The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-10-09
BOARD ACTS TO
REMEDY STATE
OF CONGESTION
Teachers Are Author
lied and Provisions Are Made
to Care for OvercrOwding in
Certain Schools.

At the regular meeting of the coun-
ty board of education last night, meas
ures We're taken to remedy the gem
orally overcrowded conditions exist
ing-esin. the. schools by authorizing
the appointment of additional teach
ers and providing for double sessions
The board passed resolution call
ing for bids to be submitted for the
erection of a one-room addition to the
Myrtle Grove school. Robert Merritt
was appointed full time truant officer.
and requests for increases in salary
were heard from many teachers. The
sanitary conditions of the schools were
given lengthy consideration and steps
will be taken Immediately to remedy
them where needed.
Additional teachers were authorized
for the schools at Bluff Springs, Bar
rineau and Beulah and for colored
school number 102. A request for an
additional teacher at colored school
number 103 was referred to Superin-
tendent Edwards for his investigation
and report at the next regular meet
ing Additional teachers were made
necessary by the over crowded con-
ditions at the schools and to provide
for the holding of double sessions in
some of the grades.
Hon H. p. Caro-. member of the
Florida house of representatives from
Escambia county. headed a delegation
of citizens from the Myrtle Grove
district who insisted that the board
take care of the congested condition
at that school by providing for the i'm
mediate erection of an additional room.
al, ao11c
forced at the present time to hold
certain classes in the Methodist church
there against the wishes of the min
lister and the stewards. He told the
board that the people were getting
frantic over the situation and that
something had to be done at once
| After an executive conference of the
board a resolution was passed appro-
priating sufficient funds for the erec-
| ton of this room and instructing the
st1perintendent to call for bids i'm
Imediately-
| Several requests for increases in
salaries were heard by the board,
| but only one was acted upon. that OF
IC. E. Mcfarland, who is one of the
Oldest colored teachers in the county
/ Mcfarland told the board that he had
/ been a teacher in this county for
nineteen years, that he started at $50
per month and taught for twelve years
for that amount; at the end of which
| time, when he was praying for ar
increase. he was reduced to s45. Their
the war came on. and he was raised
again to $50 He told the board that
| in view of the high cost of living and
his long faithful services he thought
that an increase to s75 was not toe
much The board agreed with hin
but due to the lack of funds could
mot give him all he asked for, bu
did increase his salary to s65 pei
month.
Robert Merritt was elected truan
officer for the whole of the county and
will devote his entire time TO this i'm
Iportant work. The board fixed Mr.
Merritts' salary at $50 per month ant
will furnish him with an office. Hi
work win deal mostly with the en-
forcement Of the compulsory educa
tion law.
The health program in Pensacol;
land Escambia county is meeting witt
the active cooperation of the boar,
who have already taken steps to coun
lteract conditions now existing. to i'm
Iprove the facilities at hand. and adj
]