St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-08-11
TELLS HER STORY,
Miss Taylor Shows the Injustice
of Her Position.

of Her Position.
To the Editor of the Globe
Your Saturday issue contains an in
terview with J. G. Pyle. member of the
school board. The heading is: miss
Taylor at Fault" Simple justice and
self-respect demand that l make an
swer. That many misstatements have
been mad in this matter" will be ad-
mitted by all acquainted with the case.
AS it wO uld take more space to correct
all OF them than the GLOBE could reaS-
onably be expected to devote to the sub
Ject at this time. l will enter into only
those "misstatementS" made by the
honorable member of the board.
He states. first, that | was repeatedly
offered Il transfer to another school.
Why, then, did receive the following
notification?
ST. PAUL, Mimi. June 6, 1S92.-Miss Bee
Taylor, Van Buren, School, st. Paul-Dear
Madam: l am instructed by the committee
OIL schools 10 inform you that your applica-
ton for position in the public schools of
this city for next year was not favorably con-
sidered. This is written that you may, if you
desire, withdraw your application before the
meeting of the board. A communication TO
this effect. or any other, will be placed be-
fore the committee.
e. b. GILBERT. superintendent.
ASdlp, IL Tic DOHTu VI cuucdtlOil "
fered me a position, why did not my
teachers. as is usual in such cases? And
why was / not sent contract to sign?
And, further, if the board of education
offered me position, why did Supt.
Gilbert state to the messenger sent
flOm w. w. Erwin'S office on the 18th
of July that had not been offered a po-
sition? Is it not evident that the mis-
statement" in this matter has been
made by Mr.. Pyle? By whom was the
transfer offered? When? Will Mr..
Pyle kindly direct me to the school to
which l was transferred? There is
only one legal way in which the trans
fer could be offered, and that is by the
board OF education. L emphatically
deny that the board of education has
this year offered me position of any
kind.
Now, as to the "hearings" of which
Mr.. Pyle says so much: Mr.. Pyle would
have the public infer that several OPP
portunities to be heard were offered
me. Will he oblige Inc by stating ex-
pllcltly the number and dates Of these
invitations? l affirm that not one rea-
sonable opportunity was granted.
Having been Informed by member
of the board that OH the 18th of June
there would be committee meeting,
l went to the place of meeting On that
day; but on arriving was given to I'M
derstand by the member that informa-
ton as to the fact of the meeting was
not all invitation to attend tue meeting;
and that it was probable that my case
would not be considered at all that day.
Finally, however, | was invited into
the committee room from which, by
the way, Mr.. MCGEE had just ignoblv
retreated), and was told that would be
given the magnificent period of five
minutes for my "hearing." The time
being ridiculOusly inadequate, |, of
course. declined to make any statement.
MI. Pyle states: "She then appeared
before the board a second time, when
she was accompanied by her brother,
who addressed the board in her behalf"
With all due Difference TO Mr.. Pyle, l
would state that this was notmy second
appearance before the board, but my
first and only one. Of this board meet
ing L had no notification, and learned
of it only by accident. l did, as Mr..
Pyle states, appear with my brother at
this meeting, but Mr.. Pyle fails to state
that Mr.. AIcCleary was given only ten
minutes Ito address the board in her
behalf" and before even that short time
had expired Mr.. Pyle himself inter-
rupted with the following: Il do not
believe that the board cares to enter
into discussion of this matter" PHO
neer Press, June =. 1892.
Now as to the third opportunity" of
which MIR. Pyle speaks, wish to make
three statements.
l. | was not invited to the meeting,
as will be seen by the following com
munica ton:
st. PAUL, Mimi, July 10. 1S92-Miss Re-
becca Taylor. $50 East Sixth Street, st. Paul:
a meeting of the committee on schools will
be held at the Office of the superintendent of
schools on Thursday. July Is at 8 o. m for
the consideration of your request for reap
pOlntment.
G. B. GILBERT Superintendent.
1t would be noted that the above con-
tains no word of invitation to attend the
meeting, and from previous experience
Quoted above) | had learned that "a
invitation to it,
2. This notification did not reach me
until the evening of the 14th. Sever al
OF my strong supporters were out of the
city. Under these circumstances, fear
ing that Mr.. Gilbert might cOnstrue this
notice into an invitation, requested a
postpOnement. TO this request, made
on the morning OF the 18th, received
no reply; hence Judged that the meet
ing was portpOned OF that my presence
was not desired.
3. L am credibly informed that at no
time during the afternoon was there a
quorum of the committee present: COLI
sequently there neither was nor could
have been any business transacted; and
my presence or absence could have
made no difference.
MIR. MCGEE may have returned home
from Chicago" but he most certainly
did not attend that meeting.
From all the foregoing it is evident,
first, that no transfer has been offered
me: second, that have never had any
reasonable opportunity for hearing.
1t may be easily understood that it is
no pleasure to Inc to be called upon to
contradict any statement made by
gentleman of Mr. Pyle's standing, and
do it only under stern necessity.
And now in view Of the whole situa-
ton, / wish to make three points:
l. NO reason worthy of conSidera-
ton has ever been given for my re-
moval, On the contrary, the following
statement was made by Supt. Gilbert at
the board meeting held June 20: mo
charges were preferred against Miss
Taylor, nor were there any to bring."-
Pioneer Press, June 81. 1892.
g. Mr.. Pyle states that | was trans
| ferred (he should have said dropped)
on account of disagreement with Mr..
McGee. There has been no special dis
| agreement between Mr.. MCGEE and
myself. But, even if there had been.
| whose wishes should be respected, Mr..
McGee's or those of the patrons of the
school, who, by hundreds. have signed
a petition that l be continued in my
| former place?
8. The board is composed of busy
men, burdencd with a multitude Of
| personal cares. The list of teachers is
very large, Under these circumstances
it is natural that they should depend
largely upon the superintendent and
the principal: but would it not be better
to act on the suggestion of that member
of the board who advised that, when
principals had objections to any teacher,
these objections should be definitely
stated in time to give the board of edu-
cation an opportunity to investigate
these few special cases? Had this been
| done in my ease | have faith enough in