Evening journal., 1914-06-23
SCHOOL BOARDS QUIZ IS
SHELVED FOR The PRESENT

yestigation shall be paid by the
Council upon bills presented to such
body. approved as correct by the
mayor. He shall have the custody of
the seal OF the corporation and the
right OF affixing the same.
The fourth paragraph OF Section
81 gives this same power 20 the
Council.
Attention Is called to a portion OF
the language IN the above-quoted Sec
ton. as follows:
For the purpose OF enforcing
the faithful execution Of said laws
and ordinances and OF obtaining any
information concerning matters af-
fecting the municipality. +"
Il think there can be no question
but that the affairs Of the Board of
Education are matters affecting the
municipality within the meaning OF
this section.
II appears. therefore, that the power
Of thorough investigation lies with
the Mayor or with the Council, either
Of whom have full and ample powers.
would therefore make the following
suggestions;
If the board has any reason TO be-
lieye that there is something wrong
in the management OF the affairs un-
der its control, either on the part Of
individual members Of the board, com
mittees Of the board, or the various per
sons in their employ, that it proceed
forthwith, either by itself or by com
mittee of its members, TO ascertain
what the trouble really is. As / have
heretofore suggested, this work on the
part Of the board or Of any committee
appointed by II will be extremely diff
cult because Of the lack of power to
compel witnesses to appear and testify.
u is in no worse position in this regard
however, than business corporation
would be.
Suggestions Made.
"Whether or not the board believes
there is any justification for all or any
part Of the criticisms directed against
it. il in the opinion Of the board such
criticisms have led any material number
OF the citizens Of the city to believe
that there is something manifestly
wrong in the management of the Board
of Education, then would suggest that
II make the best investigation that it
can under its limited powers.
Assuming. then, that the board does
investigate for either of the reasons
suggested by me in the two paragraphs
Immediately preceding, / would further
suggest that when such investigation
is completed a copy Of all the criticisms
and all the facts ascertained by the
board be submitted to the Council and
TO the Mayor. leaving the question OF
further investigation where the law has
placed It.
1T seems to me that if all Of this is
done, and the board should find any
thing wrong in its own management
which it can correct. it should make ad-
admission Of this fact and state in its
report TO the Mayor and Council that
it proposes to correct II. If the board
finds q condition which cannot be cor
rected because Of lack Of funds or for
any other reason ii ought TO make that
statement in its report
"In other words, / think the board
should do everything it possibly can to
restore the public confidence in il, il the
public confidence or any material part
of il has for any reason been lost. That
is | believe, that the board cannot be
Of as much yalue to the public if the
public for anv reason believes that its
affairs are being mismanaged. OF course
the board must realize that no depart
ment of the city is more important and
touches so many homes as that which
it controls. For that reason il is per
haps more likely to be criticised than
any other department of the city
and ] do not pretend to say whether the
recent criticisms warrant any action on
the part of the board at all Indeed. /
think I have gone very much beyond my
duties in the suggestions I have here
made and do not want the board TO
in any way feel bound by them. I have
made them because Of the interest
have in the proper management of the
board. and because / think it is so i'm
portant for the board to retain the con
fidence Of the public generally. II seems
TO me that whether that confidence is
now lacking, or whether there is any
mismanagement on the part of the
board should be determined by the
members of Council or the Mayor. all
Of whom are elected directly by the
people.
'Yours very truly.
"Daniel o. Hastings,
City Solicitor"