Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-04-30


sooalities are InduIged In.
The adoption OF a resolution. &C.
cording to Rock Island public school
teachers another opportunity to pre-.
sent their charges against Supt.
James E. Ament next Saturday eve.
ming. wound up one of the most ami
mated and ridiculous discussions
which ever characterized meeting
of the officials entrusted with the
care of the educational interests Of
this city last evening.
BY previous arrangement of the
supporters of Mr.. Ament it was de.
cided to hold the meeting in the SD.
perintendent's office in No. 4 school
building. And there the directors
deliberaied in a manner anything
but becoming of people of their off,
cial station. Hot words involving
personalities were resorted to and
nearly three hours were consumed
in accomplishing nothing to re.
Heve the present unfortunate
situation. When President Robin
called the meeting to order with all
the directors present, Dr.. c. 3. Kim
yon submitted a resolution in effect
that owing to the fact that the
teachers claim that they had not
time to prepare their charges
against Supt. Ament in time for SUBJ
mission at the previous meeting
called for that purpose, they be
given another opportunity to pre-
sent them next Saturday morning,
when the board would be in session
from 10 till IL o'clock. DIR. Kinyon
moved its adoption and the motion
was seconded by Mrs. Norris.
Insists ON Further Tine.
President Robbins thought the
teachers should be given more time
to prepare any charges that they de-
sired to present against the superin-
tendent. And he also believed that
there was another and more proper
and opportune occasion to dispose of
such Il matter-and that at the next
regular meeting of the board. He like
wise gave the directors to understand
that the board of education rooms
were in the Mitchell e. Lynde build
ing and not at the superintendent
office. But DR.. kinyon, who was
earnestly assisted in his argument bv
Mesdames Norris and Hamilton, con-
tended that Saturday gave the teach
ers ample time to prepare their
charges; and if they were such as to
convince the board that a mistake
had been made in the reelection of
Mr.. Ament to the superiutendency
he would be .bounced"-to use DR..
kinyon's expression.
Then the wordy war began in
earnest by Mrs. Hamilton and Dr..
kinyon, who were assisted at inter-
walls by Mrs. Norris and Sup..
Ament. who oiliciated as secretary,
taking President Robbins to task for
not attending the previous meet
ings held to discuss the investigation
question-and specially that secret
session conducted behind closed
doors at tie superintendent Office
one day last week, when the teachers
were asked to prefer their charges
against Mr.. Ament. President Rob
bins informed the directors that in
the first place the meeting was lie
ga!ly called; and in the second place
he did not consider that justice was
being done TO the teachers in that
they were not given enough time to
prepare for such hastily arranged
ordeal. Mrs. Hamilton thought that
Mr.. Robbins was acting arbitrarily.
He replied that such was not the
case.
And then all sorts of CRITICS ms with
regard to previous action aud
promises of the directors were in
dulged in. President Robbins said
that Mrs. Hamilton had agreed on
an entirely different course with ref
erence to the SUPPLEMENTARY until
Mr.. Ament began having consulta-
tions with her.
MIR. Robbins" interrupted Mrs.
Hamilton. with perceptible emotion,
IL am surprised that such a remark
should come from the gentleman
that always took you to be. And
that you should think that Mr..
Ament has exercised any undue in
flrence over me in this matter is
more than would like to believe"
but. Mrs. Hamilton" explained
the president, lit would appear that
such was the case. You know Mr..
Ament is credited with having great
power o! working on ones sympa-
thies."
And then things cooled off for a
few moments.
Its an Internal Lie."
President Robbins then reminded
the board Of the remark made by Mr..
Ament at the meeting of his reelec-
ton before the vote was taken that
he knew how it was going, anyway.
That is an Internal lie." spoke up
DR.. kinyon, who said that the su-
perintendent made no such assertion.
Mr.. Ament also said he made no
such an assertion. But if he will Jog
his memory he will find that he did,
nevertheless. And they let it 60 at
that.
Dr.. kinyon said it was another
ARGUS lie and continued: 1.-THE
ARGUS can do the dirty work. And
it has assistance. OF course, l don't
mean IN saw thst our Dresidenf Is q :