The Newtown bee., 1894-11-30
GRAY's PLAIN SCHOOL WAR.

GRAY's PLAIN SCHOOL WAR. A BIT OF SCHOOL BOARD HISTORY AM OTHER THINGS.
 The writer of this Is member of New towns famous Board of Education, wh, now, for the first time appears in prin anent the Gray's Plain matter. am no an off OK, but belong to the near side O the educational team. So much for per sonal explanation.
 In the preliminary skirmishing, wal silent; but 1t should not be understood from this that silence gave consent was always vigilant, wide-awake. Wher was asked, as I frequently was, why did not make reply to the many effusions In THE BEE upon the state of affairs ir Shiloh, from the pen of the septuage harlan and others, replied then, as state now, DtSAuSS hSNSh SaW any bhihS HE BEE on this matter worth answering"
 But this bridling of tongue and pen. besides being Scriptural injunction (the only kind that bothers us) was very wise in worldly way. Events and persons were making history favorable to the cause we stood for, the re-opening o1 Gray's Plain school under the statutes and the protection of the towns interests Add now that the legal encounter has served to clear the murky atmosphere which for so long has obscured things in briefly the position of the majority who voted to assume our statutory right and duties on November F, 1S94 Martin Ky an had legal right to hire his daughter before July 15, 1894. He did hire her, and 1t was legal contract. While that contract was not inyalidated, the board could not examine and give any other teacher certificate for that district, un less, as Secretary Hine wrote, the board wanted the town to pay for two teachers But the district could discharge the teach CT. Then the discharged teacher would have an action against the district foI breach of contract, and could recover her pay for the time she was legally hired but It would leave the board free to ex anime any teacher brought on by George Winton The latter claimed she was dis charged. Ryan's counsel denies. this What was to be done? Employ counsel for the board. It was done, and the towns attorney decided that it was ou duty and right to enter, take possession employ a teacher and conduc- the schoo miltee appointed bv the board, as pro vided by Section 2ls3, Connecticut Stat ures. This committee ,uld have hire, any other legal teacher, but for the fac that this would transfer the suit fo wages from the district to the town The efore the old teacher was employe, by the board And .'she is still keepinI business at the old stand;" and it look like the returning sun of new era,-a era of good vii, peace and common sens In Shiloh.
 But when read in last weeks BE that long suffering public were to ge 'sboth sides" of che school troubles, vi Shiloh, was curious, must confess Most of us know that the editor of TH BEE could get an authentic report c every occurrence material to the cass pro and con, much nearer home, upo request.
 The board of education Is not a sta chamber body, it's meetings are public and it's records are open to the inspectio of any citizen. And the keeper of tn records is the postmaster at Newrown.
 sslll I, in common with many, was c, rious to zee how the most trenchant { facils pen could garnish district recor There is something solemn and stupi looking about records, but, like trutl they will not bear tfifing with And it proved In this case. There was no . dsnda, no abstraction, and hence no ga niahing. But the failure of the clerk qualify has fatally twisted them. St thsrs they stand and will stand till mo grows over the tomb of Shiloh's yillaI Hampdsn.
 We knew what they did not 1t tn tlns ln shiloh. that there would be Cha osr II se bhs story; bot none of us kns ensn ehae fhsrs would be alsc seqn' { 1Ss ehere VI; and ws III know t no
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