St. Paul Daily Globe

THE SCHOOL BOARD.

Contracts for Furnaces Let--Endorsement of Secretary Donnelly.
Purchases of Tools Explained--Estimates for Next Year $286,750.
The New Building in Siegel's Addition Named for Gen. Sibley.

The last meeting of the old board was held last evening when there were present Inspectors McCaine, Kerker, Officer, Horn, Athey, Gilbert, Schiffman, Berlandi, Donnelly, Murphy and President Oppenheim.

The first business before the board was the opening the bids for school heating apparatus, which was as follows:

RICE SCHOOL.
Pruden Stove company, $979.46; Adams $1,166.00; Bernhard, $575.00; Hare, $1,042; Prendergast Bros, (1) $1,080.00, (2) $2,048.00, (3) $1,856.00.

HUMBOLDT SCHOOL.
Pruden, $739.62; Adams, $780.00; Bernhard, $320.00; Hare, $744.00; Prendergast (1)$1,540.00, (2) $1,112.00, (3)$966.00.

NEILL SCHOOL.
Pruden, $982.92; Adams, $1,108; Ruttan, $1,879; Hare, $990; Prendergast (1) $1,080, (2) $1,740, (3)$1,600.

HARRISON SCHOOL.
Pruden, $555.63; Adams, $567; Ruttan, $1.039; Hare, $448; Prendergast (1) $1,540, (2) $930, (3)$832.

ADAMS SCHOOL.
Hare, $530; Prendergast (1) $540, (2) $832.

Mr. Hare's bid also included one of $3,600 to include furnaces for the five schools.

Inspector Officer moved that the bonds be submitted to the city attorney for approval and that the bids be submitted to the committee on purchases and supplies with the following resolution: "That it is the sense of this board that any contract for furnaces for schools shall contain the condition that no payment shall be made on account of said contract until after January 1, 1885, and then only upon the resolution of the board that the furnace is satisfactory and according to the guaranty accompanying the bid accepted, which guaranty shall be incorporated in the contract. Also that the furnace shall be ready for use as soon as the building shall be ready for occupation under a penalty of $25 per day."

The motion was carried and the committee withdrew; during the time of their consultation a recess was taken. Before the committee reported representatives of bidders were heard personally by the whole board after which Inspector Officer moved that the board go into committee of the whole to receive the report. The motion was carried and all not members of the board requested to withdraw, the press alone excepted with the understanding that the deliberations of the board be not published.

The final result was that the third bid of Prendergast Bros. for the largest style of Boynton furnace be accepted. For the Rice, $1,856; Humboldt, $966; Harrison, $832: Adams, $832; total, $4,486. And that the Neill school be left to Inspector Gilbert, of that district, whether the Ruttan system be adopted for that school.

Committee on schools report that Miss Darral had produced a certificate signed by the superintendent and recommended that she be confirmed in her position at the Humboldt school.

The report was adopted.

The committee on real estate reported that abstracts have been furnished of the property sold on Dayton Bluff, and deeds for the same have been properly executed. Contracts have been let for building the Neill, Rice and Siegel addition schools and for the additions to the Humboldt and Adams schools. The contractors on all these buildings have commenced work, but no estimates have been allowed. The report was adopted.

The committee on high schools reported that they had investigated the bill for tools and found that most of the tools were for the engineer and the balance for Mr. Wightbecht's department. The committee recommended the bills paid. The report was adopted after some discussion, in which Inspector Officer severely criticised the loose way of ordering goods. Both he and Inspector Horn were of opinion that no teacher or any other employe should order any goods only through the board.

The president, addressing the board, criticised severely the scandalous attacks lately made upon Inspector Donnelly, and offered the following resolution, which was unanimously adopted:

WHEREAS, Mr. J. G. Donnelly, the secretary of this board, has been most unjustly criticised by the press of this city before the recent election, and with the wish that the public may judge of him as he is judged by his associates, be it

Resolved, That in the person of Mr. Donnelly the board has had a most active and efficient member, whose every act has been shaped for the good and welfare of the public schools of this city.

Resolved, That the members of this board tender him this as a testimonial of their esteem and also tender him our thanks for his uniform courtesy and ability in the discharge of his duties.

The committee on finance reported the following statement as prepared for presentation to the city council:

Tax Levy school furniture, repairs, etc...... 20,000
35,000
Total, $251,750 $286,750

The report was adopted and ordered to be presented to the common council.

On the motion of Inspector Schiffman, the name of the new school in Siegel's addition was named the Sibley school.

On motion of Inspector Donnelly the board voted six months' salary to Miss Miller who has been a faithful and long time teacher in the schools, and is now an invalid and unable to teach. Berlandi and Schiffman voting in the negative.

Several bills and accounts were then ordered paid.

The president, before adjourning the board took a feeling farewell of the board and thanked the members for their uniform courtesy. Inspector Murphy also took leave of the board, as also did Inspector Donnelly, both gentlemen making feeling speeches, the latter especially referring to the abuse he had received at certain hands. Inspectors McCaine, Kerker and Horn also took leave of the board in neat speeches after which the old board was declared adjourned sine die.