Evening journal., 1915-03-09
Peoples Column
EDUCATION BOARD AND
PROPERTY QUALIFICATION.


dividuals of wilmington's public are
asking for some specifce reasons why
the Wilmington Board of Education
should be reorganized, and some ac-
tion taken as outlined by the Alumni
Association of Wilmington High
School.
One State Senator recently said, there
are many rumors and insinuations,
where are the proofs?
To that end the writer accidentally
stumbled across some facts the other
day. that may enlighten the Legisla-
! ture, as to one Of the leading mem
bers of the Board Of Education. whose
name and odoriforous connection with
board management are well known.
/ and have kept that member in the
limelight of criticism for long time
as a triumvir, dictator of the board
and backer Of tho janitors
am advised upon unqestioned au-
thorlty that the records Of the office
| of the Recorder OF Deeds of New
Castle county show the following en-
! tries, which l give as known facts.
which may most readily be verified
by the Legislature or anybody inter-
ested in the protection and we'll
being Of, in many ways and interests,
the most valuable and benefittting de-
partment Of our city government.
Deed Record K, volume 21, 1907,
page II, gives the record of a deed
from Sarah A. Tadman and Robert
w. Tadman. her husband, to Thomas
o. Cooper. May /, 1907. for eight hun
dred dollars (SS00.0O) of the corner
lot at the intersection Of the westerly
side of Harrison street and the north
erly side of Fifth street 95 feet along
Fifth street and 20 feet front on Har-
rison street
Deed Record y, volume 81. 1908, page
90. gives the record OF deed from
Thomas o. Cooper, single man, to Sarah
A. Tadman. wife of Robert W. Tadman,
April %. 1905, for eight hundred dol
lars (SS00O0l of the corner lot at the
intersection of the westerly side of Har-
rison street, and the northeTly side of
Fifth street, % feet along Fifth street
and 90 feet front on Harrison street
"being the same lands and premises
which Sarah A. Iadman and husband
did grant and confirm unto the said
Thomas o. Cooper as by indenture bear
ing date the first day Of May, a. ID
1907, and recorded in Deed Record K
volume p, page IL, etc, appears"
Deed Record l., volume %. 1911. page
30, gives the record of a deed from Rob.
ert W. Tadman and Sarah A. Iadman
his wife, to Thomas O. Cooper. May I
1911. for one thousand dollars Isl .0O0.00l
of the corner lot at the intersection OF
the westerly side of Harrison street and
the northearly side of Fifth street, %
feet along Fifth street and 20 feet front
on Harrison street.
"Being the same lands and premise.
which Thomas o. Cooper. by his linden
ture dated the twenty fifth day of April
1908. and recorded in Deed RecorC
X. volume 81 page 96, etc, did grant
and convey unto Sarah A. Tadman, wifi
of Robert w Tadman, in fee simple"
Mortgage Record S. volume y, 1911
page 307. gives the record Of mortgag
given by Thomas A. Cooper. single man
to Sarah A. Iadman. wife Of Robert W
J Iadman, May l., 1911. for penal sun
of sixteen hundred dollars Isl ,60000l
to secure debt of eight hundred (Ss0000
covering and describing the corner 10
at the intersection Of the westerly sid
of Harrison street and the northerl
side of Fifth street, 95 feet along Fiftl
street and 90 feet front on Harrison
street
'Being the same lands and premise,
which Robert w. Tadman and wife, 10y
their indenture bearing even date here
with, previously executed not yet re-
corded, but intended so to be, did grant
and convey unto Thomas O. Cooper in
: fee simple. this mortgage is given tC
secure a part of the purchase money"
The writer don't know anything of
DR.. Coopers affairs.
DR.. T. o. Cooper, member of the
Board of Education from the First
: ward, may be a freeholder to the ex-
tent Of 100000. for all I know. and
be qualified as a freehOlder to be a
member OF the board.
But il you see certain persons with
eyes on a chicken, it is tradition to
watch.
The charter Of the Board Of Pub
lie Education of Wilmington pre-
scribes that its members shall have
been bona fide freeholders in said city
for at least one month before their
election"
=, Doesn't il seem extraordinary that
DR.. T. o. Cooper should get a deed to
a building lot to constitute him free
holder on May 1, 1907. when he was
to be voted for as a candidate for the
Board of Education, Saturday, June 8
1907, and without questioning wheth-
er his title to that lot "at least one
month before election" was bona fide
after he decided the identically de-
scribed lot back to the former own
er less than one year later. on April
25. 1908, did DR.. T. o. Cooper remain
a freeholder bona fide for the balanc,
of his four year term, as member o
the board?
| Wouldn't it appear that he remain
cd in the board illegally for three
years?
And that again. when he was TO b'
voted for for reelection TO the board
Saturday. June 10. 1911, he should OF
May 1, 1911, get that same identica
building lot deed to him by the same
former owner who deed the identica
lot to him in 1907 and TO whom DR.
Cooper decided il back in 1908.
II In 1911 on same day. deed was made
| to DR.. Cooper for $1,000. he made {
1 purchase money mortgage TO The
same owner for $500.
The board has been very careful L
see that its members have been auto
matically cut out of membership ant
participation in the affairs of The
board. whenever and Immediately. BY
removal of residence, any member