The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-07-19
JONES ELIGIBLE,
STATES FRAZIER
Prof. Winder's Successor to
Assume Duties Without
More Ado.
CHARTER NOT VIOLATED
Commissioner of Education
Discusses Section Alleged
to Be Obstacle.

SATURDAY tnat ne was confdent Their
was no provision in the city charte
which prevented the appointment O
Prof. r. l.. Jones, of the Middle Ten
nessee State Normal. as city super
intendent of schools. He stated tina
he intended to take no further step
In the matter and that Prof. Jone
would assume the Office as city SUI
perintendent about Aug. is.
Prof. Jones arrived in Chattanooga
from Murfreesboro Saturday morn.
ing and was registered at the Reat
house. All during the day he wa.
In conference with friends in the city
who called to extend their good
wishes for his success. At noon ht
lunched with number of friends al
the Read house, together with Com
missioner Frazier and ex-Commis-
sioner H. D. Huffaker and several
principals and teachers of the city
schools.
Section 7. page 4s, Of Grayson's
code Is cited by friends of Prof
Charles H. Winder as their reason
for holding that the appointment OF
Prof. Jones was illegal under the city
charter. This provision of the city
charter, and which, so far as is
known. has never been repealed or
hhicuueu, IedQS.
BE 1t further enacted That no
person, not being a legally qualified
voter under the charter of the city
OF Chattanooga, shall be eligible to
hold position whatsoever in the
city government either by election or
appointment, either salaried or other
wise, who is at the time or there
after holding another salaried office
or principal. either state, county or
federal. notary public or justice of
the peace and commissioner Of regis
tration alone excepted"
Prof. Jones in City.
Prof. r. L. Jones. the new super
intendent Of city schools. spent Sat
urday in the city in consultation with
Commissioner Fred B. Frazier and
other city officials. Prof. Jones was
merely looking over the situation
here and will return to Murfrees-
boro tonight, where he will begin
winding up his affairs in that city
preparatory to moving to Chatta-
nooga, his old home, to live.
Prof. Jones stated Saturday morn
ing that it would probably be the
middle of August before he and his
family could move to Chattanooga to
reside. Prof. Jones was in the very
best of humor and seemed undis-
turbed by the criticism over his Sc
lection, although it was no criticism
of his ability. but merely Of the
amount of salary he is to receive.
Prof. Jones called at The News Of
fice Saturday morning, and when
asked regarding his plans, said, II
have, Of course, very little to say, and
am just here looking over the field |
preparatory to moving here. As soon |
as go fully into the situation l will |
be able to formulate some plans |
which I expect to put into effect OF |
course have my ideas and plans now |
but not having been indicted into |
office I cannot Of course, state them
at this time. AS soon as enter into |
the discharge of my duties | shall |
be ready to give out statement. I |
further shall at any and all times, be
glad to give out any educational mat
tiers that might be of interest to the
public, and newspaper men will al
ways find warm welcome in my
office. l shall return today to Muir
freesboro and wind up my business
there and / expect to return here the
middle of August and formulate some
plans for the fall opening Of the
schools"
When shown this part Of the
code Saturday, Commissioner Frazier
stated that in his opinion this law
applied only in the case where an
employe or appointee of the city is
holding another position. That is,
If Prof. Jones retained his position
as president of the Middle Tennes-
see State Normal while he was city
of schools, he would
De disqualified as city superintendent.
Would Bar Women.
A prominent local attorney in dis
,ussing the law Saturday, stated that
f this provision of the city charter
vas enforced, it would Immediately
many of the teachers in
he city schools, especially women.
rhe question now is, are they legally
qualified to vote, and If not are they !
n turn, under this provision of the |
ity charter. legally qualified to teach I
n the public schools. IF that law
s still in force" he said, 'it will 7
mean that women cannot teach in the {
ity schools" r
City Attorney Frank Garden did 5
OF give an opinion on the law Satur- v
ay, stating that he would rather go t
ito the matter more fully before t
laking any public statement. c
so far as l am concerned" stated
commissioner Frazier, MIR. Jones A
ill go into office as city supern- a
.ndent of schools. The appoint i,
tent was not quite right according {
, law for us to appoint Mr.. Jones :,
lille he was still connected With -
lie Middle Tennessee State Normal. II
ye have his resignation and could U
him. He will be the next n
iperintendent of the city's schools" a.
The same charter provision which p
,rtain opponents of Prof. Jones as W
rt disqualfies him from holding the p
fice for which he has been selected tc
as in effect when Superintendent re
Under was installed in his present al
,sition. be-
Praise from Columbia. &C
The Columbia Herald, in it's edi- Sd
rial columns, warmly praises Prof. re
mes and congratulates the city on IN
curing his services. The editorial dc
llows:
From Chattanooga comes one of
e most interesting announcements
ade in school circles in recent q
ars. II is that Prof. Robert L. TT
mes, since its establishment, presi- in
mt OF the Middle Tennessee Normal Sc
hool, will be superintendent of the .,
City schools. The an
will occasion surprise as
had been expected and hoped that
Of. Jones would continue at MUIR re
esboro. He is one of the ablest ,
lcators in Tennessee. probably the fro
ongest man among the public 1877