The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-09-06
ANOTHER SCHOOL LETTER.

Astoria Sept 5th 1896.
To the Editor
Being lately requested by numerous
patrons of the Cedar Street School dur
ing the last year to ventilate facts con-
nected with the election of teachers in
Astoria in the June of 1894, is my excuse
fer asking space at this time. There
was never "a time in the history of that
school that 1t stood higher, or was more
appreciated, than at the closing of the
school year of 1894. Many patrons and
friends viii remember the hearty con-
gratulations both teachers and pupils re-
ceived at the closing exercises, several
going so far as to say that the Cedar
Street School was the best in the city
/ did not get word of being dropped untE
the last of June, hence getting another
regular position for the following year
was totally out of the question: so that
the injury was the greatest that could
possibly have been inflicted. On coming
to Astoria to see about the cause, to say
that | found the patrons of the Cedar
Street School disgusted, is putting it
mildly.
The first director 1 approached, after
some hesitation, informed me that the
primary teacher had trouble l asked
him what that had to do with me. He
replied, ',The principal is the school,"
The next director also gave the same
reason, and 1 again ventured the same
question and for reply received a laugh
that was very convincing. The other two
directors not being well enough posted
to know That the principal of a school
is TO be held personally responsible for
private affairs of his assistants, and not
having a good, long-eared laugh ready,
had nothing to say, and seemed surprised
that they should be approached on the
subject. One of them kindly offered me
a good recommend" this as kindly le-
fused, as l like recommends" to mean
something. I could by this time appre-
ciate the position of some patrons who
had asked some of the members of the
board for an explanation of the matter,
but could not find anyone who knew
anything about it. AS MIR. Dickin son,
who voted for me, was kept in total ig-
norance of the hidden things of dis
honesty" and was so disgusted by the
methods used that 1t was only by earnest
solicitations OF his friends that he was
kept from reslgning, 1 had to seek infor-
nation from other sources than the
board.
I first learned that, before the election
the school clerk said to Miss Dickinson |
that there was a great amount of ieal- |
ousy existing against the Cedar Street |
School, and asked her If 1t would not be |
a good plan to take some teachers out |
of the Cedar Street and put them in the !
Court Street School, and put some Court |
street teachers in Cedar Street. 1 next |
learned that just after election, the clerk ]
said to Mr. Dickinson that he was afraid
that Prof. Hawes would not be elected,
as NIessrs Conn and Thompson were
always opposed to him and were only |
waiting a good chance to lrop him.
These statements surprised me, as my
relations with these directors always
seemed to be of pleasant nature, he-
sides, directors ought to be equally inter-
ested in all the schools of the city But
the explanation came at last. | learned
during the last Christmas holidays that
In a meeting of the Court Street teachers
before the election Of teachers in 1898,
the principal of that schoo, openly stated
that IL he had any influence with the
board, Prof. Hawes would not be re-
elected, am at liberty to use the name
Of my authority If this statement is dis
nuted, 1t was now perfectly plain where
he Jealousy existed, and why the op-
position of these directors was so mani
'est. The election of 1898 was quite soon
lfter the consolidation of the districts,
besides it would not look well for the
ihree directors dving outside of the Ce-
lar Street district to dictate the principal
'ver the votes of the two who lived in
t, consequently the dropping was post
,oned then. In 1894 these men had Mr..
)ealy where they could coerce him. Mr..
J. is on the board to keep his own fam
ly in positions. To accomplish this. he
would vote to drop every other teacher
n the city and elect the ghost of Crusoes
nan Friday principal of any school in
hich he had the power. These directors
rere to give Mr. Dealy's daughters posi-
Ions. in return for which he was to vote
o change the principal of the Cedar
treet school. and also do any other
oting the directors, who were always
pposed to Prof. Hawes. should dictate. !
hese are the simple facts Of the un- !
lanly affair. The Astoria people can Q
raw their own conclusions. why can c
OF Astoria have a board of directors l
lat can see more than one school in the $
ty. and act with unbiased fair lass to
Il? Respectfully. =
j. D. HAWES v