The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-07-17
WRIGHT DEFENDS ACTION
OF SCHOOL TRUSTEES
Says Automobile Has Proved an
Actual Saving Over Travel
ing Expenses.
SAYS OFFICES WE'RE NEEDED
Quarters at Courthouse Inadequate,
and Young Women School Teachers
Object to Environmcnt-Thru
morton VIII File Formal Reply.

Although no formal answer has been
payers of Henrico County asking for
an order restraining the county school
board from drawing on the county
treasurer for funds to pay rent for
quarters in the Chamber OF Commerce
Building and for drawing on the treas
urer for funds to be uscd in the main
tenance OF an automobile, purcha sed
OF public schools. the action OF the
school board was defended In state
ment given out by Mr.. Wright ycstcr-
DAY, and 1t was stated that formal an
swer TO the petition will be fled by
Z. w. Throckmorton. counsel for the
school board, on July 81.
MIR. Wright denied that there have
beeh any eNtravagant expenditures by
the board In paying for tho upkeep
or the automobile. and stated that the
machine was purchased iai order to
enable him 10 properly Herform his
duties as superintendent Prior to the
purchase Of the automobile 1T was
stated that the hoard was Obliged to
pay out large sums Of money each
month to defray tho travelling eN-
penses of the superintendent when he
made his rounds Of the various dis
tricts OF tho county. The purchase Of
the automobile has really meant a
saving OF county funds. according to
the superintendent, FOR he stated that
by using the machine. he has been en-
ablcd TO come In closer touch with the
teachers I'm the various schools OF the
county and has been able TO cover Il
wider territory In Il much shorter time
THINK AUTOMOBILE
WAS FOU PERSONAL USE
In the petition for a restraining. ar
der. which was signed by r. 4. Smith
anu other taxpayers it was suggested
that the purchase OF an automobile for
the superintcndcnts use was an un-
necessary expenditure OF public funds
and that the superintendent used the
ear for his own personal convenience.
as we'll as in attending to his public
duties. In his statement yesterday,
Mr.. Wright said that II would be a
difficult matter TO draw fixed line as
to just when the machine was being
used for official business OF for per.
sonal convenience. II is likely how
ever, that the cost Of the upkecp OF
the automobile purchased for the SUI
perintendcnt will figure prominently
when arguments for the injunction are
made before the court on next Tues
day. Attorney Julien Gum is repre-
sentinG the taxpayers who are pcti =
| tionins for the restraining order
! The petition further charges that
during this year the school board dis
continued the use OF adequate rooms
! in the County Courthouse and rented
rooms in the Chamber OF Commerce
, Building without any legal authority-
for doing so. In renting the rooms
the board. II is alleged. bound itself
by lease to pay annually out of the
county school funds the sum of $500
! for use Of the new quarters. The pc
tition asks that the court order the
| III -fx.,-
tcrs In the County Courthouse all pub
lie records which have been moved
| into the Chamber Of Commerce Build :
ing.
DEFENDS RENT
or UPTOWN OFFICES
| In his statement yesterday Mr.
! Wright partially justified the removal
of the school boards place OF meeting
! on the grounds that the quarters In
| the courthouse did not contain sufi-
cient room. The superintendent stat
ed that when teachers came to the
courthouse to receive their pay the
congestion about the place occasioned
much confusion. and that as result
/ he was unable TO have any private con-
! ferences with the instructors. Some
| OF the young women teaching public
! schools objected to attending meetings
at the courthouse on the ground that
the environment there was not good.
/ II was stated.
! The petition charges that the school
trustees have sought to increase the
school lcvies, and that i'm some in
stances schools have been closed in
the county because there was no money
| to pay teachers. 1t has been pointed
out that in Tuckahoc District during
1913. the levy was increased 90 cents
on the 500. and the trustees alleged
that they did not have sufficient funds
to pay teachers and continue the school
term. Signers of the petition assert
that such action on the part OF the
board is a careless handling of public
business.
Seek BETTER Sanitation.
Ma king a tour of the normal schools