The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1879-03-28
MOLINE.
The School board.

To the Editor Argus:
Ell. Ell. Grover and H. L. Bullen will no
doubt be candidates on the national ticket
for members of the school board. and every
citizen should see that neither are elected.
AS an example of the arrogance of II. II.
Grover, will cite an instance which can
be proven. A few months ago little
child seven years old was in recess room,
sitting on window-sill. and some one of
her playmates caught her dress, and 10
irving to save herself from falling. her
head struck the glass. breaking pane in
the window and throwing her to the floor.
Her face and shoulder were hurt, the form
er badly bruised. Instead of trying to
minister to the comfort of the little one,
the teacher sends immediate word to the
principal, excusing the child who pulled
| the little ones dress and caused the
trouble, and laying the blame on the little
| girl who was innocent of any intent to IN
| iure property. Mr., Mock, the principal,
in accordance with the rules, at once noti-
| fed the father of the child, informing him
that unless the matter was settled she
would be excluded from the school, and
then notified the school board of his
action. Fl. II. Grover and Ii. l., Bulen
succeeded in getting the authority of the
! board to collect 50 cents for the broken
pane of glass.
| The father of the child wrote to Mrs
Huntoon, the teacher, explaining how the
accident occurred and claiming, very Justly
too, that he was not responsible, nor indeed
could he sec how any of the scholars were.
This letter was laid before tie board, but
Grover and Bulen had set out to collect
the 35 cents, and did not propose to be
baked in that way. Grover then wrote a
letter to the father and informed him very
CURLY, and evidently with a keen relish
that no exception could be made in this
case, and ending by stating that prompt
Isettlement of the amount must be made
Failing to bullGoze the parent of the little
one, the matter Was temporarily trans
} ferred to Bullen, whose peculiar adapta-
ton to the duties OF collector have never
been eQualled since the time when Shy
lock demanded his pound of flesh. The
father of the Child was not to be bulldozed
however, and Bullen failing to force coilec-
ton, the child was sent home and deprived
Qi school privileges.
The father then wrote to State Supcrin-
tendent Etter, who stated that there was
Inc liability, that the state law was not ins
tended to apply to cases where no wilful
Intent or careless neglect was shown.
Armed with this document the father
sought Grover, and that parsonage con-
tenn tuously remarked "Oh, we don't
waste our time looking up the state laws.
We make our own rules, and don't care
whether they are 10 accord With
the state law OF E0t" Bullen
was equally independent, probably be Eas
vexed TO think that he had failed to make a
collection. O.her equally good cases in
point were shown Grover and Bullen but
they refused to even consider them. In
fact stated to the parent OF the Child that
they made their O1Un rules and that all the
taxpayers could do was to recognize them.
Now | ask any citizen if this is the kind Of
men for the school board. If our state
laws are not TO be recognized, if the tax
payers are to be ignored ty couple OF
political leeches, then why rot abolish the
school board entirely? Why have any
state laws it they are 10 be trampled upon
by q couple of iucom peteEts, one OF whom,
Grover, has no children, knows nothing
about their case or how they should be
treated, The mere matter of 81 cents did
not weigh in the balance with the father OF
the child. Had the little girl been to
, blame at all, ten times the amount would
have been cheerfully paid. 1t is the as
sumption of unwarranted power, the self
importance of these politicians that is the
cause of complaint No doubt had MIR.
Grover taken the pains to investigate the
matter, he would have discovered the real
cause of the accident. But no, he did not
propose to bother his head about causes,
or state laws, or rights Of taxpayers, be
wanted the people to understand that he
was the laU, that he was the party who
run the machine, and be didn't propose to
be bothered comparing opinions with any
: one, There is altogether too little atten-
2 ton paid to the election of members of the
, school board If the voters would turn
lieut. aud give the matter the care it re-
quires, good men would be elected and
such incompetent political leeohes as Bull
} len and Grover, would never get there. |
? think the law would warrant the father Of
, the child in bringing suit for damages. The
school board has no right to exclude any
scholar from school for any such occurrence
as the one herein cited and Messrs. Grover
} and Bullen, may yet lsRrn that they do not
oson the taxpayers Trusting you will
give this place in your columns, | remain.
TAX PAYER.