New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-02-12
judge Dibble,s Circular.

Judge Dibble, in his capacity as president
Of the School Board, recently volunteered
to interpret for the guidance OF the teachers
one of the resolutions of the body over
which he presides. Another singular phase
of this case is that the learned president
puts a construction upon the resolution
which the author, the directors who voted
for it, and the teachers generally consider
rather novel, if not trihe gratuitous. One
of the latter has addressed the REPUBLICAN
a letter, in which the action of her superior
officer is rather sharply criticised, but as we
sympathize with the weak in their contest
with the strong, we give publicity to her
note, as it seems to present the views of
nearly all the teachers in the city:
New ORLEANS, February 10, 1873.
EDITOR REPUBLICANS:
InclOsed you will find a circular addressed
to the teachers of the public schools. From
the appearance of the envelope, 1 Judged it
to be something very important. On open
ing the letter l found. to my sorrow, only
this unimportant circular, sent by order of
Mr.. Dibble. would be much pleased to
know wLO gave him authority to do this.
He says: "YOu are hereby notified that at
a regular meeting of the School Board. held
Wednesday evening, February 3, 1875, the
resolution by which Watson's Independent
Readers were adopted was reconsidered,
and the adoption rescinded." Every reader
of the REPUBLICAN is aware of this fact, as
also the following resolution: "That the
teachers of the public schools be authorized
so to organize their classes as to utilize the
school books at present in hand. of both
kinds. without requiring further changes
This is all very correct, with the exception
OF two words he has forgotten to mention.
In the original resolution the words read:
"Are authorized and requested so to organ.
ize." always like to be exact, although
not belonging to the legal profession. But
this does not matter; only when he goes on
and informs the teachers that the words
Gin hand in the above resolution apply
only to books actually in the hands Of
pupils, and purchased previous to February
3, 1875, and do not apply to Independent
Readers which may have been sent to
teachers by agents or others for sale or
exchange.
consider this as usurping his authority.
Who has given him the right to make this
statement! Are our public school teachers
not competent to define what is read by
them, without calling upon the legal pro-
fessiOn for assistance!
In the first place, the board did not gain
access to their regular meeting room, and
Judge Dibble first suggested that some
member move to adjourn. l can not see,
for this reason alone, why he should call it
a regular monthly meeting. Of course,
circumstances alter cases." Then, again,
he says, except in the schools of Carrollton,
no more Independent Readers are to be
sold or exchanged by teachers, or permit
ted in the schools. Who authorized him to
make this exception9 Certainly, not the
board, unless he constitutes himself the
board. Mr.. Dibble has no legal right |
to make this exception, nor have any
of the board, to view the matter in it's
prOper light. Carrollton is no longer par.
ish, having been Incorporated in the city of
New Orleans. The schools are also annexed
to our city schools and, of course, subject to |
the same rules and regulations, and no one |
member of the board is entitled to more |
right than another. After having passed |
a resolution, adopted by a majority of the |
board in session, all must submit the their |
decision. In my opinion the Independent |
readers are superior, and any disinterested |
party with but the slightest Judgment will |
think the same. Adopting books at one |
session and reconsidering the next reminds |
me OF an old, worn out adage of ''womans |
or of mot knowing her own |
mind" to whom, in this instance, more |
applicable than man! At any rate Mr.. |
Dibble's orders can be dispensed with at
present, as l am not inclined to receive |
them except when issued by proper author.
ity, the State or division superintendent.