The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-05-04
TEACHERS CASE IS
GIVEN TO COUNCIL;
Meeting THUR, EVE,

pressed some disapproval of the step
of the school board in increasing
teachers salaries and the number of
months Of school year simultaneously,
it was unanimously decided to meet
with the school board in the council
chamber on Thursday night before
definite action was taken.
A number of councilmen, speaking
against the move of the school board,
admitted also that the board may
nave had reasons not evident"
Verne Pentecost, president OF the
Central Labor Council spoke against
the 10 months school plan.
Teachers must have some time to
pursue normal school and summer
university couses; they must have
some time for recreation and rest Of
body and mind" said Mr.. Pentecost.
This can not be sufficiently well
done in two months to prepare them
for the coming school year of 10
months.
The children, too, must be given a
fair chance to get out and play. They
ought not be in school the three hot
months of the summer. II we let
this pass we will lose our best teach
ers and have our children attending
10 months of school under incompe-
tent instruction"
Byram Robbins, attorney for the
Federation of Teachers, also spoke
against the pseudo" increase in sal
aries.
Competent Teachers Wanted
Il believe the people of Richmond
would rather have their children go
no school less months to competent,
sufficiently paid teachers than go 10
months to incompetent, undcrpaid in
istructors." said Mr.. Robbins.
DO they want new buildings ruled
lby persons untitled to teach their chill
'dren? When the board of education
came to council and asked you to Co
'Operate in building the two new jul
nior high schools, you did so; now
they have an opportunity to cooper
rate with council in giving the teach
ers what they honestly earn. If the
gentlemen who are so anxious not to
raise the taxes would dispense with
building schools, which are not abSO-
lutely necessary, until building prices
come down, they might be able to save
raising the taxes.
Figures furnished the local press
by the school board have been mis-
leading. These figures show that the
1t is 17.8 per cent, and | know of a
certain teacher who is getting only
per cent increase And this is on
the comparison of nine months to nine
months. l will leave it to you how
much living has increased in the last
year.
Can't Afford Either
Much time was spent considering
the purchase of a new chassis for the
fire department. Representative of a
fire truck and a commercial truck
were present. After discussing wheth-
er the best at 4 higher price" or a
lower priced cha ssis was wanted, coun-
Gil finally decided it had little money
for either, and deferred the question.
The platoon system recommended
for the fire department was referred
to the city attorney to discuss with the
tax commissioners. The tax commits
sioners were blamed for not allowing
a sufficient levy to carry on the city
government
"If we lose enough men to close a
hose house, our insurance rates will
be raised, and then one big fire ineffi-
GENTLY handled will cost us as much
as the platoon system" said Council
man Ford, who added that Rome
burned while Nero fiddled' and the
tax commissioners We're likely to do
the same thing while Richmond
burned.
City Attorney Robbins said that
after representatives Of Richmond
had talked with the tax commissioners
last year some gentlemen went around
and whispered in the governors ears -
Politics, is CharQe
You have to be a political friend
OF some body who is a political friend
OF somebody else to get anything
said Mr.. Robbins. in reply to the ques-
ton why Richmond couldn't get as
good a levy as some other cities in
the state.
City Controller Bescher made his
April report. It's all right for US to
install platoon systems and buy new
automobiles we've got the money
but it's up to you gentlemen where
were going to get it, for don't know,
and I've lain awake many a night
thinking about it," said Mr. Bescher
Superintendent Dillon said he hadn't
gotten any money out of the city for
light bills for five months. Removal
OF a railroad trestle was referred to
the city attorney