Daily Los Angeles herald., 1879-07-06
Duarle School misunderstanding.

EDITOR HERALD: Believing 1t
duty to make known to the public
any noted malfeasance of our off,
cials while in office, I ask leave to
insert this complaint against w.
P. Mcdonald, the County School
Superintendent, promising that the
duty I am now performing is one
of pain instead of pleasure.
Some weeks ago two of the Trus-
tees Of this district determined to
employ a lady teacher of this neigh
borhood to teach this school, to
commence at the beginning Of the
school year-the 1st of July. This
lady holds second grade certi6-
cate, though In percentage nearly
first grade. One of the Trustees
saw the Superintendent, who stated
to him that the lady was entirely
competent to teach the school. The
Superintendent also stated to Mr..
N. Van Tassel, of this neighbor-
hood, that the school had been
marked first grade by mistake, but
that the Trustees could go on and
employ the lady, and If any issue
was made about the grade he would
come out and examine the schol.
ars, and he knew it would then be
second grade. A few days before
the recent school election two of
the Trustees were about to enter
Into d written contract with the
lady to teach the school, when,
much to their astonishme one of
them received note from the Su-
perintendent not to employ the
teacher in question until he came
out. IhiS was week or so before
the school election. A few days
previous to this most singular
objection began to be urged by a |
few persons against the lady. 1t
was that she was Catholic, and
that Catholics should not teach in
public schools. This objection con-
tinued to be agitated warmly until
ths day Of the election. Two can
didates were In the field for Trustee,
one of whom it was understood
would oppose the lady and the
other support her. There was an
excititg election, and this religious
test, as the entire neighborhood
can assure you, was the only issue.
The "!iberaW was elected, and the
trustees were again prepared and
ready to engage the lady to teach
the school.
just at this conjuncture Mr..
Mcdonald, young Baptist min
lister, applied for the school and
stated officially that the Su-
perintendent had concluded to hold
the district as first grade, conse-
quently the lady could no longer be
an applicant. One of the Trustees
stated that he would favor the
lady's claim until otherwise in
structed by the Superintendent;
whereupon the Superintendent
came out Immediately yesterday
and proclaimed the school, without
examination, as promised, to be a
first grade, and urged the employ.
ment of Mr.. Mcdowell.
Now, as the Superintendent has
been perfectly cognizant of every
step Of these proceedings in our
nelghborhood, he knows perfectly
we'll that the lady in question was
the choice of the Trustees and
large majority of the patrons, as
Indicated by the recent election,
and that in thus making this first
grade school, contrary to his own
previous statements, and without
examination, he has exercised his
authority in behalf of sectarlanism
in our schools, which both the
spirit OF the age and the letter of
the school law-his guide-emphat-
ically denounce. A gentleman in
conversation with the Superin.
tendent yesterday denounced rather
warmly such tests as the one al
ready alluded to in the election of
Trustees, whereupon Mr.. McDon-
ald's reply was, "I'm a member of
the church myself" Comment is
unnecessary. 1t is needless to say
to say to what influence Mr.. Nc
Donald was evidently pandering.
Mr.. Editor, have more vet to
say-other charges to make--but
will not further trespass upon your
time and space. l do this In no
spirit of anger or malice, but with
simple desire that the public
may know the facts.
Yours truly, J. A. MARTIN.
Duartt, July 4, 1879.