Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-05-22
STICK. TO THEISSUE
The Ament Attempt to Divert
Thought From It.
SIMPLY ONE NAN AGAINST SCHOOLS
War Between Superintendent and Princi-
pal Not the Main Question-Executiou
OF . Cisveriy Laid scheme-The Foremost
Interests Of the People.

or Cievofiy LAID Scheme-TheE Foremost
Iaterests Of the People.
Little by little the .concocted
scheme Of the Ament constituency is
being exposed. The extended argu-
ment presented in the Union OF ves-
terday had for its object. as clearly
set forth in THE ARGUS of last even
ing, the diverting of the issue from
the controversy between the SUPER
intendent and the corps OF teachers
to fight between the Superintendent
and two principals, W. N. Halsey
and Miss kirkpatrick, aud the public
was urgently desired to ..choose We
between" Following this is Supt
Ament's letter in this mornings
issue, tending to impeach Mr..
Halsey's honesty and good faith as
far as his relations with the super
intendent are concerned. In another
part of the same paper appears a
squib, the intent of which is TO
prejudice the teachers into receding
from their position that a change in
the SUPPLEMENTARY is desired for
the best interests of the schools.
Had this unfortunate controversy
originated in an issue between the
superintendent and the high school
principal, the fight between these
two officials would have been of M ore
interest to the people. 1t would
have been paramount-as it is it is
merely incidental and is obviously
brought on. as stated, to attract
attention from the true merits
of the case. The facts are tina.
Mr.. Halsey was one of the
last of the teachers corps
to join the teachers in their
opposition to the superintendent.
As late as when the board reap
pointed the superintendent: at the
April meeting MIR. Halsey had taken
no part in The teachers grievances,
although prior to that time the
teachers had prepared resolutions
setting forth their position. but were
dissuaded from presenting them by
the assurance from board mem bers
who afterwaId voted for the superin-
tendent. that he would not be re-
elected. In fact, it was two DAYS
after the reappointment of the super
intendent that the Union, in an arti-
Gle dictated by the superintendent's
representatives, and the intent OF
which was to show that The ARGUS
was prompted by chagrin at not
securing the appointment of the High
school principal, said MIR. Halsey,
who had Mr.. Ament's recommenda-
ton, has made an admirable princi-
pal; no one questions his fitness or
his ability to maintain the state of
efficiency, that the whole CITY re-
joiced in and was proud of while Mr..
Hatch was principal" This indorse-
ment, uncailed for as it was, though
made through the same instrument
ality that afterward dropped MIR.
Halsey from the corps Of teachers, is
merely given here to show that the
fact that he was recognized as an ad-
mirable principal cut no figure after
he joined the teachers in their posi-
ton.
Superintendent Against the Schools.
But. as said. the part that interests
the public is not the one between the
superintendent and the principal. and
the fusi lade that may from now on
be expected between them. while
edifying to the taxpayers. will not be
successful as furnishing the basis to
Judge of the school system. The
opposition of the corps of teachers
arose early in the school year and has
continued to the present lime. The su-
perintendent by his officiousness and
his disrespect for the teachers mer-
tied their feelings toward him, and
the question for the public to decide
is between the entire corps and the
superintendent one or two
principals whom the board has sim
gled out, and the superintendent.
ltwas cunning subterfuge, this
act on the part of the controlling ele-
ment of the board. of picking out two
OF the corps. feeling that it might be
an easier method to dispose of the
opposition in this manner. Bat
the board is not forming or regnlat-
ing the opposition. The original
purpose Of the board was to drop no
less than IL OF the teachers, but it
was deemed more polite to make
targets of but two. the hope being to
center the fight on these two and
leave the others out, and then il by
such course of action the Ament
faction could triumph the new board
would avail itself OF the SUI
preme court rulings that hold the
appointments of the old board lille
gal. reconsider the action as a whole
and then dismiss the teachers, who
in the minds of the directors are still
marked as prominent in the opposi-
on to the superintendent.
Teachers who have been told to
hang themselves and have been
startled by sparks from the mental
activity o. the superintendent
brain are not to be soothed because
two of their number have besn
selected for special persecution, and
their grievances are not in the least
miiigated by question at issue be-
tween the superintendent and a.
principal-the question paramount
TO all is the interests Of one man