The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-05-01
Where a Naples School Teacher
Opened the Term.
TWO SCHOOL MIsTREsSEs TO
FOUR YOUNG HOrEFULs.
The Teacher Who Sat oil the Steps Did So
Because She Was .'Dr. Rounds's
Teacher" and Mr.. Clark was Keeping
the Keys for His Teacher-An Unpar-
allied State of Affairs.
Especial to the PRESS. J


allied State of Affairs.
Especial to the PRESS.)
| Naples April 30.-With school supervisors
two sets of teachers. legal proceedings pend
ing and threatened lone supervisor holding
the keys, the other getting even by putting
new locks on the school house doors. ani
everybody talking of little else. the village
of Naples has more excitement than has
fallen 10 its lot for many years.
| All day yesterday school teacher in one
of the districts in this town sat on the
steps of the school house because the door
was locked and she couldn't get the key.
Today in several of the schools there were
two teachers. This state of things is the
result of the trouble to which brief refer.
| ence was made in this mornings PRESS.
1t was in the Barker neighborfood, SO.
called that the teacher, Miss Lillian Plum.
mer. sat Oh the door steps. She is known
as DR.. Rounds's teacher" DR.. Rounds be.
ing one of the rival superintendents. Mr..
John CLARK, the other claimant to the Office,
| had the keys awaiting the arrival of his
teacher. All the teachers in town are now
| known as ''Dr. Rounds's teacher" and "Mr.
Clark's teacher" as they were bired by
one supervisor or the other. In the Long
Woodfdistrict both teachers had arrived
yesterday. which was the opening day OF
the term. and they made the best of the
| situation, dividing the school and going ii
on II species of pedagogical partnership.
| AS there were only four scholars present,
the young ladies were not oyerburdened
with work.
The school in this yillnge is kept in neat
| white building of the style so familiar in
Maine villages. On mound above stands
| substantial brick church and on the flag
pole in front this afternoon the Stars and
Stripes auttered in the lazy breeze. So the
school is under the protect tiUn apparently,
of church and state. 1t is also under the
charge of two teachers. In the little square
entryway, devoIed to the girls, hung eleven
hats and cloaks. and On the other side OF
the building hung the headwear of five
sturdy little boys.
When the PRESS correspondent knocked
at the door this afternoon he was greeted
by .'Mr. Clark's Teacher Miss Alice Can.
uell.
u want to see school ma naged nnSe1
the new system with two teachers. if you
have no objections" said the correspon.
dent.
81 don't object if the other teacher
doesn t" replied Miss Cannel1. as she indi
Gated, CDR. Rounds's teacher" who sat in
the corner Watching the exercises.
"DR. ROUNDS'S TEACHER"
is Miss Adelaide Stevens of North Windham
who was also willing that visitors should be
received. Meanwhile the sixteen little pu-
pills were looking on with evident wonder
Here there has been no division of labor
Miss Stevens told the writer that she hac
driven fifteen miles. from her home in Nortl
Windham to take the school, but rs she
found Mics Ca nnell in possession. she die
not feel like interfering in the exercises
being content for the present at least, tC
play the part of a spectator. Nevertheless
Miss Stevens prop osed 10 hold the fort un.
til the. question is settled one way OF an.
oher. She said that she had heard that
| there had been some etrouble in Naples over
| the schools, but she bad engaged to teach
the school in good faith. not knowing that
| another teacher was in possession. She in
timated that.she should consult an attorney
| to find out what her rights are. That is a
phase Of the controversy. by the way, that
deserves attention. Both 'Mr. Clark
1
are young women who are capable, and
have taken the positions in good faith. but
| sooner or later one set must step out and
even If way is found to pay them for the
time they have worked they will have
taught only part of a term, and will be put
| to much Trouble and Inconvenience.
Miss Cannoll expressed willingness to di-
vide mp the school on the Longwood plan.
but Miss Stevens preferred 10 let Miss Can
| nell conduct the classes as she was the first
| on the ground.
| As was stated in the PRESS. this trouble,
which is the great topic of discussion in
| Naples,grows out of difficulty vi last win
ter, caused by the refusal of the school
| board, as it was then constituted. to permit
two children from outside districts to at
| tend school in the village proper. During
| the term last winter, young girl, Nellie
| Proctor. the daughter of a we'll to do for
mer of the town. wanted to attend the vii
| lage school because there were no pupils OF
| her own age in the district where she lives.
| So she came to the village to live in the
| family of Mr.. George W. Hall, who keeps
| the hotel here. The committee was then
composed of John Meserve. Levi Cannell
| and DR.. Rounds, who acted as supervisor.
Mr.. Hall said today. concerning the
CASE OF MISS PROCTOR
| that Mr.. Cannell was willing that she
should stay in the school, claiming that Ms.
| Hall had right to send a schtlar. Mr.
Meserve and DR.. Rounds maintained Ihat
she didn't belong there. and that the sohooi
| was too large. "They told the teacher not
| TO hear her lessons" said Mr.. Hail. ana
finally told her they should put her OUT II
she didn't leave. thought wouioh1 &c
to law about it; am too old for that' ana
SO she came out. After Nellie hao oeeh
| turned out. Charles Richardson son sa. IN
| school two weeks. and the teacher ~ohluh
| rec oenize him. AS you're going to Ventiiate
this. you might MS well put it all IN.
| Now it seems that when the time iof 'he
last March meeting came around, the pusi-
| tion of the school committeeman Oh 'nis
matter resulted in determination oh Inc
part of their townsmen 10 put the con,'o'
OF affairs in other hands. There was 'u'
one member to be elected. SO In otuoi ~
change the control of the board. u was "eo-
assary to do SO by adding Lew members. an
1 n