Evening journal., 1919-10-07
DR.. BECK FLARES
UP over LAXITY
OG SDH0OL BOARD
continned from Flrst page.

a request Of the school board 10 take
this money to pay for The portable
school buildings and other items OF the
board.
Last nights session, which lasted for
two hours, was replete with excite
ment At times the spectators were
amused by the verbal battles that RACED
between The members.
The meeting was called TO order by
President Bommel who asked that The
roll call be made, This caused Harry
J. Guthrie. secretary OF the board, 10
ssk IL It was desired 10 call the roll
FOR a special meeting OF q committee,
and President Rommel decided that il
was not necessary. Mr.. Guthrie was
then asked to resd the call for the
meeting and showing its purpose, and
he stated that the call wSs made at
the suggestion Of the chairman OF The
building committee 10 discuss the sub
iect OF portable buildings,
Chairman Campbell OF this commit
tee explained that at the last meeting |
Of the board the subject Of engaging |
Professor Laird as consulting archi- !
tect on the proposed new school build |
ing was discussed but he desired to
hear the expression OF sll the members |
on the matter before any move was
made. lie explained elat DR.. Laird's |
charges would be the same as hat
charged the local Elks. which is about /
$500 Secretary Guthrie said that he
hsd talked on the phone with Profess
sor Laird on the subject and had told
him that the board planned to spend
about $4,000 on the new building.
Dr. Beck then said that he thought
this statement was not definite enough
He desired a written communication
setting forth the price, not verbal
contract over a telephone
III YOU give Professor Laird $500
and take $4,000 rom the fund allowed
ny Council and then more for some
thing else. there will be nothing lefk'
Dr. Beck asserted.
DR. Beck said that he had been un-
able 70 ascertain just what the flnan-
cial condition OF the board was, and !
Chairman Stradley. OF the finance com
mitee explained that he hoped 10 be
able 70 make report on It at the next
meeting
nr. Beck then raised the question as
10 why the school fund should now be
100000 when Council had allowed
si50.Oo0, for this purpose. President
Rommel started 20 explain that $4,000
was taken from the fund for portable y
buildings The Twelfth ward member II
then asked what assurance he had p
that more OF the money would not be a
iaken for other purposes. and President l.
Rommel said that the Twelfth ward q
would be allowed credit for
this sum.
Or. Beck asked how many portable l.
buildings had been ordered and II was
said nine. but that two Of them had D
been ccOuntermanded and seven had Z
been ordered. DR.. Beck at once jumped Il
20 his feet saying, Now the president
informs me that orders for two OF these
have been countermanded and
when J asked Mr.. Campbell about H. r
he said they had not. which was a 0
and I want 10 go on record q
on this floor on the subject h
Mr.. Campbell replied: I'm sorry that "
cannot recall that question. DR.. Beck, n
'ut would not have any object in tell n
ng an untruth. 10 was necessary that
he orders for those buildings should a,
'e countermanded Immediately or we "
would have had them on our hands, N
nd DR.. Cooper, President Rommel, DR..
'anton and myself talked the matter in
ver and decided that Il was by far the
est thing TO do. rather than walt and 10
ave a meeting and take chance on 81
eceiving the buildings we did not want.
am sure that / told you OF our ac- on
ionf' Oh
mfr. Campbell has never admitted 10 eC
ne In this room or in any other room th
hat the order for the two schoolhouses m
we're countermaned." retorted Dr. Beck. 81
think 1t is abou time that every mem 10
'er OF this board should show both al
ands and set down 70 business. And "
IN every member does get down 10 n
BUSINESS there is going 10 be friction. @
Mr.. Stradley said he agreed with DR.. W
leck and thought that the citizens de- :
handed a business-like administration /.
Y the Board.
Or. Bsnton took issue with Dr.. Beck.
aging he was panied by the remarks
\ Dr. Beck who appeared 20 think that
Ie represented only the Twelfth ward.
! have never felt that represented
My the Sixth ward in this body" said
)r. Banton. AS for the $4,000 that
vas not taken from the Twelfth ward
lone but from all other wards as we'll"
Or. Beck retorted: Il was not elected
o this Office but was appointed by this
'oard TO represent the Twelfth ward
nd 1 propose 20 do so. Dr. Banton is
vrong when he states that he does not
epresent only the Sixth ward II he
vent before the residents OF this city
e would not have been elected"
The spectators started laughing, and
It. Beck remarked:
This Is no laughing matter. This :
oard has been running things in a
lip-shod manner. and It is not going
0 be long before there will be radical =
hanges made in this board"
Clifford J. Scott, superintendent OF
chools. said that he thought the pro-
Iosed school to be erected TO replace
70 % school in the Twelfth ward
would have TO accommodate 1000 chill
rem and in his opinion IL could not be %
onstructed for s25O.OOO. and there was ~
70 use 10 think OF IL at the present
ime. Chairman Campbell. OF the com r,
nittee. said he thought no action ~
hould be taken until the finance oom- 70
nittee chairman had conferred with n
ne finance committee OF council and ~
scertained what assistance Council -
would give them in their budget for
lext year. :.
When we talked about building ,s
lew home for No. 25 school we set - =,
10000 as a figure for the cost Of con- 20
explained President Rom
mel. we were only allowed bv our =
'udget sioO.OD. No one would start a >.
'piidlns unless ne has money, City =,
,ouncil has promised us an additional y,
budget next year. We have TO have :,
- ] N