Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1890-05-16
Letter from supt. Andrus.

Rtte0Q0QCC.
Letter from supt. Andrus.
W1NosA, N. D.. May IL, 1890.
To Whom 1t May Concern:
In reply to Mrs. Lestcr's communica-
ton. published IN the last issue Of the
RECORD. have this to say:
Mrs. Lester makes statements which
she cannot sustain. In the first place she
assumes that l must have told the editor
of the RECORD that she holds but second
grade-else how should hs know He
didn't know he simply asked her the
question, knowing it would be embarrass.
ing for the lady to withdraw-after IN.
nouncing herself as a candidate-whcul
the law became knswn. Mr. S,reeter set
ties the point she attempts to make, very
forclbly and satsfactorily--to me, at
least. I never had word with Mr..
Streeter on the subject until Wednesday
evening, April S0-some eight or sen
| days after she sent him her announces
ment.
She says am circulating the news that
she does not hold first grade, aud is not
capable of obtaining one. 10 tho first
charge plead guilty. have been asked
y few times what her grade is, anu
tell the inquirer but she cannot bring 10
me the party who has ever heard nc, say
! that she is not capable of obtaining o
first, for know nothing of her qualities.
tlous in the higher branches In this
connection will say that have told par.
ties. in reply tn those whs have asked me
if she were not disqualified, that she can
come in ut the next regular examination
June Sand take the frst-grads qucs-
tions. and her papers will be sent to the
state superintendent for correction. Sew.
eral have heard me say this.
She also says told her I did not have
the questions there, and she would have
to wait till June. plead guilty to the
latter part of the charge only. Had she
asked me il the questions were there, US
one lady did, she would have seen them.
US did the lady who inquired if had
them. OF the one hundred and three
certificates that have been issued in this
County. five are first Krade--less than 8
per cent. One will readily see that no
specially would naturally be made on
i llrst grade examinations Hence l said
mnthing about 1t publicly 70 the teachers
ut ihe examinxtiUn.
When Hrs. LESTER flushed hsr sxam,ns
tion, at about s o'clock 10 the evening.
she asked me- what tile qualifications OF u
teacher should be in order to obtain u
hrst named the additional branches
required, saying that il takes tw" exam.
nutIons TO compete for tirst. Perhaps
did uot explain who my authority was f0r
81 saying. Ata regular examination III
Fargo. Oct. 2. 1888. under Judge Mitch
ell, VINO 1T that tlnic WAS superintendent
Of Cass county. and who afterward bc.
came state superintendent, I asked him
what the qualifications of teacher
should be in order I" obtain Il first rra.ir.
tie named the higher branches, giving The
necessary per cent required to pass, and
saying that it required Two examinations.
Al the first the applicant takes the secOud
grade questions at tic next regular OK.
"mnatlnn, II successful in the first, The
applicant tukes the additional higher
brunches; then. II successful. the c.rtiti
Gale dates from tie first examination
Thinking Judge Mitchell very good
authority ON tho subject ! followed hit
instructions. The lady did not finish he,
examination ull quite late She appeared
to be in u great hurry, saying she had
some trading to do nnd long distance tu
drive that evening. Did sue expect to
take the six higher branches that evening,
after spending an entire day on the eighl
common brhuchesi | told her, US I did
several others, II she would remain iE
town till the next morning. would have
her certificate made out and she could
take it with her; but she thought she
could not, on account of losing so much
time In her school.
She also says have stated in the hear
ing OF certain parties that the certificate
she now holds will not entltle her to a
first. do not recellect sf ever having
good or bad. One second grade is US
good as another, so far us first Is con.
eerned
The lady will remember the, correspond
ence she had with me in February and
March. In which sh. wished me to renew
her old certificate without first giving her
an examination. This I could not do,
and to help her out gave her IL permit
good until the next regular examination
April I. When the time of the permit
was about to expire she wished me to ex.
tonu II, giving os reason that she did
not expect to teach or remain here longer
than It'll the close Of her term. This re.
fused to do, saying it would be estab
fishing precedent which cannot fol
low. But to help her out again. by sav.
ing her trouble and expense, I offered to
meet her at Emmonsburg on Friday,
April 4, naming Saturday hrst but this
was her day Of worship, 90 we changed
it to FRIDAY. To this she cOnaentad. hua
1t would seem that she changed her mind.
as people often do, and came to Winona,
April !. with the above. mentioned re-
suits. @
Like yourself,s Mr.. Editor. am sorry
Mrs. Lester has misunderstanding in
the matter. am willing Ia let the read-
ers of the RECORD decide the case when
| the facts are all known.
d lem, very respectfully, W. B ANDHus.