The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1896-09-11
Fair Play" Speaks.

"Fair Play" Speaks.
EDITOR HERALD-Sir: l would like to say
a few words in regard to the action Of the
minority members of our School Board and
the means they used to accomplish their end.
When Mr. Bogart first applied for the position
of superintendent of our schools the only
objection they could find was that he was a
stranger and from distant part of the state,
while we had other candidates well known
and nearer home every way qualified to hold
the position. However, Mr.. Bogart was
elected by a majority vote, and by fair and
honorable means, but the minority refused to
submit to the inevitable, or to the will of the
majority, denying the right to others
which they themselves would demand
namely: that to the victor belongs the
spoils. On the other hand, they had
recourse to that mean, despicable, unmanly
method of tracing up mans past life in
order that they might find some overt or
other act Of his which might cast odium
upon him, or that they might use as a weapon
against him to prejudice public opinion to
such an extent that his resignation would be
asked for. In the dream Of little girl they
discovered what they are pleased to term a
most heinous crime. committee of the
School Board was sent to invest gate those
] IL
duced afidavits to substantiate their report
Mr.. Bogart himself appeared before the
Board and, in clear, concise statement, de-
clared his innocence. But the minority
members placed no confidence in his words,
! alleging he was not sworn. \ man guilty of
such a crime as that imputed to Mr.. Bogart
would have little regard Cor any oath. On
the report of the committee the School
Board, by a majority vote, eXonerated Mr.
Bogart, fully believing in his innocence and,
| dare say, if any one Of the majority mem
bees had the least suspicion of this mans
guilt and had a hundred votes at his COM
mand every one would be cast against him.
! / consider il reflection upon the members of
the majority party to charge them with
partiality or tavOritism, in Il case of this
kind for / am sure that every member of
said party is just rs Jealous in uphOlding the
honor virtue and morality of our schools as
is any member Of the minority. The
minority party then called what they termed
an indignation meeting, in order to appeal
direct to the people, but as an Indignation
meeting it was a fiat failure. Both the people
and the indignation expressed by them were
conspicuous for absence, few hundred
people, most of them present for curiosity
sake, was certainly a poor showing of indig-
nation on the part of the citizens of the
largest town in the county town with a
school system second to none in the state,
especially when the said schools seemed to be
in danger of being tainted by immortality.
The resolutions adopted at this meeting were
presented to the School Board and rejected,
as they should be. Then, seeing defeat
staring them in the face, they bounded this
man to the wall and resOrting to one
; of the most outrageous and shameful acts
ever perpetrated against the liberty OF
a private citizen, dragged him as a com
mon criminal from his duties and his
family to make him prove his limo
ceucc to the satisfaction of few on a war.
rant sworn out by a man who would like to
gain some notoriety. Has Mr.. Bogart been a
fugitive from justice, or did he positively re-
fuse to appear at Knoxville that he should
} be treated so ? Echo answers, no. Or, ha,
the case Barbara Aub-like, taken another
I turn which only the few are aware of
Il Whatever it is, the fact remains that hi
II enemies haye played their last and best card
) and l would wager that when Mr.. Bogar
i shows his hand it will be winning one.
N am not defending Mr. Bogart, or any Of hi
Il friends, nor would | under any consideration
, be in favor of having man to superinteuC
Il our schools who was guilty of the least tain
II of immortality; nor do l condemn tn
I minority members for using every honorable
, means in their power to thoroughly sift tn
II matter, but l do condemn the methods EN-
II ployed, for they were little less thai
: damnable. l am an American and a Demo
Z crat, but l consider such action uudemocnti
II and inconsistent with the American system @
II. FAIR PLAY.
3 Shenandoah, Pa, Sept TO- 1896.