St. Paul daily globe., 1892-06-30
so THE ROAST WENT
The First Ward School Indig-
nation Meeting Gets In
Its Work.
Politicians Make an Effort to
Call Off the Excited
Leaders.
A Sweeping Roast Admins
tered to the Entire School
System.
st. Paul Graduates Make q
Good Showing in the
Examinations.

The adjourned meeting of the citizens
in the First ward TO protest against the
removal of Miss Lucy Bolton as prinei-
pal of the Grant school was very tame
last night as compared with the meeting
of last week. There were only about
twenty-five present, and only half of
them resided in the Grant school dis
trict. 1t seems that the politicians of
the ward had called the few kickerS
down to large extent. G. B. Brunson,
the First ward Republican boss, went
there to hold the meeting in check, and
he was called to the chair. After taking
the gavel he waited some time for the
appearance of the committee appointed
at last weeks meeting, with its report.
He stated that he understood that Rev.
Freeman had the report in his pocket,
and was then attending prayer meeting
and would be in later. Mr.. BrunSOn then
proceeded to make a speech, in which
he said that he wanted to know why
he had been invited to the meeting and
asked to preside. He lived in remote
district of the ward. He understood
that the meeting had been called to
protest against the removal of Il princi-
w
the Grant school for several years and
given lower grade in another school.
1t was claimed that politics had some
thing to do with IL. If that was
true he was willing to take up
the issue and make fight
upon it. He alluded to the strong Re-
publican proclivities of the First ward
and his political influence therein, and
said that while he has no children and
does not live in the district, yet he is
ready to make political issue of the
matter if the board of education desires
to do so.
w. f. Wyman arose to state that the
superintendent had expressed high re-
gard for Miss Bolton. but, notwii hstand-
ing that opinion, the superintendent
had advised the removal OF the princi-
pal. He expressed the view that moth
ing can be accomplished by this meet
ing. There is 10 use in trying to dO
anything further with the board. He
advocated going to the mayor with an
other petition. He thought it unwise at
the last meeting to particulariZe mem
bers Of the board. He blamed all of
them, and protested against the removals
of Miss Bolton. ~,
George f. Wooise moved that club
be formed for the purpose of carrying
out the purpose of furthering the cause
in the interest of which the meeting WIS!
called. He thought that club could
do more than mass meeting where's
only few meet. Chairman BrunSonI
was inclined to the view that the notion
was out of order, as the meeting WAS
called for specific purpose. i;C
Shortly after this Rev. j. q. Freeman
came into the room, and was calledf
r1n ran q CT q tIh q
Aid. Copeland, who was chairman of
the committee. was out of the city. butt
thath he had areport. which he proceeded
to read. The report is as fOllows:C7i 81
The citizens of the First ward regret that
there is increasing dissatisfaction with thei
management of our public schools. Not only
in the general system of teaching, which
may be regarded as snowy and shallow. but
more particularly in the dismissal and ap-
pointment OF teachers.
The First ward appears to have been pc
culiarly unfortunate in this respect. Teach
ers of long and faithful service, and occupy
ing high positions, having been removed
with little or no justification whatever. We,
therefore, parents and taxpayers en-
ter our earnest protest against
such changes, and condemn the
The SUPERINTENDENT. the committee on schools
and the board of education for such uncalled-,
for and arbitrary proceedings. In the first
place. bee .auset is directly and universally op-
posed to The expressed wishes of those most
Interested; that is the parents and taxpayers
of the vicinity, who have declared their wishes
in deputations and petitions to the superin-
tendent and the board. For four years
past the parents of this vicinity have visited
The Grant school . in large sIgt numbers aa1tsrs
and appreciation of the school and
its esteemed principal: and as no word of
complaint has ever been made to the super
intendent of schools, the news of the removal
ftoa
whole community.
In the second place. because such action is
contrary to precedent and to established
policy of school boards. The tendency is to
Some of those removed were studying for
ment for old. faithful teachers. giving
entire satisfaction to their constituents, to be
removed and others pnt in their places who
are not even in the employ of the board. In
all kinds of employment long and faithful
service has some claim. We merely ask the
same i'll our public schools
In the third place, we condemn the in
spectors for accepting and occupying
positions to which they, by their
acknowledgment, do not devote suffi-
cient time to qualify them to act in
depeudently. In regard to the details
of the teaching educational department
schools nor acquaint themselves with the
teachers. Even after it was known to the
cmmittee on schools that the superintendent
intend ed to dismiss the principal, they did
not interest themselves sufficiently to visit
the schools or seek personal in-
terview with the principal. To
thus summariiy dismiss one who
has occupied her position longer than the
SUPERINTENDENT or thr INSPECTORS have theirs
without judging for themselves, we consider
the inspectors guilty OF great unfa1rness to
the principal. In fact, she has not had any
show OF fairness i'll the whole matter 1t
was only at noon OF the day on which the
committee was to meet and decide the mat.
ter that the superintendent Informed her of
his intention, and wrote her II she
had any communication to make to
send it in that evening. At best
SO far as the educational department of the
school board is concerned. the inspectors are,
in a word mere cloak to the superntendi
ent. If they do not interest themselves III
the work, and visit the schools, and know
something about the teachers so as to act for
themselves, better do awav with the commit
Tee on education altogether. In this respect
we favor the old system. where each in
spector did know something about the
schools in his ward.
In view of the foregoing considerations,
the parents and taxpayers of the First ward,
having thoroughly canvassed this whole un-
fortunate subject. would recommend:
First-That strong committee of int1uen-
tial citiZens be appointed to circulate anothf
er petition among all the parents and patrons
of the schools interested, for the reinstate-
ment of deserving teachers, and tnat this
committee. after having completed its CAM
vass walt upon HIS Honor Mayor Wright
and give the full statement of the grievances,
of the First ward citizens, and request his.
influence in securing fair treatment in the !
management of our schools.
JOHN COPELAND. tAlV
JAMES B.. FREEMAN,
WILLIAM F. FREEMAN,
C.. X. SHARoOD
LAWRENCE FOLEY.
After the report had been read by
Rev. Freeman, Chairman Brunson took
up the paper and read it deliberately in