Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-10-22
AIM OF MIR. AMENT.
Seeks to Have Principals Repu-
diate His Own Opinion.
SECRETARY AND HEAD JANITOR

Had Expressed Himself In Favor Of Both
LuSurics-His Own Words ut the Friday
Evening Meeting and What lie Also
Said About the Supervising JAnitor.
In this mornings Union Supt.
Ament. of the Rock Island public
schools. publishes below the clipping
from last Saturday nights ARGUS stat
ing that he had expressed himself at
the principals meeting the night be-
fore in favor of n private secretary with
n salary OF $1,000 and also a super
vising ianitor, a card addressed "to
whom it may concern" and signed
by Principals Mary Plat, Clara NJ.
Levey. Il. Requa, Sarah Johnston, A.
j.. Hill and l.. e. Doughterty, and
which reads:
1--WE, the undersigned principals
Of the Rock Island public schools,
hereby certify that the above state
ment from THE Rock ISLAND ARGUS
is absolutely false, in that Supt.
Ament made no such statement or
statements at our meeting, nor at
any other time or place to our
knowledge"
Following this is an extended ref
ercnce to the meeting in question
intended to appear with reportorial
tone and in which it is said:
"After l.. &. Dougherty had beer
elected chairman. someone preached
the desirability OF elccting n secre-
tory upon which MIR. Ament stated
that he didn't think they would need
one, as there was no occasion for
them to keep records. lie explained
that neither he nor the board of edu-
cation desired to have any records
Kept. and that he would attend the
meetings occasionally and learn all
he wished to in that way. Contin-
uiDg Mr.. Ament said that in larger
cities, especially in the east, q secre-
tary is employed to attend all meet
ings Of the board and teachers, but
he did not think that Rock Island
was as yet ready to employ such an
official ut large salary, and in fact
expressed the belief that such an OIL
cial is not needed. The subject of O
supervising or any other janitor-
ship was not mentioned by Mr..
Amcnt or any teacher present, as
there was no occasion for doing so"
The article goes on to say that THE
ARGUS has treated Mr.. Ament un-
fairly from his coming here and that
his work has been prematurely
judged.
One Who Could Not See IL That Way. =.
In a foot note il is explained that
Principal w. N. Halsey was not
present at the meeting. hence the
absence of his signature. but no ref
erencc Is made To the oversight in
the omission OF the signature of Prin-
cipal Anna Kirkpatrick. of school
building No. q. AS it was not
deemed worthy on the part of Mr..
Ament or the Union to refer to Miss
kirkpatrick, who has been rs long
and successfully connected with the
Rock Island schools as anyone in
them and is regarded rs one of the
most capable instructors and princi-
pals. an Argus representative called
upon her ut her building this morn
ing. Asked il she was present ut the
principals meeting in question and il
10 the card alluded 10 had been pre-
scented TO her, Miss kirkpatrick re.
piled: Eyes. was present at the meet.
ing and the card Of contradiction APP.
pearing in the Union this morning was
brought to me by Supt. Ament yes.
tcrday afternoon for my signature
declined TO comply with the re-
quest because the card was n sweep
ing denial of what The ARGUS had
said OF the meeting. and therefore
could not consistently endorse it, as
much OF what TIE ARGUS said was
true. IL did make n mistake. however
10 coupling the suggestion as to 8
supervising janitor with what wa.
brought before the meeting. On the
subject Of private secretary dc
no, see how the remarks which Mr.
Ament made at the principals meet
ing could be otherwise construed
than rs favoring such an official
While he remarked that it was un
necessary to have one ut that partic
ular meeting, what he said never
theless was that other cities no larger
than Rock Island had such an official
some paying rs high rs $1,000 pei
year for such services, and said he
'This city ought to afford 81 900 ;
year for secretary to attend al
these meetings and keep report o
them He followed the remarl
with the statement that the superin
tendent should not be bothered
with these duties and that h,
for one had not been accustomed
to. II this was not an argumen
in favor of a superintendent secrc
tary do not know what is, and can