Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-01-28
THE AsHBURNHAM SCHOOL CASE.

Mr.. Editor We have delayed to notice the
article in your issue of the 10th inst, entitled
"Ashburnham," relating to school trouble-that
we might ascertain the name of the author of
that article. We now learn that Col. e.
Whitmore of Ashburnham, father of Mr.. A.
Whitmore, who was arrested with colored
boy for disturbing one of our public schools,
is the writer of the article, we feel that
reply, stating the facts as they are, is the only
way in which we can obtain any satisfaction.
But we disclaim entirely any intention, or de-
sire to do or say anything which might injure
Col Whitmore or any of his family. We
speak only to correct false statements in the
article above referred to, in order to set our
selves right before the public. Indeed it is as
averse to our feelings, to engage in any news
| paper controversy, as twas to take legal steps
i'll the discharge Of our duty as school commit
tee.
Were we thus assailed in our private capa-
city we would pass it by in silent contempt;
and we would further say, that in all we have
done in this matter, as also in writing this arti-
Gle we have sought and followed the advice Of
most of our leading citizens. respecting Miss
| Richardson's school it is stated as follows CAT
the behest of this man, and without consulting
the district, the town committee appeared at
the school house and submitted to Miss Rich
ardson the alternative Of making her acknowl-
| Judgments to the father, asking pardon for the
| alleged offence committed and promising the
| boy not to do the same thing again !. or sum-
marily close the school and leave" All of this
| is untrue. One of the members of our board
visited her school without having heard any
complaints, and without knowing any of the
facts in the case. Noticing that some of the
scholars were absent the teacher Miss
Richardson) was enquired of, after school,
respecting their absence; She replied that
pf bp
| that they all left" Being further in
CURED OF respecting the occasion of the
| punishment, she replied that che did not get
his lesson" She asked him why he "did not
| get his lesson;' he said, he "could not do the
sums" He was then asked by her "if he
could not get the answer to the question" He
replied, he supposed he might, if he had
tried" Whereupon she inflicted a somewhat
severe chastisement. The teacher was then
inquired Of how she felt about this transaction,
after having had time for reflection. She re-
piled, she "telt she lad done wrong-tllat she
was sorry she did it-that she had been I'M
happy ever since-that by this act she had
lost the confidence of her school-that she eX-
pected every day to have trouble-and that it
was her fault that these children could not
come to school," She was then told that
probably the matter might be settled up in a
few minutes and the children would again re-
turn to school. The teacher said she was
willing to do any thing on her part to make the
matter right, which would not injure her au-
thority in school. The parents OF these chill
dren were then visited by the same men,
Der of our board, i'll order to effect a
settlement. They said that they would
overlook the past, again send their children to
school, and sustain the teacher in future, if
she would simply signify to them or the chill
dren "that they should be well used in fu-
ture." AT a subsequent interview with the
teacher, after she had been advised by some of
the Whtmores in the matter, she said she
would do nothing to effect a settlement. The
case was then reported 10 the full board. The
other members of the committee visited the
school and large portion of the families in
the district, and finding no one who. would say
a word sustaining the teacher, they again re-
turned to the school, and had an interview
with the teacher on the subject She freely
admitted to them that she was in the wrong.
She was then told that she could not be sus
tanned in course Of acknowledged wrong
that she must do what was right on her part
to settle the matter, or leave the school. She
said she should leave. The school was then
formally dismissed by the committee In jus.
tice to Miss Richardson, we would say that, in
our opinion, had she been guided by her own
Judgment, the result would have been far diff
terent. AS stated in Col Whitmore's article,
Miss Sampson, an experienced able, and sue.
cessfu teacher, and highly esteemed young
lady, was engaged to teacn the school, and the
same arrangement was made with her rs we
made with all the other teachers we employed,
that is, to procure and pay for their own board.
Under this arrangement she sought a conven.
lent, respectable, highly -esteemed, and Chris
tan family, in which to board. And we do
pity lhe man who, having for years made such
loud boast philanthropy, has heart TO make
| such low, such a mean alluslon to this tami-
| ly. We leave the public to Judge in whose
hearts exist the "deadly hate" On the
morning that Miss Sampson commenced
her school, Mr.. Whitmorc informed one of
our board that he had made up his mind not to
serve any longer as prudential committee. Be-
ing asked for the keys, he replied that he
would go and open the house, and that was all
he intended to do Another gentleman was
then engaged by us to furnish wood for the
school. The school had not continued long be-
fore the fuel was gone, and the school was
closed about the middle OF the afternoon of
very cold day. The next morning Il load of
wood was carried to the school house by our
order; but Mr.. Whitmore arriving about
the same time with load OF wood,
and, being somewhat enragcd at finding
that wood had been brought there by this
man. he in no measured terms ordered him
not to leave the wood. The man, rather than
have any trouble with Mr., Whitmore carried
the wood to his own house. Not II long time
after this had elapsed, when the teacher in
formed us she had no wood with which she
could make fire, another load was ordered
by us to be carried and left at the school house,
that we might have no further trouble about