Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1920-03-31
R0TARIANS PLAN 10 OBTAIN INCREASE: IN PAY OF TEACHERS Directors to Meet Friday to Formulate Line of
 Action BREATHWIT DECLARES SITUATION EMERGENCY Immediate Action and Permanent Method Of Increasing Revenues are Needed, is COncensus
 of Opinion


 The Rotary Club yesterday form ally took the lead in an effort to ob- tain adequate salaries for Pine Bluff school teachers.
 At it's noon luncheon meeting yes terday at the Hotel Pines, the club put its weight squarely behind the movement in the first organized at tempt to obtain relief that so far has been made. The action taken was in line with recommendations made at the Fourteenth District conference held here last week.
 Friday afternoon the directors of the club, together with special com mittee named yesterday by Charles w. Holmes, president, will meet at the Merchants sotd Planters bank at $ o'clock. The situation will be dis cussed and plan of action probably will be formulated. This plan then will be placed before the club fo1 approval at its meeting next Tues day.
 Discussion of the situation con fronting the schools as a result ot the present inadequate salaries and the inability of the board to grant increases consumed better part of yesterdays session.
 Two Needed Actions.
 The concensus of opinion yester- day was that the problem must be attacked along two lines in order to accomplish results.
 These lines are:
 First: A plan whereby the board may immediately grant increases and hold the present teachings corps to- gether.
 Second: A plan to obtain perman' ent relief through legislation, so tha, raises to be granted now may be me, and future needs provided for.
 Discussion of thE proposition was launched by James Gould, who has made study of it, and who, respond ing to request from MT. Holmes advocated an increase of the tax al lotment for school purposes. MT Gould said that in his opinion sys. tematic campaign in behalf of such legislation should be waged. He ad' vocated subscriptions to provide fol Ia publicity fund, the maintenance o1 an office from which to conduct the campaign, public speaking efforts and all that goes with successful drive
 Gould was followed by H. K. Toney who asked that Dr. Junius Jordan superintendent of schools be allotted ten minutes in whidh to address the club on the subject at it's next meet ing. This was adopted.
 Jack Bernhardt proposed that the teachers organization, get into the fight. J. I. Norris followed with g suggestion that the present tax rate if property was assessed at figure near its actual value, would solve the question without further trouble. Meyer Solmson, Helena Rotary clut Leo Andrews and Toney also spoke on phases of the subject.
 Dr. William Breathwitt, who also is member of the school board, saio that the club to do any good must provide relief now. He wanted ar extra five mills, voluntarily given ii necessary, collected this year. Wher told that this was hardly possible Dr. Breathwit reiterated that the problem was an emergency one anC that action must be taken now. Ht said if the increased revenue coule be assured, the board could arrange loan and act immediately. At thii point, MT. Holmes after naming thu committee, asked by Judge Gould ane appointing as members, Judge w. T Woodbridge, MT. Gould and Dr. Jun jus Jordan, referred the whole mat ter to the board of directors fol their meeting on Friday.
 Elect Four Members.
 Other features of yesterdays pro gram consisted of accepting as mem bers, Dr.. Junius Jordan, Ben Weir Jack Bernhardt and J. T. Crow. Tn principles of Rotary were explained to the quartet by H. K. Toney ant Dr. J. I. Norris.
 MT. Toney and Mrs. Toney wer guests of honor and were accorded 1 demonstration. MT. Toney was elect ed district governor at the recent Ro tary convention.
 E. B. Bloom, secretary of the Cham Der of Commerce, explained the non arrival of Pine Bluff souvenirs whicl were to have been presented to visi tors at the Rotary convention. Thes souvenirs were ordered in ample tim to arrive on the date on which the were promised, but failed to do SC They will be returned.
 t Guests. besides Mrs. Toney, includ ed Sol Klarburg, formerly a membe of the club; J. c. O'Connor, who en Itertained the club members with a Irish dialect recitation, Lev Flour noy, and George Mallory and Gu I Remmel.. the latter two of Littl Rock.