Evening journal., 1919-10-14
Keep GUTHRIE BUSY
EXPLAINING ERROR
Secretary Under Fire at
Board of Education Meet
ing Last Night.
VOTE TO BUY LAND
FOR HOWARD SCHOOL

CAN ~ W f1iNAf VI - -
Purchase OF the land adjoining IN,
Toward High school for $3.50 was Not-
al last night 10y the Board OF Public
education after a heated discussion
Which took up large part of meet
NJ. The meeting did not adjourn until
he stroke Of midnight Tile vote stood
Yea Rommel. Cooper, kersey, Mann
nele, Banlon, Campbell-6
Nay Oslro. Moore. slradlcy, Beck g.
Draper. Palmer and Hoffman absent
Mr. Hoffman was ill with The grippe
There were thirty Visitors present,
including President George r. Miller. of
.he state board. aud formerly present
lf the city board. Many Of The specla-
.ors were from the Twelfth and ninth
wards They expressed their approval
II Mr.. Slradley's demands for accuracy
md business system iu school board
affairs with laughter and applause.
growing so demonslraiiyc that nr Ban
ton finally protested against their be-
laViOr as "impOlile lO the board.
Mr.. Slradely called upon Secrctary
Guthrie for an explanation of Why Doe
lJd already paid 10 ihe HOdcarricrs'
Union The sum of S1UO for The land next
lo the Howard High school. when ihr
BOARD had only voted q SiOO option. and
lad not even voted 90 buy the land.
Also he Wanled io know why the Sec
reldry had recorded $3.50 as the pur-
cl!ase price of The land. when Dr. Ban
ions motion 10 secure an option had
given the price as $3.50
The secretary admitted there Was %
500 mistake in his records lle had put
$3.50 in his records because he had o
letter from the Ilodcarricrs Union
stating That amount az Tie price. and
His had led him into the mistake that
This was the amount slated by Dr. BAN
Ton. Of the 500 payments De was
asked 90 explain. 500 had been for Op-
iions. 500 per month being needed. llc
paid The $500 as part payment on iI,
land. he said. with the approval OF Ci,g
solicitor Huxley. Secretary Isaac ke"!
0f the lI0dcarrers Union. had come Go
The office 10 tell him that the union
was anxious 90 complete the sale of
the land in question. They had oilec,
from the Glover Dairy and other par
lies and would have to close with one
OF these offers If the school board could
not at least partially pay FOR the lano.
The union needed $500 at once 90 pay
for other land which 20 was buying Jnj
would rather the city school have the
land next TO ihe Howard school but
could not wall longer Mr.. Guthrie sand
he telcphoned the city solicitor. teilin-
him that the board had an option on
the property. and The maiOrhy-Of mem-
bers in conversation favored It's pur-
chase. lie said the city solicitor told
him 20 would oe q correct proceeding
20 pay the $500 TO the union. and ne
made out The check
Mr.. Stradley was Interested 10 know
what would become OF this 500 IL the
board should refuse TO buy the land.
\ letter from The union. dated uc-
Obcr ii, was read. saying that in view
IF The discussion which had been rails
I'd. the union. preferring TO sell 20 the
Board Of Education rather than outside
interests would part With the prop
ariy for s23JO.
The letter from the union said that /
hey had been offered $500 for the land /
by two prospective purchasers. SeN- /
'ral members. including nr. Bantnn. /.
lgreed The land was a good buy at the /
1rice. in consideration Of the fact that /
he board needed il.
Dr. BaniOn. describing the howard .
Iigh school building as being fearful I
" wonderfully made said ihe only /
lall was the vestibule. and that The 1
,chool was crowded from cellar 90
lone. The colored people. he said. are
'cceiving as good an education as the
,hitc. in this city. but they were GER
ainly not being educated as comfort
bly.
Secretary Guthrie was under lire FOR
hc greater part OF the mrctins 1ui I
vas obliged 10 go into lengthy eXplsna- D
ions of The records he had kept or the
loard'- proceedings end transactions.
Ohm Moore Of the Eighth ward. eV-
,rc,sed himself a. dissatisfied at the
Xplanalion OF Mr.. Guthrie. There app
learri 90 De- a number OF mistakes
made 10y the secretry. he said. and
demanded that an Investigation be
made. President George Rommel how
Ncr. said he was satisfied the secretary
1d made AN The explanations he pos
ihly could and the matter was not
resscd.
Mr.. Slradley scored a statement made
9 Waller J. Campbell. member form
lc Tenth ward, in which ne deprq
lated the fuss" which had been made
nd advocated "charily and silence
This involves son Of The taxpayers
Money" said Mr.. Slr3dley. m The |
icmbcr from the Tenth ward isn't
1tcpestcd in saving The taxpayers
honey, 7 am Prolonged applause I
M not seeing notoriely. ] have one
urposc. That Is strict business in
is board and ! am going 10 hbve 10. \ ,
200 mistake has been made ID would =
ave been paid If il were not FOR This :
ispute. Mr.. Campbell wants 10 let
lc Thing slide. ] am not satisfied with 4
nat
The 5000 has not LEFT the boards ,
lnds,' inierposed Mr. Olmpbell. ,
IN would have done So" returned ,
r. Slradley.