Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-05-04
CRISIS HAS COME.
Board of Education Censures
President Robbins.
LIBEL0Us CHARGES AGAINST LIN.

LIBEL0US CHARGES AGAINST LIN.
Ridiculous and Dlsgracefol Action Ter.
INMATES Saturday EveniaE's Meeting
which Brings the super,ntendsncy Oass
tion Further From . Settlement.
Resolutions censuring in most pro.
nounced terms the action of Presi.
dent +. +. Robbins in connection
with the present controversy over
the retention Of the superentenden,
were adopted at Saturday evenings
meeting Of the board of education
This action wound up the session
called for the purpose Of hearing the
charges from the teachers against
Supt. j. E. Ament.
Bat the teachers righteously ap-
peared not. Their course was ably
represented by E. d. Sweeney. who
in plain language explained to the
directors that they we're assuming q
great deal when they even as much
as expected that the teachers were
going to appear before them and pre-
sent their many charges which are
held against the present superintend-
ent. Mr.. Sweeney said the teachers
had expressed themselves in the res
olutions recently adopted at their
meeting. which embodied the verdict
Of over Fifty teachers alter one years
trial as surordinates to Mr.. Ament.
He said it simply sifted down to
whether the superintendent or the
teachers were going to be sustained.
land let me say" continued Mr.
Sweeney. "when q condemnation
goes out into q community from 81
teachers who say MIR. Ament is not
the proper person for superinten-
dent-now will the board say that
he is tit msn for the place.
He stands before the community con.
demDed by the class of people who
know whereof they speak. So now
either these 81 teachers or Mr..
Ament must go. And allow me to
say to the board that if it fails to
treat the teachers properly they will
appeal to u higher authority-the
public"
Expression Of tho Teachers.
Mr.. Swee ney then read this intro
duction to the resolutions, which
were signed by 81 teachers:
I'VE, as body of teachers, whose
names are appended to the resolu.
tions attached hereto, would respect.
fully submit to your honorable body
these resolutions as containing oul
indictment of our present superin.
tendent, James f. Ament. We dc
not understand that there is any.
thing mandatory in the action of the
board, providing for the investiga.
ton, that will require us to appear
personally before you to testify in
detail to the many acts. omissions
and derelictions whose cumulative
force is crystalized in the genera
charges in these resolutions. These
resolutions were not adopted by III
in moment Of passion, prejudice
or excitement. They are the DELHI
crate expression OF our opinion o.
Mr.. Ament and his work. We
therefore. submit them to you fol
such consideration as you, in you,
opinion, may deem them worthy"
Then followed the resoluti lions,
heretofore published, which set for:f
that Mr.. Ament has not given the
teachers the encouragement, sup
port and cooperation expected of one
in his position and :ha. change in
the SUPPLEMENTARY would be for the
best interests Of the schools. Mr.
Sweeney. who taught school in the
early days, having been the frs,
teacher appointed in Rock Islanc
under the new law in 1857, then ex
planned to the board the position O,
the teachers. giving the assurance
that that they would be sustained
both by public sentiment and law.
| Teachers Opposed to Ament.
The list of the teachers who's,
names were appended to the resolu
tions follows:
| w. N Halsey l. Eastman.
| Dorothy :. GOrham, Josephine V. Williams
Alice Rush. Lon J. Philip.
| ". J. Wilson. ldessa Wakefield,
| Mary l.. Carter. Anna y. johnson
| E>te!la NJ VandruG, L. NJ. Copp.
Anna T. Bromley, Emma X Churchill.
| Eiaele II. De Santo. AIDA Ellen Muse
Augusta Hellpens;cu Randclinc Requ8
| y. +. Cooke. Harriet jenkins.
\ Margaret Repine. Mary r. EntrilSin
Harriet + Henderson, julia NJ. Anderson.
| sara Il. Hitler. Lucy II. Coyne,
| Lillian Fitzpatrick. Mary Pratt.
| stella johnson. n:ude Luci.ey
| Emily Freeman, Anna Bennett.
| Dora HariZ. Annie kirkpatrick.
| Nina q. Bowen, Elizabeth G.. Stelck.
| Kate Brennan. Mary :. Dewey
| Luella Huthrlalser, Charlotte kenworthy
| Achsah Crane. I.eonora Wither,poou
I sarah Johnston, Frances Osw aid
| Dora Newton. Natalie f Thompson
| Minnie Martin. Bride NJ Eyan
| j. W. Lnndy. Agnes Branney.
| Jessie u. Frick. Jennie Dickman
Mary Murphy. Lila F1lsinyer
| Minnie Brindle, Jennie l.. Wilcox
Clara NJ Levey. G. r. Hausel.
NJ Josephine Holland, L. c. Dougherty,
Abbe Dean.
DIR. Kinyon attempted to Interrupt
Mr.. Sweeney couple OF times. bu
President Robbins told the spokesman
to continue. And the doctor tinall
pulled in his horns.
The resolutions from the teacher