National Republican., 1876-08-16
THE PUBLIC SCHOOL TROUBLE.
The District Commissioners and Committee
Meet

meet
The committee appointed at the meeting in
South Washington last Monday night, to ex-
press their disapproyal of the removal of Mr..
j. E. Thompson as teacher of the Fourth Dis
trict Male Grammar school and wait upon the
District Commissioners, did so yesterday morn
ing, and found Messrs. Dennison and Phelps,
at their rooms, General Ketcham being absent
at the Capitol.
Mr. John T. Given, who had been selected to
present the views of the committee and those
they represented, not being present, Mr.. j. E.
F. HolIlead acted as spokesman. He said that
he appeared as chairman of a committee COM
posed of twenty four gentleman to present the
views and wishes of one of the largest and most
respectable meetings of citizens of South Wash
ington ever held. They are wounded and feel
that an outrage has been perpetrated In the
dismissal of Mr.. J. E. Thompson, as principal
of the Fourth school district, and as natural
sequence ask the dismissal of Trustee Champ
lin, who, they believe, to crafty petty malice,
has not only outraged all the rules of propriety
which should govern a gentleman, but has
demonstrated that his feelings are of so low
and groveling a nature as to render him en-
tirely unftted for the position of trustee. The
question We ask you to decide is whether or
not the trustees have imperial powers, or are
they the representatives of our citizens? The
seventeen persons, asking the removal of Mr..
Thompson. Ten of them, by private letter, had
withdrawn their names. Of the seven re-
naming, during the past year Mr.. Thompson,
in the discharge of
HIS DUTY AS PRINCIPAL,
has had occasion to discipline children of four
of them, which leaves but three In opposition
to Mr.. Thompson's reelection. In opposition
to these was offered petition signed by over
four hundred names asking that Mr.. Thomp-
son be retained. Now, shall these three pc
titioners, or these four hundred signers, sup
ported by the meeting of last night, predomi-
nate What they ask is, have they no rights
In the schools they support, and are they to
be told that they shall have no voice as to
who they prefer as instructors for their chill
drens What the parents of the pupils desire
is the retention of Mr.. Thompson, against
whom not whisper of reproach or calumny
has ever found utterance among our citizens of
the Fourth school district: the dismissal of
Trustee Champlin, who has proved himself un-
worthy, and the appointment instead of Mr..
W. j. Stephenson, gentleman every way
competent as trustee, and who possesses the
confidence of our entire community.
Gov. Dennison on taking the papers said
that the Commissioners, through the press of
the city, were well aware of
THE EXISTENCE OF A DIsAFFECTIoH
on the part of citizens in relation to school
matters, but this was the first time it had come
before them officially. In the absence OF one
of their number, Commissioner Ketcham,)
they could make no answer at this time, but
would carefully consider the papers presented,
and after q thorough consideration in full
board they would inform them of their action.
A conversation ensued between several of
the committee, Messrs. Kalbfus, Fenwick,
Holmead, Culver and others, and the Commis-
sioners, In relation to the latter requesting the
school board to withhold any further action as
to the appointment of teachers until action be
taken by the Commissioners on the resolutions
submitted; but the Commissioners declined to
interfere at all with the administrative duties
of the school board until they should inyesti-
gate the Whole matter.
The committee lien retired.