, 1890-11-20
CHARGES VIGOROUSLY DENIED.
II Anything Is Wrong the Taxpayers
arc TO Blame Tor IL.

appeared an article under the head
Of "A School Grumble" in last
weeks issue Of your paper ~purporting to
be from Iron Mountain containing many
words, but little substance and less truth.
Living at Iron Mountain station. | have
heard nothing before Of the great anxiety
among the farmers about school legislG-
ton in the coming legislature. Most Of
those who have children are very anxious
to have eight or nine mouths school and
choose their teacher. who is either a
relative, often one of the family. or some
particular ~favorite and charge them a
good figure for board and have them ohore
about the place when they are not teach
ing. They keep their children out Of
school for the same purpose ana the same
parties themselves admit it is impossible
for them to spare their children from
work for more than six months Of the
year aud thew are openly accused Of
taking more OF n financial than educa.
ional interest in the school business.
The assertion that many people ride
fifty and in some instances seventy-fve
miles to attend school meetings is ridicul-
Gus, as any one can see who will take a
glance at the plat of school district No. 2
as it is not that distance dlagonally across
it 10 any direction. Upper Horse Greek
school house is FIVE miles from the west
line and about nine miles from the south
line. The farthest that anyone came on
MAY 5th last, was about forty miles. A
man employed on the T Y ranch by
the Swan Land h Cattle Co, who has, or
claimed to have, two children and wanted
as much school time allowed as anyone.
He even insisted on seven months at least
and seemed to have some feeling In the
matter when be was allowed but FIVE
months. After the meeting closed he
handed the directors an application from
his wife for the school. He brought n
wagon and took two days so he could
bring his gall with him.
The complaint against Horse Creek
controlling school elections is certainly
worthy OF the author. If so it is done
legally and lawfully by casting their ballots
as they have a right to do and do not
know Of their ever having abused their
privilege or the balance OF the district.
Upper Horse Creek school house was
settled upon as the place of meeting by
ballot the same as county seats and state
cApitols usually are chosen and | cannot
see what better way IL could be decided.
Ii they control the school elections and are
willing to allow two children five months
schooling who live in n remote corner of
the district they MAY well feel proud
of such power, and others ought to feel
thankful. unless it should DO the unlucky
taxpayers, but those who kick the most
have the least taxes.
The in~sinuating charges the correspon.
dent makes against the directors are
utterly false in every particular. The one
man power he refers to 1t seems would
DO alright il he was the one man. While
the minor matters of the different parts
Of the district are lett to the directors
living nearest l can assert l have con-
suited the other directors in all matters of
any consequence such as having teachers.
buying supplies, opening schools etc, and
can positively assert / have never opened
school without consulting those that were
to send their children to the school and
have never adjourned or closed school,
until the full amount Of time which they
were allowed was completed and in
several instances the last two or three
months was taught with onlyione pupil in
attendance.
The importing OF children to obtain
schools at ones own house was practised
upon the last meeting as a burlesQue and
denounced by the directors as soon as
proposed but was allowed by the voters of
the district so l cannot see as the fault
can be imputed to us. Perhaps the
''grumbler" voted Tor it himself as a kind
of joke on some one. The school in
question has not been called for as yet
and my impression is that it was never
the intention Of the party to have any
school.
The charge that warrants are issued
and paid only at the pleasure of the d.
rectors. if the writer means that there is
any wilful neglect or fraud in the payment
Of the same l shall have 20 say emphati-
cally it is a lie. Every one perhaps Is
aware that school directors receive no
salary whatever and it is not in the nature
of things hat director will always stay
at home for fear some school teacher may
wish a warrant drawn, signed or paid. but
when at home discharge their duty cs
best they can. As to hiring teachers and
forcing them Upon people against their
wishes is 10 fact, il not in particular,
false. for when there is but one family
sending to q teacher we allow them to
choose any one competent, unless where
mothers want TO teach their own children,
which, it seems, Is out OF reason. Where
two or three families send TO one school
/ am sorry to say it is impossible to suit
all 80 we are compelled to do as nearly
right as We can.
Mr.. George w. Snow of Little Bear is
clerk of our board and MIR. Robert TAFT of
Islay is treasurer. both thoroughly compe-
tent and honorable, having served in the
same capacity a number of terms. !
served = number of years ago as treasurer.
l am now direction and were / ever SO
bad | do not believe / would be allowed
by such men as Mr.. TAFT and Mr.. Snow
to greatly abuse the little privilege | have.
The affairs Of 4 district can and should be
and virtually are controlled by the tax
payers with certain lawful restrictions as
in reasonable bounds and at the very
--..s n ~ E.kN -