Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-01-06

cost OF about <cJUt, aud a Suptrlnten-
aept AT $4,000. Wethink one Competent
ia discharge well All the duties Of super.
intendeni. principals and secretary.
without ;mpairine the efficiency Of the
schools. could be Commanded for
$25QO-certainly for $4,000; aud II the
present incumbent is not sble or willing.
be should as Henry Ward Beecher ex.
pressed Il. "step down and out and give
place 10 some one uhe can. We also
find about 5000 per month paid for iani-
tors. This we think ex,rayapsnt. Il
ought NOT to exceed one half Of this.
The saving effected hy the changes
named in items I and 5 would amount
10 about $ll00. II the schools are TO DC
kept up, these changes should be made.
8. From a statement of a member Of
the Board ard its records, we think il
conclusive the salary Of $4,000 was cut
out for the man after il was ascertaiued
that he could certainly be elected, and
then the form OF fixing the salary before
election was gone through with. In
July 1873, the Committee on Salary sub.
mitted a majority report signed BY three
OF the committee, recommending 5000,
that being the salary Of the then incum-
bent and his predecessor Colonel Leatb,
who was admitted to be well fitted for
the place. Attic same time q minority
report signed BY one member was sub.
mitted, proposing $1,000. Eight mem.
bers voted for S2l0O-eleyen members
voted for $4,000. Pickett and Slaughter
were then immediately put in nomins.
ton for superintendent. The eight
members who voted for $2l00, voted for
Slaughter; and the eleven members who
voted for $1,000. voted for Pickett. We
are satisfied some OF those who voted for
Pickett did so. believing him much bet.
ter fitted than his opponent, and Dr..
Mitchell explains hati was the obstinacy
Of the eight in refusing to unite with
certain members of the majority on
Colonel Leath or another. that
determineD the majority to elect Mr..
Pickett, but we fail to discover how an
obstinate minority Of eight could con-
troll the action OF eleven. or prevent the
election OF Colonel Leath at a salary OF
$500 had the eleven so chosen, and the
result certainly evinees shrewd manage
ment on the part OF Mr.. -Pickett's
friends. In July, 1874, the Board re
elected Mr.. Pickett for two years at
5000 q y~ear--thus violating all prece-
dent without the slightest necessity, and
thus saddlng upon the people Tor tive
more years a superintendent at that sal.
AIRY, secured 10 him as a necessary legal
consequence. The rule before that was
TO elect Tor one year.
While we have no desire to detract
from hr. Picketts Just merits, we do
perceive the vaunted superiority
which his friends have continuously
sounded through the press and other
channels till the Board have come to
accept It as Q faot without question. 1t
occurs 10 us that had he properly graded
and managed the schools there would
not have existed the necessity for the
teacher at Clay street. nor the for.
nation Of q select school OF twenty
eight on Wellington street, while ample
room and instruction were at hand in
the Linden street school. We think,
fnrthermors, that q proper care on the
part OF the superintendent would ex-
clude from the schools e number Of
children obviously under six, who ought
De at home With their mothers, and
would effect a consolidation Of some
schools and classes, especially il the
ball day system were adopted with the
primary grades, so as TO dispense with
some OF the teaDhera.
Into Mr.. Pickett educational acquire.
ments We were noe authorised. had We
been competent, to inquire, and there
fore pronounce no opinion. The School
Board COMMITTEE invited, and charges
Of in~competency were preferred against
him, and there being some difference of
opinion as 70 his competency among the
members OF that Committee, they. with
out q forinal investigation, referred the
question and the charges TO the School
Board without expression Of opinion.
10, We ind in the Washington street
school a teacher who has been employed
there since the opening 10 September
without being reported TO the Board. as
we are informed BY the Secretary. In
this Mr.. Pickett has violated the Bath
rule, which requires him to report all
appointments 70 the next meeting Of the
Board tor confirmation or rejection.
III. In the Clay street school, where
principal BarDum and eight teachers are
regularly employed, another teacher
Mr.. Wood was added and placed in
charge of a small class Of thirteen, never
exceeding twenty, according to his testi-
mony, in room No. 5. About the 4th or
9Th Of December comment a made in
the LEDGER on the employment Of two
teachers in this room. having less than
fifty pupils-one in charge Of q class Of
nine or ten. On the 9Th Of December
pupils enough were drawn from other
rooms and put in this room to swell the
number to ninety or more, constituting
Eve different classes or grades. and the
M