The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-04-08
THE ELECTION FOR SCHOOL
BO1RD.

A'Nf'AsD'
The vote polled Monday last for men,
bers of the Board of Education was, to
the astonishment of every one, very
large one, exceeding even the large vote
polled several years ago when the ques-
ton of building new school house was
before the people. 1t would seem this
large vote was called out by a precon-
certed arrangement among some parties,
based upon unfounded charges against
Superintendent Worley. Mr.. Worley has
done his whole duty to the satisfaction OF
the Board of Education, and the very
great majority of the people OF Canton,
and has been therefore selected from
year to year, for the last nine years, with
ont solicitation on his part; and last year
the Board of Education, by a unanimous
vote, elected him for the full term OF
three years to show their appreciation OF
his worth as an able and efficient teacher
and superintendent, ranking among the
best in the State. Ifthis onslaught against
the old members of the Board last Mon
day was meant by the leading spirits OF
the movement to be against Mr.. Worley
it should have been made known long
before, and the whole question canvassed.
Let us have open, full and free work in a
matter like this. We learn a number OF
ridiculous and false char es were indus
triously circulated against the members
of the old Board, and great majority oil
those who voted against them were led
to vote under an entire misunderstanding
of the real issue, and would have voted
differently if the thing had been properly
understood. One thing relief on was the
charge that the Board of Education were
making very frequent changes in text
books, so that by an arrangement with
the publishers they might, in connection
with Mr. Worley, pocket nice commits
sion for themselves at the expense of the
parents. Upon inquiry and examination
we find that the real t:tCts are these in the
matter of change in books Early during
the Superintendency of Mr.. WOrIey, some
nine years ago, the Board of Education,
during Mr.. Worley's absence in vacation,
made change in Arithmetics and Gram
mars by an exchange with the publishers
of the new books, and the books then in
,roduced have remained in the schools
ever since, and are still used in many OF
the classes. About four years ago a
change was made also in the Geogra
phies, in this way, viz; Guyot's Geogra'
phies were adopted by the Board at Mr.
Worley's suggestion, to be introduced
only, however, as new classes were form
ed, or as class rs wereadvanced to a higher
grade; when books of the old series would
have been required anyhow; so that this
was accomplished gradually and with lit
tie or no extra expense to parents; and
again, after the passage and taking effect
of the new school law year ago, which
required the Boards of Education in thi
State to adopt text books for at least
three years. Mr.. Worlcy examined the
books published by the leading publish
ing houses, and recommended the adop-
ton of series of text books, many Of
them the books that have been used in
the schools for many years, with the
further recommendation that where NV
books were adopted they should only
take the place of the old ones as the
classes were advanced requiring higher
book, or where classes were newly formed.
In singing books and copy books q few
unimportant changes have also beef
made, and thisis the whole mater. We
are fully prepared to say, and if necesS-
AIRY prove, that, there was never an otter
from any publishing house or any agent,
directly or indirectly, to Mr. Worley OF
any member of the present Board of Ed
ucation, TO pay. any commission N llle
exchange of books, or to renunerate
them in any way whatever, and that
neither of them has in fact ever had one
cents worth Of benefit from the few ex-
changes which have been made Tie
report was simplyja falsehood, sprung at
a late hour on Saturday, to affect Mon
days election. All the other charges
against tie old members Of the School
Board, which were circulated so indus
triously for the same purpose, are equally
false. We are sorry that the Board loses
the services Of as good men as Joseph A.
Meyer and John Cobaugh. though We
have no doubt the new members, Messrs;
Cassidy and Reed will also be valuable
members, as from many years acquaint-
ance with them we do not believe them
to have been parties to the, false state
ments referred to-. We Hope, tdO, that
those of our citizens who have been inn
posed upon and misled by these buga-
boos will, remember them in the future.
1t is only with this end in view, and to
vindicate the name of some Of the best
men Of our city, that we have devoted SO
| much space to this matter.
THE beauties of Grant rule in the South
| may be seen in, Arkansas. Take the