The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1918-07-29

them IOT the ~TeflOQEliEk OF the KlNeF-
side school in twelve weeks. saving the
city $4,000 and planned and supervised
the making Of equipment for the new in
d~ustrial high school. saving $1,000.
Stonebreaker is a practical pattern
maker. carpenter. steam engineer and
electrical engineer and received 81, 900 a
year. His years work was to expire
March. 1919. but he was dismissed last
Tuesday evening, the discharge to take
effect day after tomorrow.
P. 81. Warnimont. ~janitor of the In
d~ustrial High School building. was one
morning to express himself regarding
the situation.
An AI-Around Man.
AT the Industrial High School II is a
very hard fight to keep the rooms at an
even temperature" he stated. IF tone
breaker goes will not know who to go
to or what to do. We have an electrical
plant of two units and there are lots Of
changes there that are very vital. In
cold weather I've been at the school at
4 o'clock in the morning and at IL
o'clock at night. I know you boys are
faithful workers. Stonebreaker is a
steam engineer. an electrical engineer. a
RahAtAD AI4tlhtA aAA q "a EEANEA 1i4 1
hin the board is doing the public a
great injustice by dismissing him"
Stonebreaker was perhaps the most
disinterested party present for he had
in his pocket a written offer from an in
dustry which will pay him more than
the school board did. But he has taken
great pride in his work for the schools
and does not feel that he received justice
-
the action of the j~anftors in calling a
meeting was not solicited by him.
George Vaughn. janitor at the Irving
school. stated that when the architects's
plans for that school called for boilers
in a place where they would not be
practical. Stonebreaker stopped the work
and rearranged the plans. The specih-
cations called for steel ash pans. said
Vaughn. You know how long they
would last. Stonebreaker changed the
plans to concrete"
L. P. Houston. a carpenter employed
by the schools. said that he had seen
Stonebreaker crawl into boilers where
no one else would 80 AID make repairs.
Fred Buehring. lafayette school tell
ing how j~anitors are kept a TIE schools
until all hours of the night said that he
was stuck" until twelve o'clock one
night by two people holding a CONVERSE
ton.
A. w. S~eidenbecker. ~janitor at the
Central school. said:
II think if the board wanted to abol-
ish some department Of head they could
nave taken another department of the
schools to better advantage. If / have
to go out and hire somebody to come in
and make repairs it means loss Of time
and discomfort. II may mean cold
buildings and children sent home from
school. School opens in five weeks and
I have a boiler to be fixed. new CRATES
10 put in and other reapIrs and was
depending on Stonebreaker to direct this
work.
Following Is the ultimatum to the
schoo board as signed BY the janitors:
Hammond. Ind.
To the Honorable Board Of Education
of the City OF Hammond:
Please read the following carefully
before c%onsignirg It TO the waste
basket:
We the Janitors OF the public schools
OF Hammond. wish 10 call your az
tention and consideration TO the en-
lowing truths and facts:
Your book OF rules or recent issue
states the Janitors' hours are from
s a. m. TO $50 D. m. but many Of US.
especially in cold weather. put in from
/ a. m. TIL s p. m. We have worked
early and late 70 give our best efforts
to our respective schools and under
certain considerations are willing to
continue 70 do so
We are all in favor Of patriotic meet
ags. we nave bought bonds, donated
r. the Red Cross. Y. NJ. C. A. etc.
aud willing to do so again.
As to our working hours. that is a
matter of business. We object TO
working part of the night without
compensation. Our government does
not ask anyone but criminals to do so
II you gentlemen were asked b.
your employees 10 work four or FIVE
hours without compensation after yoHr
days work was done. ever on war
work. you would soon object and ask
for pay.
We and the Allies are at war with
Germany to keep from being ruled BY
a Dictator.
The Janitors were not asked about
their Willingness to open their respec-
tive buildings. but like a Dictator, the
notice says II was decided on july
3rd. the Janitors should open then
without compensation We are free
American citizens. When We work
overtime we have a say in il. We are
laboring men, not public servants.
please let US state ~taTther);
The city schools have a head. the
superintendent; each school has a prin-
cipaI: the grades their supervisors,
special teachers. etc. How would IT
seem to do away with all but the
teachers and superintendent
The point we want to make is this:
We understand Mr.. stonebraker's place
has been eliminated. We need a man
who can come in the boiler room and
say. I'll fix that not some one TO
say Fix it or get q man to. We
consider Mr.. Stonebrakers position as
second to none. and it Is q safe guard
and may prevent loss Of life. There is
not a man in Hammond as capable os
filing it as he.
Are the Janltors supposed 70 be SUI
perior to the teachers and principals.
that they need no head but their own?
The schools have many heads.