, 1869-12-07
The SKINNER sCAuol AFFAIR,
Letter frnm MIR. Atkins.

7o fht Ed;t4y ~ The Chicago 7ribuns:
Atthe last meeting Of tue Board Of EducaNoa,
Respectfully submitted demurrer 10 the report
OF The committee appointed to Investigate the case
Of the punishment cf ny child By teacher in tic
skiIneF School. woEced my communication Ia
as ger,cnaanly and respectful largoage Is posi-.
bic, and tried To p1eseLt several points, showing
TIE otee,ded character OF the report, Aud that all
1he testimony posslole ra2 not obsained By tae
committee. had no lpteEt1on Of 1pIufin9 any
one, ano respectfully stated to the board that
IN pfusecuurs tie case We we're rot actua.e1 6y
any tiodtcurc feelings towards xuy one, ant siua-
ply desired to ect 1t the 1acts 10 The case." Tnis
concentration furnished tue OCCASION 10 one
s1 member Of tns eoesa NcsasstsI e Holden 10
which gr4ve CHARGES .we1e made aealnat me,
.hieh would se,1oa.lT loIare NJ reputation and
Sas eaae' tns' *sd' "a ue not nsss % eakes we're
Der q lie Sosrd, have Go casnes a
io for ,,s aeteDee. ;ae, nplsss grave space
statetDentA- regret the occas!on which ruates
II neceskalJ for nc to inttude msaelf before thc
pIhl,c asa1n, I had re.son 70 believe that the
Aetefe amicttou under which iaborcd, mud tho re-
spccttpl comuun,cat,on which / u1ade to the
Boatd OF Education, would have shielded me from
sueh grotRly outrageous treatment ~ WIS render
ed ne By Inspector Holden at tho las. meeting Of
the bcaIIt-
He charges that "aBreed to compromise tie
Tsuer for money; that wrote rtelcut letter 70
the st. Lou!s Ekputl!toa conctInIng1hc case:
that this case vas gotten up " o0tstde parties 70
injufc the board OF Education that an ex x.nember
o. ,,a s5e board nad probably written tho tetter
the t!gtr!ute Of Mrs, At1lns, aud the communIca.
TOE wh!cn addressed TO tbs bos.d over ms ti8-
nasu5s;' a.so. that :. had written iusnn.ug lei
come Of the statements OF Inspector Holden 81
the mee,!1g Of the board Of EducAtlop, which
Sas hsd as, Tuesday essntng iThe las. caasge
Now. hereby publicly declare the entIse budget
unirue IN every particular. brand tae state.
msnts - false and slonderoas, aud challenge the
mrlity.
Oie Of most remarkable facts ever met was
the devotion OF A1- Holden to the Interests and
Protection OF rh's fchool teacher; In this one.
eided lntereEt the committee WAS packed: no
ponss. Ro!,ee Mss given ne Of rs %eetine only
scholars that saw The terrible blnw to ny
child were not subpGnned: lot Of children that
90 ne. nss nWs,s e, ea'se TO testify! no esnn.e'
Renious engineering Tor the Other aide was prac-
rled bs Mi, Holden.
q %, MS !. VI Il! When the committee made
thtlf Gne sided report Seututed 10 make mild
protest, honestly and 10 good faith, which far
nlAhen IN OCCASION fot Inspector Holden to utter
the most unnlushing etatemcntA aud by bro r
veg OF all this have only to sal II : jost Al
mighty doe. nut t7dst This rhttrd-s.,thyr Tor bu,-
lying and hfcMbeatapR poor and afflicted parents
;sf n9 ohss e., crime than hayeg t.s s
on ear1n. rrel!c: teat the parents
In this community Will not a1xAya b2AT to have
srh 10 direct the elucs.ion Of iheif children. The
Hoard oi Education aud MI Holden saoald learn
that other interests are 10 be subserved beside the
protection Of the 1eacheIH-thas tho school system
Of Chicago II not solely fur tho rurpost OF a1unl-
sole object OF the school, tato Il, is for The edu-
cation and the good Of the children, aud for noth-
fng else: and thkt WhAterer st&n3s IN the WAY Of
this must be moved out Of the Way.
hereby give notice 10 the Board Of Etucxt!on
That respectfully decline to present any nadt-
Si0nal testimony to tic committee OF IL selection,
but will give 1t IN due tine befoto ny OWE til
hupal. Z. 4. ATKINS.
CHICAGO. Dec. & 1SSQ. ---------