Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1896-01-30
Board Of Education Defended.

ishment In all criminal cases.
Board of Education Defended.
To Mrs. J. @. Anderson. vinita. l. T.
| have read your article in THE
CHIEFTAIN of the 23rd, in which
you assail the honesty, patriotism
and judgment of the Cherokee
sch ool board. / have always
understood that you were a Cher
okee Indian. might stop here
and say, sis this according to the
rule, render to Caesar that which
is C8sar's"? Has your interest
in this matter so biased your mind
that you forgot, or so clouded your
vision that you fail to see the sal
lent points in the case?
What matters it. if it was a rule
of the school board, "that any
teacher selected and recommended
by the trustees of a school, was
entitled to the appointment?
What matters it if the board did
state that to be the rule of the
board in this particular case? Do
you think there is no exceptions
to rules? Has man not a right
to provide for his own family?
Should a man, because he has
been defeated by the popular vote,
after he has been recognized for
his worth?) by his political friends
by appointment, sacrifice his per-
sonal greed by refusing TO appoint
his wife to fill a position
which will put American dollars
into his pockets, when he knows,
and every one else knows(O that
she is qualified TO fill the place?
In all candor | ask you, what is
the interest of the people, or the
squandering of their public funds,
the destruction of the minds of the
Cherokee children, as compared
with the right(?) of man, who is
"monarch of all he surveys" and
whose sole object is. ''to fill his
pockets up" and restore the wife
of his bosom to the status from
which she fell by her mistake in
casting her lot with the distinguish
ed(?) gentleman, who seeks to
serve the best interests of the
people(?).
What if one of the ex-teachers
is an orphan and is dependent on
her daily labor for support? What
if she is obligated to pay her hard
earned money for the benefit of
the public school of Vinita? What
if both the ex- teachers are well
known, competent teachers? What
if the best interest of the patrons
of Vinita public school is, or
would be best served by retaining
them? Has the board no rights
that you are bound to respect?
Isn't might right? Do you expect
the member of the northern dis
trict (who is the youngest member
on the board) to destroy the rules
of the older members? Did not
the Hon % Secretary tell Dick
Dannenberg to notify the people
"tha: he would refuse 10 give any
person a school who would de-
cline to trade at his store in Tah-
lequah" and that he had at that
time and on that day took fourteen
orders for warrants from teachers
who he had appointed to teach in
his district?
Rememember, Mrs. Anderson,
that of the three virtues, that the
greatest is charity, therefore, be
charitable. While you are a
woman and. thei elore, can never
hold one of these honored posi-
tons, you may sometime in the
future have friend in a position
"to sit down on justice, decency
and the will of the people," and
in case you should want him ''to
sit" you are laying the foundation
now which would bar you from
this glorious right.
You have called this hoaored(?)
board, "Venal." Think what an
expression this is you have made,
and all it implies. If you did this
because your wounded pride, pat
riotism, respect of your country,
or common decency prompted it,
then | say well and good, but if
you did it because you expected to
pierce the callous hide of any one
of the members of that school
board, and cause them to reflect or
seek to remedy the wrong they
knew they committed, then l say
to you, "get thee to the cradle, for
thou art child again"
JUSTICE.