Evening journal., 1920-01-13
School BOARD
MUST ECONOMIzE
No Money Now TO Pay Car
penters Who Repair
Buildings
NOT ENOUGH
ROOM FOR PUPILS

NOO4l yin Ut lLC
Purchase Of materials by committee:
without a preliminary filling out OF q
requisition slip in the secretary's office
and further without any notice given
10 the secretary Afterwards. have been
The chief feature in the tangling OF
Board Of Education finances. was de-
velOped last night. As bills did NOT
come 10 the secretary until from one 10
siX months after such purchase. Mr..
iuthrie stated last night, 10 was impos-
'ible for him 10 know with any degree
of accuracy how much Of a balance re-
NAMED In each account at any time. He
might name a fair balance. and In the
next few days a number OF bills come IN
that not only would wipe out The bal
ance but leave a deficit. No matter how
good the bookkeeping. he declared. it
was impossible TO know the condition
0f tfo finances with committees incur
ring bills and saying nothing about
them.
Other members Of the board agreed
and promised that in the future pur-
chases will not be made by committees
except upon orders from the secretary's
ofilce.
Dr. Conwell Banton, chairman. sang
the swan song OF the repairs commit
tee. which, having a deficit Of 81 500 and
unable 10 get money anywhere, resigned
It's job, last night.
Shermcr Stradley OF the finance com
m!ttee remarked, "our finances are null
and void. The more look at them. the
worse find them. The situation Is
hopeless. II is a bad policy 60 go fur
ther into debt, because when We make
M the new budget we viii be still in
the hole"
Mr. Stradley said the board has spent
in the past five months more than It's
appropriation for the whole current
year. William Croney. supervisor OF re-
pairs. stated all the labor had been laid
or and things were falling 10 pieces.
because there was no money 20 pay
carpenters or painters. TWO carpenters
remain on half time.
Oscar' G Draper, chairman OF the ac-
counts committee stated the accounts |
wore f'll of errors and that he had |
found q difference Of $500 m statements |
he had received There was a deficiency
~ S3oo In one bill and $500 in another. |
nc said.
A now system NJ bookkeeping was de- |
mandod by Mr. St~adlev and on motion |
OF nr Banton a resolution was passed 1
CALM on the finance committee to in 1
vest'caic and devise q new system Of
keer'nG the records.
N'hough it is an Acknowledged fact
that ~ the buildings are badly run
down and far below the standard at
which they should be maintained. even
the desultOry attempt at keeping them |
In good condition which has been made
recently will now Doe discontinued. for
the repairs committee has quit.
4 crisis In the accommodations OF the
city schools will be
reached February 4. Superintendent !
Clifford !. Scott reported to the Board I
lie said he did not know how he is 20
ng TO house the pupils after this
month and that a new grammar school
Is needed in the southern part Of the
,ity before that time Referring to the
program outlined by the board
10 City Council, calling TO- the eXpendi-
'ure OF millions Of dollars. lo said @
must be very broad 10 cope with the
situation.
Dr. Conwell Bsnton said ne did not
Understand the attitude OF the people Of !
and that the children had I
,een made battledore and shuitlecock in !
he persistent ignoring Of The plans OF |
ne board. The new school code. he !
aid. has many commendable features, II
mt he was not sure that he approved |
.ilof &C. He was open 70 enlightenment.
Z the code were accepted. he. said. the !
,eople would have 20 dig down" 10 /
lay for the schools as they do now.
nd although the code brings a new sys-
en-. 10 IS still the people who Will have
O pay. /
They ask 60 take our splendid school
ystem," he said. "and put it under men
Q present inexperienced and untried;
nder a superintendent who has never
sised the schools above thiTty-third"
he board acted properly. he SAID
,hen 10 ciected 10. D@. Banton explain
d the difference between the Whining. =
On school system, whi>h be described =
5 excellent, and the buildings and l.
Iupiment, which are admittedly bad
On motion Of Or. Banton, President
ommel was authorized 70 appoint
OF five. which should include
superintendent Scott, 10 devise a plan
y the necessary buildings to care Tor
le school population. This committee
iii act with City Council. other mem
ers Will probably be Dr. Banton, Mr..
ommel. DR.. Cooper and Walter J.
ampbell. Ill
Oscar c. Draper reported that medical
.smination 20 date had shown ii3 de-
,ctive pupils of 5i5 examined. Mr.. Scott |
lplained that this was apt 20 10 be
Misleading. as the slightest defect in the
eth put pupils I'm the defective class
q the report. Only a.. he said. had
lch defects as bad tonsils, eyes or
alp. and the other 396 were all suffer-
z from some degree Of poor health.
he status Of the children. he said. IS
,ont normal, as compared with other
ties III
ri. u. ,.,sf,aoefop ~ fhe following III