declared himself to be opposed to
the policy of appointing negro janitors
to serve in white schools
The tax levy adopted was 5.S mills,
the same as last year.
Another item of interest was the
s.bolishing of the position of store
keeper. with $50 a month attached,
and adding the duties of that indi-
vidual to those of the clerk
Cut Out Shorthand.
The first item of business of real i'm
portance to come before the board was
the question of the selection of the
system of shorthand to De used in the
business course. A week ago Monday
night the old teachers committee un-
der Mrs c. J. Evans proposed that the
Gregg system be adopted. but it was
decided to hold the motion over until
further consideration could be given
the subject.
Judge Carver moved, con account of
the expense more than anything else,
to lay aside the motion for the present
at least Here Mrs. Evans spoke up.
1.-THE board has adopted the last two
years in the business course. said she
land this implies the including of stem
ography and typewriting."
Penweu: It am opposed to any sys-
tenn of shorthand"
At this point superintendent c. c.
Starr was asked to real a report on
the necessity of introducing stenogra-
ply and shorthand in oroSr to keep ur
with the times. The report follows:
"Stenography and bookkeeping are
subjects around which d business
course centers. A student Who takes
stenography would naturally take {
number OF business SQDJeClS Ildl are
related such as commercial English
commercial geography, commercia
law. penmanship, the materials o.
comm cree, such as physics and chem
fstry. economics and civies to train fol
citizenship. A more corr plete course
for Topeka would include banking
craftsmanship and transportation. Thu
standing complaint against stenOgra
pliers is that in such large number:
they are lacking this broad training
By placing it in a high school it pro
duces a class of stenogra pliers broad
~ trained.
"a commercial course could not il
any way be considered complete with
out stenography. A course of this kim
in a large high school would be almos
an anomaly.
at supplies a training which is goo
for something in particular as well a
for something in general and accord
ingly naturally appeals to a large mum
Der of persons who would turn asid
from the high school for -he reaso
that It offers nothing ths-t they wani
Many could be induced to enter tn
high school If it could BE- shown then
that they could secure a bushes
course IN the high school I have bee