The Topeka state journal., 1911-08-16
TAKE IT ALL BACK
School Board RecOnsiders Action
on Business Course.
Shorthand and Typewriting to
Be Taught.
NOT OUT FOR THE FAIR
Proposition to Change Opening
Date Voted Down.
More Harmony Than Usual at
Meeting.
NOT OUT FOR THE FAIR

There will be shorthand and type
writing in the business course of the
high school after all. Although the
active opposition to the innovation
prevailed at the meeting Monday night,
after considerable discussion on the
question, due to the popular sentiment
in favor of the establishment of these
branches and the fact some or the
board members felt that e mistake had
been made in turning down the prop
| osition, Tuesday night a motion made
| by DR.. Van Horn that the Dougherty
| system be installed was carried.
| Judge Carver fought the motion,
and Penwell took a decided stand
against it.
Il have been thinking about the
shorthand course all day" said DR..
Van Horn, when he introduced the
subject, land l can't help but feel that
we should adopt the course. I should
like to see it installed, If it is only as
q matter of experiment.
1--WE are not supplying the course
| for those who would pursue other
courses. but particularly for those who
would drop out of school otherwise
The pupil who takes the high school
business course, which includes studies
(which will give an all around training,
will necessarily be better equipped for
work in the commercial world than
those who simply take a thi ee or six
months course in a commercial col
lege.'
1t was the recommend alton of the
lcommittee of the old board under Mrs.
Evans that the Gregg system be
adopted.
Now. I do not care what system we
adopt provided that it is a good one, ="
continued DR.. Van Horn Mr. Dough-
erty has offered to teach stenOgra ply
at S25 a month. and if ten typewriters
10 nf h.
ing the new branch should not amount
to more than $3.50. I move that we
accent the proposition os MI Dough-
erty and install his system :, the high
school,
Judge Carver then ha5 his say. II
don't appreciate what is said about
there being a great many people cry
| ing for this course in the schools. In
my Judgment, stenographY is the easi-
est thing you could put II. tie schools
| II don't look upon it as an important
course / am opposed to this motion.
I move that further consideration be
postponed until the first meeting in
! September, when all the members are
present There are two members who
are not here tonight who expressed
themselves strongly on TIE subject.
1.-The taxes are heavy and think
YOU should have regard for that fact. :"
| Penwell: "If you start this system
you can never get out of 1t for less
than $4,000 a year.
/ Van Horn: eff it did cost $4,000
year and was the demand Of the peo-
pie, I think it would be money well
spent but 1 do not think ii will cost
that much.
Mrs. Evans, Holiday and Lindell
were particularly strongly II favor Of
the proposed additional course. When
the motion was voted upon there was
not a dissenting voice, which does not
mean that Judge Carver and one or
two others necessarily had expert
enced a Change of mind"
A motion which was d:~cussed at
considerable length was one to change
the date of the opening of schools from
Tuesday, September u, to September
l19. on account of the fac that the
first date is in fair week and the heat
which often is experienced at that
time.
Il hardly think it is right to put
the children in school at all In Sep
ltember." said Holiday "Then there
is such a thing as showing loyalty to
the commercial interests Ill tile town
the semi-centennial celebration and
the state fair
Nicholson: at never occurred to
me to stop the schools IN as great a
citv as Topeka for a fair, although I
realize that We are all interested in the
fair As members of the board OF edu-
cation we should consider the schools.
If by changing the date we would
throw out of gear the years work II
seems to me that We should stand by
the superintendent recommendation.
PenWe1l: 'I think Holiday made a
good point when he said we should
consider the commercial interests. One
trouble in Topeka is that our business
men are b1ed to death for these enter
prises, while there is another class OF
people which is entirely Indifferent
When the motion came to a vote it
was lost by a five to four vote.
Il shall bring this question up again
when we have more members present,
which was the last utterance on the
subject from Holiday.
It was found that the estimate on
the cost of the addition to the Monroe
street school-$12, ,0O0-was INSULT
cient and the estimate was raised to
$15,500. The board then proceeded te
award contracts for the heating ano
plumbing. The lucky bidders in case
of the installation of the heating plant
were Lewis & Kitchen of Kansas City
whose figure was $3,447- George Suth-
erin will put in the plumbing Tor thf
consideration of $225.
Contracts for painting and paper
hanging in nine of the schools were
awarded as follows: High school. A
c. Hughes, $3.50; Branner school. Car
son brothers, $50; Madison school
Carson Brothers, $22; Potwin school
Carson Brothers, $62; Harrison school
L. B. Higginbotham, $35; Lafayette
| school r A. Warren, $40; LincolT
school, F. A. Beckstrom, s105; Low.
man Hill school, Carson Brothers
S21S: Sumner school, Victor Washing
ton, $40.
The coal contract for the year wa.
awarded the Southwestern company
The prices at which the various kindi
, | of coal will be furnished follow:
Burlingame lump, $3.70 a ton; Wei
City lump. $3.50 a ton; Weir City nut
s3.35 a ton: Weir City mill, $3.50 (;
ton; Weir City slack. $3.50 a ton.