The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-11-09

DALLAS, Nov. s.. Editor HERALD +.
lnyour issue OF the 9th instant appear.
the following query; "Hy reason Of wha
authority did the colored male teacher
N the public free schools of Dallas abar-
don their pOSts ofduy during the scAoo,
hours OF yesterday, and spend tho da,
lettering around hepolls3"
X. ID. CpIGHANOUR
Member of the school uoa,d."
| have purposely delayed answeriu.
the above To give the responsible part,
'u opportunity TO reply. | have seen no
answer, however, aud believing tha
->e,y citizen has right 10 know III,
motives which prompt public men TO ac.
ton, and that other citizens than the
above share his wish, very cheerlulh
comply with the request.
Inc responsible party is Capt. G. NJ
SWink, another "membGr Of the school
hoard lie approached me Oh tho sub
lect the week previous, and asked if
was willing to give one or more of the
colored men the privilege of closing
their schools on the 4th of November,
expressing the belief that it was a legal
holiday | stated my doubts on the
subject, and as | was exceedingly busy
early and late, Saturdays included, /
ild not take the trouble TO look the
matter up. Besides, the schools need
all the teaching they will get this year
and more, and | am as willing TO con.
tribute my holiday to the schools as |
have my Saturdays. | therefore with
held my consent, and plead for the
schools, all the schools, and begged that
wo might not DO interrupted in this
great work.
On Monday the captain called again,
: hnf m
desired the day, and that he would take
NV the responsibility of their disrnisgnl
After discussing the matter still further.
ana protesting as before, | finally
yielded with the express understanding
mat they should lose q days wages, 5,
mat III the end their schools wonld re
celve the same amount of attention.
three other cases of assumption of re
possibility by members OF the board
nave this wear occurred, one equally
against my Judgment and protest, and
no demurrer has been made nv the
board. These precedents having been
established, | presumed it would be
safe to follow them, and think have
done right. find, upon further investi-
cation, that November 4 WAS n LEGAL
holiday, and had been as eager TO have
4 holiday as some who had il, / should
havc hunted up the law on the subject.
The captain solicited a note from mo,
and obtained tho following:
MeSSrs. Howell, Ray, Stokes and Shark:
you wish to be absent from your
schools tomorrow and have one davis
wages deducted from your salary, have
no objections.
would Just as freely have included
in the list all tho teachers in the public
schools, and believe that they arc emit
tied to a holiday in it's place. Tho
reader may say that did wrong, but i'm
the light of the prccedcnts, and in the
absence Of all rules and regulations he.
You'd the fundamental ones Of the ordi
nance, l can not see how anyone.
not tyrant over his teach.
ers, could haze done otherwise
under the circumstances. Capt. Swink
authorizes me to make full statement
OF the circumstances, and wishes il dis-
timely understood by the people of Dali
las that he is wholly responsible tor the
entire transaction.
hope in future all parties wishing to
Know the reason for what il done, will
do me the simple Justice to interview me
on the subject, before rushing into
print. WA. BoLEs.
Superintendent Public schools.