The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-04-01
SCHOOL BOARD
DOORS CLOSED
ON REPORTERS
Business Is Done at star
Chamber Session, Then
Public Is Admitted.
BUILDING CONTRACT LET
Construction of No. SIS to
Cost $4,000; Arrange
for Census.

Borrowing a policy from their
predecessors, the citizens committee
school board members have been
holding star" chamber sessions on
all school administration problems.
Regular sessions of the board have
become an empty formality, con-
Quoted for benefit and entertain
ment of newspaper representatives
and any taxpayers who care to at
tend.
No matter how important the
problem, there is no discussion at
the regular meeting. Instead, a
prior conference is held in the bust
ness directors office, behind closed
doors and another star" chamber
meeting follows the regular session
Delegations of parents and taxpay-
ers have been forced to wait because
Of these sessions.
This method of secret procedure
was eXemplified Tuesday night.
Members of the board, with the
exemption of Fred Kepner, mem
Der of the old 'Klan board" and
Merle Sidener, who was absent, met
at Z p. m. in the Office of A B.
Good. business director. There any
thing of Importance was threshed
out.
Everything Settled
At 800 the members filed into
the board room. After typewriter
copies of the reports were distributed
they were read gravely without dis
cuSSion and approved.
Included in these was the grant
ing Of contracts for the construction
Of School Sc, Martindale avenue and
Twenty-fourth street, at a total
slightly more than $4,000.
No discussion Of the contract was
provoked. Good also reported the
retirement of $4,000 of school
bonds, reading his written report,
which said this would save the tax
payers 100000 in interest.
The board accepted the recon-
mendation of H. Frank Osler, acting
superintendent of buildings and
grounds, that a janitor he dropped
for good Of the service" without re-
ceiving or asking in open meeting
for any information concerning the
nature of the offense.
Married Woman Hired
Paul Stetson, school superintend-
ent, reported that sixty-seven wom-
en- and three men had been hired at
ST day for the schol enumeration.
No questions were asked by board
members, but later, under question,
Stetson said that the enumerators
were selected for their proficiency
and that sixty-f1ve married women
named have dependents.
The board adopted without COM
ment recommendation of Osler
that $18,130 be spent to improve.
redecorate and repair four branch
Libraries and three elementary
schools.
Included in this was redecoration
Of the business directors Office at a
cost Of $721 and the social service
department at $725.
Another Secret Session
Question of adjournment was put
up by Russell Wilson, president OF
the board. Although carried, no
move was made by any of the
members to leave their seats. AS
reporters departed, Good closed the
doors and transoms and the board
went into another secret confer
ence.
When questioned today as to
what occurred at the star" cham
Der session, Wilson declared that
routine matters were discussed"
We merely talked over things
you fellows would not be interested
IN, such as re-arranging the outer
Offices in the business directors de-
partment," he said.
Besides, when we have a meet
ing behind closed doors, it wouldn't
do you any good to ask us what
happened, because we aren't going
to TELL" Wilson added.
School Contract Let
Contract for School So was award
ed to the Capital Engineering and
Construction Company, operated by
j. G. Karstedt.
Bid OF the Capitol company, $79,-
631, was s546 lower under the total
alternates than any Of the other
companies, although the American
Construction Company had the low
base bid, according to A. B. Good,
schools business director.
Heating and ventilating contract
was awarded Strong Brothers at
s20,546; electrical installations, Rob
bins Electric Company, $4,9a7, and
the plumbing contract, Roland NJ.
M. Cotton Company, 1881.