The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-30
GETS A BIG RAISE
Mrs. Lillian Mitchner VIII Not
Leave BelOit School.
Instead, State Board Hikes Sal
airy to s165 a Month.
HUSBAND WON'T CHANGE BEDS
He Will Continue To Be in the
Employ of the State.
Knapp May Look for Effort To
Evade the Law.

Mrs. Lillian Afitchner. superinten-
dent OF the state Industrial school for
girls at Beloit hasn't resigned. quite
TO the contrary. Instead of a resigna-
tlon request she has received another
increase in salary at the hands Of the
state board Of administration. Her
salary increases during the last few
months have amounted to sixty-five
per cent.
Recently it was reported that Mrs
Mltehner had been asked to resign.
me report was based largely on the
record that more girls have escaped
from the school during her admins
tration than at any former time. It
was also declared that discipline was
az low ebb. But Mrs. Afitchner
gossip.
Husbands Pay Held Up.
Only a few weeks ago Fred w.
Knapp. state auditor. cut Mrs. Mitch
ner's husband off the pay roll OF the
school under the blood and marriage
law. Mitchner had been carried as
extra help" for more than a year
knapp's action seemed to put a clinch-
or on the situation. Apparently, tho
II didn't perturb Mrs. Mitchner in the
least.
Under the plan which became
known today. Mrs. Mitchner will not
only continue as superintendent. hut
and her husband will continue to eat
ans sleep At the state institution. and
VIII perform odd services whether the
state pays him or not In fact Il prob
ably doesn't concern the family
whether the pay checks are divided
among several members Of the family
or paid in one lump sum.
Dr. Wilbur n. Mason. member of
the state board of administration
stated today that in the future Mrs.
Mitchner's salary will be SI65 a month
instead OF 1925 a month Rather the
new salary VIII date from August 1.
Husband provided For"
The increase in salary nicely covers
the salary formerly received by Mrs
Mitchner'S husband. Consequently
the family pay check does not suffer.
IL means Mrs. Mitchner will receive
Sl,9So year as against $1,000 q year
in 1918.
According to the records there are
nearly 100 more boys at the Industrial
School for Boys north of Topeka than
the number OF girls at the Beloit
school Yet the number Of escapes at
Beloit are said TO have been much
larrer than at the Topeka school
Records. tho. show that the state
board has given Mrs. Mitchner two
increases in salary amounting to a
total Of IS per cent. The increase at
the boys school has been but 80 per
cont Last year the salary was $1,000.
Now II Is 1900
ro0orts from Salina have indicated
th7t Au'itor Knapp may hold up the
latest Mitchner vouchers in order to
deter0''ne whether some one is Slip
ping under the strict language and
spirit Of the state law. Knapp's posi-
tion IS said to he that Mrs Mitchner's
latest 50 larry hike is merely a plan to
dodge the blood and marriage law
without change in the personnel of
actual cr7plo.'es or their work.
Knapp Has Own Lawyers.
Some time ago Knapp retained spe-
ciai counsel to represent him in state
i1vo,riug the payment of vouchers by
hts o.tice. 1t is believed that he may
nov call upon the state board for
sta tcuent as to reasons for discrep
nncios in the two salaries. AS a final
move il is believed Knapp may ques-
ton the action Of the board in extend
i1r the latest salary boost to Mrs.
Mtchuer
Asked today for basis upon which
the board had made salary increases
for INSTITUTIONAL heads. Doctor Mason
20 no percentage basis had been
odop;od. Each case was considered
indiviCusnv.