The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-06-25
A FEW HARD FACTS
Jackson Between Two Stools
Ignorance, or What9
THAT PARTY OF FOUR
The Host Made a Hasty Depa rture
Leaving His Three Guests in
His Own Room.

Several weeks ago, at the request Of
Mr.. jackson, principal of the Cedar
Street School, Messrs. r. N. Wright,
Clark and Williams, respectively princi-
pals of the Court Street, Uppertown and
Alderbrook Schools, met at Mr.. jack
sons rooms to talk over the idea Of
conducting union commencement exer-
cises when all THE schools of the city
should combine in one united entertain
ment AT that meeing 1t was unanimously
decided that the proposition should be put
into practice, and all present agreed
THAT, before final action in the matter
was taken, 1t would be better to wait
till after the various institutions had held
their examinations. This was done In
order to allow of the four principals
choosing from among the pupils of the
eighth grade A classes valedictorian,
the honor to be given to the pupil from
any one Of the four schools who received
the highest percentage of marks on all
papers combined. An adjournment was
taken, at the suggestion of Mr.. Jackson,
to p. m. on Thursday last at his rooms.
AT the hour fixed Messrs. Wright, Clark
and Williams went to Mr.. Jackson's
rooms, but there were no signs of Mr..
jackson. Each Of these three principals
had brought with him the examination
papers prepared by the pupils of his
eighth grade class, and, in order that
valuable time should not be wasted, be-
gan to compare notes. 1t was then found
that Mr.. Wright had entered the room
with thirteen papers in his pocket, the
highest marks for any one of the thir-
teen being 80 per cent. Mr.. Clark had
two papers, with his highest pupils marks
averaging 81 per cent. Mr.. Williams sur
prlsed both his associates by bringing out
a series of papers written by a young
lady in the Alderbrook school which he
had credited with an average of 9S per
cent. Laying aside their own papers
both Mr.. Wright and Mr.. Clark imme-
diately, at the request of Mr.. Williams,
gave their attention to his set, and ex-
amined his markings and the balance of
each paper thoroughly After a search
ing and detailed examination they hear
tily congratulated Mr.. Williams on the
excellence of his pupils work, and agreed
that the percentage marked on Vt was
exactly correct. All the papers In the
Aderbrook set were models the mental
arithmetic sheets particularly containing
the finest school work that either the
Court Street or Uppertown principals
had ever looked at.
the appointed time, MIR. Jackson hastily
entered the room, and professed to have
forgotten the place of meeting. He then
brought out his own set Of papers. There
were thirteen of them, and the highest
was marked SO 2-5 per cent, being frac-
tion above Mr.. Williams markings, and,
IL correct, emitting Mr.. Jackson's school
to the honor of producing the valedicto-
rian for the union exercises. This set
of papers was handed by Mr.. Jackson
to Mr. Wright, and he, with the other
two principals, then set about examining
them. The first paper opened, was on the
subject Of grammar, and much to the as
tonishment of everybody In the room,
with the exception Of Mr.. jackson, five
serious and glaring errors, in addition to
those which that instructor of youth had
marked, appeared DIN 1t. The spelling pa
per was the next to be taken up and the
contents Of this occasioned even more
surprise. There were three unequivocal,
positive and unmarked mistakes, in the
spelling Of three simple words, and two
other unmarked errors in the body OF
the paper. For example, the word coun-
sel meaning advice, was speM council,
and had been passed as correct by Mr..
jackson. The geography paper devel-
oped three more glaring and unmarked
errors 1t and the grammar paper were
figured at 100 per cent each by Prof. jack
son. Messrs. Wright and Clark immedi-
ately decided THAT the unmarked errors In
any one of the three papers named were
sufficient to disqualify the set from first
place and agreed without hesitation that,
though they were sorry to see their own
institutions out Of tine race, Mr. Williams
examination paper was far and away
superior to any other In the room. The
three principals then called on Mr.. jack
son for an explanation OF the fragrant
discrepancies in the marking OF his best
paper. He stood up in a white heat, and,
after ravlng and behaving like a child,
declared that the paper was correct, and
that 1t should not be touched, and that
II his school did not get the valedictory
address, he would throw the whole thing
overheard. He was asked to explain
many of the simple unmarked mistakes
in spelling, but snatching up his papers
in bundle and without a word of apol-
ogy or explanation, told the principals
that he would run his own affair and
would under no circumstances join in
the union exercises He then left his
rooms, leaving the three gentlemen who
had come there at glis invitation to their
own devices.
They at once decided to go ahead with
out the assistance OF this erudite indi-
vidua and hold union commencement
exercises the following morning. This
was done, and, according to the fair and
honorable decision OF the whole Of the
teachers concerned, the Alderbrook young
lady was honored with the duties OF vale
dictorian. The same day Mr.. Jackson's
school accomplished its exercises. and the
valedlctory was spoken by pupil other
than the one whose papers were in dis
pute on the previous day. Among the
twelve pupils papers presented by Mr..
Jackson there were four above 80 per cent,
according to his markings Nobody can
say whether these were worth fifty per
cent or mot, as they were not examined.
Messrs. Wright, Clark and Williams de-
sire that II any statements made by the
Astorlan this morning be called into ques-
tion, Mr.. jackson shah produce the pa
pers spoken of and confound this calum-
ny. He either deliberately mlsmlrked
his papers, or he Is not fit man to have
ex xlmined them.
He can take his choice.
THE NEW TvTJOMpcON