Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1894-09-22
More About the tit. Carmel School
Controversy.
To the editor OF The Iieral'.
T, vo,,r ;ssre IF Ane,st % r,ot;s

,
an article from Mt Carmel. signed
Patron, purporting to be reply to
my article relative TO the efforts of GER
tain individuals. who for sometime
have done all in their power to retard
the interest OF the school at that place.
Friend Patron" claims that have
misrepresented them. do not know
i'll what way have done SO. unless it
was by not making public declaration
of all the facts connected Herewith.
do not propose to misreprescnt any
one, but do intend TO defend what l
believe to be right and set before the
public certain facts which may repre-
sent them in their true state Then
let the intelligent public judge for it
self and will chcerfully wait its de-
cision. Patron admits that an ef-
fort was made to change the board OF
trustees, but he Goes not tell for what
reasons and how 1t was done. AS he
has failed to do this, take the liberty
TO unfold Z few things associated with
this effort that he admits was made
1t was not because the board of trus-
tees at that time veae incompetent, or
that they had failed 10 do their duty
as trustees that this effort was made
to remove them. No, mol The facts
are, two of the trustees were personal
friends Of Mr.. Helsley, and no doubt
would have given him the school.
This would not have suited few in
dividuals who were opposed to Mr.. II.
So, as Patron" admits, an effort was
made to change things SO that there
could be 10 possible chance for Mr.. II .
to get the school,
A petition was written and sent
around on Sunday for the people TO
sign, praying the board OF education
to appoint two certain individuals who
it is well known would not employ
Mr. Helsley. Patron does not say
that this petition was sent around on
Sunday; he does not tell us that one
OF these parties had said that he would
never vote for Mr.. Finch, because Mr..
Finch had endorsed Mr.. Dehaven, a
Democrat, instead Of Mr.. --, a
good Republican, who had voted to
elect Mr.. Barney, a Democrat, to the
Office ofjustice of the peace. Patron
does not tell his readers that this same
party told Steel Square that if he
was trustee no Democrat could get a
school by his consent. l wonder if
Patron" knows anything about that
letter that was sent to J. A. Shockey
Does he know what the sum and sub
stance of that letter was? Dies be
know that Mr.. Shcekey allowed
Steel Square" to read it? Does he
know that Steel Square" has not for
gotten some OF the language used in
it. All, Patton" if "Steel Squar,"
did not know what he was doing ),
then, indeed, you might ask him to
measure himself, and as to the over
stock" we have have full supply Of
facts which we are willing to dispose
of as the occasion may require. o,
no; it was not because Mr. H. called
our children little devils, as you say,
that an opposition was raised against
him; it was not because he lad not
done his duty as teacher; but simply
because of his political sentiment
nothing more. Now, friend Patron,
upon what authority do you assert
that am the one that said no DIN
Democrat should be allowed TO teach
ia tile public schools If l mistake
not, sir, this is about the language
used in that letter AMI reminds he Of
similar remark made at the Sunday
school, a few years ago. by the same
party.
You say that | made the remark
myself, and that cannot deny it.
am happy, sir, to inform you that do
most empiatically deny the assertion
and brand it as falsehood, and chal-
enge any man, white or black, to es-
tablish it on oath. am confident.
sir, that at no time did | ever make
use Of any such language, from the
simple fact that such an expression is
incompatible with my sentiments rel
alive to our social relations with each
other. When we become so low as to
imbibe such sentiment, we draw the
line that must separate even husband
and wife, father and son, brother aud
sister. Heaven forbid that Steel
! Square should ever stoop so 10 was to
allow his political sentiments 10 gain
supremacy over moral principle. Now,
friend Patron, don't try to pass your
meanness off on some one else. but
take your medicine and get we'll
You know how things have been at
Mt Carmel heretofore. and how they
are at the present time, and how they
are most likely to be, so long as this
ring eonspires against the interest Of
public benefaction. 1t will be dark
day for this nation whe.l her social
and religious institutions are under
the control Of political prejudice.
/ Nj. Finch informs me that he APP
pointed Mr.. Dehaven because he knew
him to be fully competent to fill the
position; nor because be was a Demo
crat, but because be believed him 10
be gentlenEn fully qualified in every
particular Ard nov. because Mr..
Finch made choice Of Mr.. Defaven,
some Of those worthy gentlemen men,
toned by Patron. who he says are
capable Of filling any office in the gift
Of the people, objected and vowed
they would never vote for Mr.. Finch,
Why' Because he had appointed a
Democrat for school trustee. Simply
that and nothing more.
Respectfully,