The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1874-04-01
The CassviiIe school Report

The Joint committee on Education,
to which was referred the communi-
cation Of the Superintendent of Or
phans' Schools in relation to the
charges against A. l.. Guss, late
Principal of the Orphans School at
Cassville, with directions to inquire
into the same report:
That your committee, in the dis
charge of this duty, examined large
number of witnesses, visited the
school, and gave the accused and
the accusers all the time required,
and the utmost latitude in the exami-
nation Of witnesses, to enable the
committee TO arrive at the truth, and
to Law all the facts before you, so that
no Injustice may be done the accused,
the orphans children, or the depart
ment.
Much of the testimony taken is
grossly indecent and unit for pub
lcation. Your committee, therefore,
recommend it be not published in
any shape or manner, but be filed
among the records of the Legisla-
ture, where it may be read only by
members and those interested therein.
As the jurisdiction of the Legisla-
ture extends only to the removal OF
the school, the question Of Mr.. Guss'
guilt or innocense has not necessarl-
ly to be passed upon. If the contln-
uance of the school is unwise or in
expedient, especially if its usefull-
ness is destroyed and its continuance
is injuring its system, it should be
promptly removed. The Superlnten-
lent of Soldiers Orphans testified
before the committee that if the ru-
mors concerning Prof. Guss were
generally current in the school and
in the community, and were bellev-
ed, and if untrue, the effect would be
to destroy the school and injure the
system. Your committee find that
the rumors are generally cur
rent in the school and through
out the country, and that they are
believed by many The children in
the school are familiar with the scan
dalous stories and make them the
subject of daily conversation The
effect of this is to corrupt their minds,
and so long as they remain they will
be subject to this influence. If the
rumors are all false the effect is the
e. chat Mr. finsS
the property, is publisher of a news
paper, is a politician, and has bitter
and unrelcnting enemies, is sufficient
reason to believe that so long as the
school remains there these scandal
Gus rumors will be kept alloat.
When Professor Guss became a can
didato for political honors, he should
have relinquished his control of the
school, or it should have been re-
moved. This is 4 correct principle
in all eases, and it was especially
important in this case, as he ran for
Office in a county split into factions,
and demoralized by strife and hate.
1t was this that gave such currency
to these reports, and their spread
over the State has done incalculab!e
injury to the school and to public
morals
Your committee are Of opinion the
school should have been removed
long ago, and that would have avoid
ed the necessity of an examination
which should never have taken place.
The Inspectors of the Orphans
School Department, in the judgment
of your committee, failed in the dis
charge of their duty. Going to in
spect schools of this character when
such visits were expected, and as the
guests of the Principal, is not prop
er discharge of that duty. Had the
inspectors discharged their duty
properly, the Superintendent would
doubtless long since have removed
the school, there being strong rea-
sons for its removal independent of
the guilt or innosence of Professor
Guss
While much of the testimony was
contradictory, enough remained un-
impeacbed to justify the committee in
believing that the conduct of A. l..
Guss, Principal, was of an improper
character. But as not only the rep
utation of Professor Guss is involved,
but also the reputation of scores of
soldiers orphans, the question of his
guilt or innocence is remitted to the
court for investigation. The evil
dence is so contradictory that it
would require to be set forth at
length, and your committee have be-
fore stated that it is important for
public morals that it should rather
be concealed than be exposed in
public report.
Your committee therefore recon-
mended that the Superintendent of
Soldiers Orphans be directed to re-
move the school at Cassville at once,
and place the children in other
schools throughout the State, as far
removed from the rumors and infu-
ence that now surrounded them as
possible.