The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-09-07
IT NEEDS A LOBBY
Topeka Board of Education
Discovers What Ais 1t.
Barred From Spending as Much
Money as Desired.
LEGISLATION MUST Be HAD
Superintendent Wilson Is Elect
ed To Go After lit.
VIII Enlist Aid of Other Eiu-
Gators i'm Kansas.

L. NJ. Penwell was hard to please at
a meeting of the board of education
Monday night. He complained because
the school board was spending too
much money and announced good ma
turedly to H. B. Wilson, city superin-
! tenedent of schools. that he would
| quarrel with him later. A few min
| utes later he reversed himself and
| complained to Wilson because the leg
| islature had failed to make it possible
for the school board to spend more
money.
Wilson had just made a brief report
of the meeting of the National Educa-
tiona association, which he attended.
The trouble with you fellows is"
said Penwell, that you get together
and talk things over and then you
come back and recommend to US that
we do this thing or that. saying it
ought to be done, but you never con-
slider the ways and means. How can
we do these things unless we spend
the money, and how can we spend the
money, II the legislature tells us We
can not. What you want to do is get
out and get busy at the legislative end
You educators should get together and
outline what you want in the way of
legislation and then go after it. You
should have an organization and some
body to look after things. Three
thousand school teachers come here
for our state teachers convention, and
you can't tell me those fellows in the
legislature would not sit up and take
notice if they went after things. They
should have someone to attend to bust
ness in that line for them
The teachers have just such a
man." replied P. w. Griggs.
Yes, Mr.. D. A. Ellsworth is for that
very purpose" interjected Mrs. C. J.
Evans.
Ellsworth! He isn't worth thirty
cents" declared Penwell.
They Would Not Listen
when the last legislature was in
session." continued Penwell 81 went
up to the state house and tried to get
a law passed allowing US to make a
two mill levy for building purposes. I
couldn't get them to listen to me-
You should have gone to Eldridge.
I think he is n very good man. said
Mrs. Evans.
II did go to Ellsworth" replied Pen
well, holly, land he wouldn't turn
over his hand. He was afraid to say
a word for fear of offending some
ONE
Wilson expressed a willingness to
pay attention to the legislative end of
school affairs, provided the board
went on record instructing him so to
do. Penwell made such a motion,
which was adopted and when the next
legislature meets, Wilson will be a
fully qualified lobbyist and will have
difficulty in registering SUCH
In the meantime he is expected to
get in touch with other educators in
the state and bring about a united
pressure on the lawmakers
So much for efforts to enable the
school board to spend more money.
Penwen later made 4 motion which
was adopted directing Wilson to
make ar. investigation of the cost of
operating schools in all the other
cities of the state.
IF we are spending no more money
than other cities, we want to know it.
If other cities are operating at less
cost per capita, we want to know that.
We want to know where the money is
going. Maybe the other cities can
show US where we can save" said
Penweu.
So Wilson was commissioned to
find how to spend more money and
how not to.
Riverside Ranges at Forbes.-Adv.