Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-02-24
BOARDS CAVIL
OVER QUESTION
OF CONCERTS
School and Park Heads End
Hopes of Municipal Music
This Year.

Refusal Of the board Of school com
missioners yesterday to pay its half
share of $795.18 worth of bills for mu-
nicipal concerts given since last Sep
TENDER. occasioned considerable amuse-
ment among members Of the board Of
park commissioners, who pay the other
half, today. The city administration in
general was highly pleased with the
school Loards stand. None of the con-
certs have been held since Jan. 2, Mayor
Samuel Lewis Shank highly disapprov-
ing OF them. They were the Child" Of
the Jewett administration wholly
GAVE NINETY
CONCERTS IN 1921
The board of school commissioners and
board Of park commissioners each ap-
propriated $1,000 last year to pay the
expense Of bringing nationally known
artists to participate in the municipal
recitals. Approximately ninety concerts
were given in 1921 and the former ad
mlnistration pointed TO the fact with
pride.
Yesterday, however, Charles L. Barry,
president Of the school board and po-
lltical bedfellow Of the News Jewett peo-
pie, contended that the board should not
pay the pending bills because $3.50 % Of
them represent amounts due the Enquirer
Printing and Publishing Company Of
which Clarence E. Crippin, member Of
the school board last year, is president
The board referred the question Of the
legality Of the payment to its attorney.
Then the school board decided to take
no further part in municipal concerts
this year, Mr.. Barry explaining that in
- 4
penses while it has had no voice In the
preparation OF ,he programs o; any part
in the formulation Of policy. he said the
board Of park commissioners had done
all this and that high salaried soloists
had been hired without notice to the
school board, even the dates Of concerts
net been sent to the school board mem
bers.
MANY CROSS
STATEMENTS.
This statement called FOR many smiles
at the city hall because only two weeks
ago Ernest Hesser, director of music in
the public schools accompanied an Of
fetal of the indianapolis Community
Chorus before the board Of park com
missioners to urge that the city continue
to share with the school board the ex-
pense Of bringing noted artists to the
city 10 appear at the three annual con
certs given by the chorus, as it had for
the past ten or twelve years. The park
board did not at first want to grant the
request Mayor Shank had decreed some
weeks ago that the city was not going to
spend any more money on high salaried
musicians. Commissioner Sarah Shank
was outspoken in her disapprOval How
ever, the community chorus official, with
Mr.. Hesser of the public school staff
right az his elbow begged heartily, as
sorting that the school board was going
to cooperate and everything would be
ruined If the city did not Finally at last
weeks meeting Mr.. and Mrs. Shank gave
in and the board promised its coopera-
ton, only to discover yesterday that the
school board was going to take no fur
Their part In municipal concerts this
year"
the school board had no voice in ar
ranging the concerts given last year, per
sons who had opportunities to observe
say that Alfred Bailey Birge, director
Of music for the school board, until he
resigned last summer TO become head Of
the department of music at Indiana Uni
verslty, was one of the moving spirits
with former Superintendent of Parks
james II. Lowry in launching tie munic-
ipal music plan two years ago and that
the park superintendent always sent Il
block of tickets to the school board for
each concert.