Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-08-12
FIVE IMPENDING
VACANCIES IN CITY
EDUCATION BOARD
qerms of Messrs. Burt, Ed
munds, Rowen, Smedley
and Wolf Expire in
November

=. ,,rrns of FIVE members of the Board
rd,cation will expire In. November,
q ,here Is already considerable specu-
~, concerning the action of the Board
y,,dres in filling the vacancies.
q .,onber will also be appointed to
- william T. Tilden, chairman Of
property Committee, who died re-
nv Members whose terms expire
s.s,n the present year are John Burt,
,,1rrv r. Bdmunds, William Rowen,
nsntin smedley and Edwin Wolf
~ doubt exists concerning the re-
.,,on OF Mr. Edmunds, president Of
~ board. There was rumor that he
u,a retire at the end of his present
w. but Mr. Edmunds denied this to-
W. He has been president of the Board
y rducation for IA years.
y, I. believed that Mr.. Burt will not
,.tsd himself. His open opposition to
~ ware brothers is expected to prompt
w oppositlou of residents of South
esn.delphia, the section that he repre-
,n,s He has been subjected to the
..-,sgonisms OF members of the board
i-sluding that of Thomas Shallcross,
.so,rman of the Committee on Text
books and Supplies.
~ Burt opposed general increase i'm
,alarles for teachers year ago. contend
~ that there should be no advance i'm
20 until the schools of South Phlladel-
rhia were physically improved
William Rowen, another member whose
,.rn will soon expire, is an undertaken
I'd ls we'll known in Kensington, an in
Ssnendent in politics and has the support
~ the parent population of the northeast
arm section of the city.
Franklin Smedley is equally popular in
r,ankford The last year of his term was
dIs,lneuished by the erection of the
rrankford High School at oxford Pike
IA Wakeling streets, an Improvement
sor which he had worked continuously
Edwin Wolf, a conservative" will
n,ohabTy be reappointed. As chairman of
,be Finance Committee for many years
bIs services are needed by members OF
the board, less familiar with the mone-
iary phases of school administration. Mr.
Wolf q banker is a brother of former
gate Senator Clarence Wolf. who was an
Important factor in the politics of the
administration of the late Mayor Reyburn
Members of the Board of Education are
annointed by the courts. The Judges,
however. willingly hear pleas in behalf
~ various candidates. Wards are not of
aclally represented in the board and the
Intention of the school code was to make
ne interests of ali neighborhoods identi-
cal Unoficlally, however, members are
considered as representatives of the parts
Of the city in which they live.
Murrell Dobbins, former member of the
Board Of Education, is prominently mem
TONED In connection with the impending
vacancies. Mr.. Dobbins was obliged to
end his office I'm the school system when
ne became City Treasurer, in 1910. Since
the expiration of his term in the City
Treasury he has been eligible to member
shin in the school board. Mr.. Dobbins
was remarkably familiar with educational
affairs ana was regarded as a valuable
member,
The name Of Maurice Fels has been
suggested MIR. Fels is interested in edu-
catonal questions and devotes a part of
his large fortune to the furtherance of
industrial training for youths. He Is
member Of the Public Educational Asso-
citation and similar organizations. The
election OF John @. Frazee, now associate
superintendent Of schools, to the head
ship OF the Bureau of Vocational Educa-
ton was generally attributed to Mr. Fels'
influence. He is a close friend of Gov
efpor Brumbaugh, and when the latter.
as superintendent OF schools, undertook
Important educational reforms Mr.. Fels
q layman afforded him hearty support.
Albert e. Turner, a banker and former
president of the Home and School League,
& being discussed as possible appolntee.