Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-04-20
AGAINST MIR. AMENT|
Expression Of Fifty Rock Island
Teachers.
PREsDEHT ROBBINS RESPONDS.

Resolutions Adopted which FaHy substan-
tiats All Thst Has Been said Of the Sui
perintendent's ways-something fo- the
board to Think About.
Fifty of Rock Islands public
school teachers met Saturday even
ing to give expression to their feel
ings on the reappointment of Supt.
j. E. Ament, while half a dozen
more who we're detained from being
present sent greetings. and desire
to indorse whatever might be done
looking to the formal substantiation
Of the charges that may have been
made relative to the superintendent
conduct and methods. The meeting
resulted in the adoption OF resolu-
tions. which were today given out
to the press in the appended letter
received by THE ARGUS from Presi-
dent +. f. Robbins, Of the board of
education:
President Robbins.
Rock ISLAND. April 20.-Editor Of
The ARGUS: Will you please give
space in your paper to the following
and ob!ige one who has nothing but
the good Of our public sob ools at
heart.
| Sometime in January or Febru-
airy some of the mepbers OF our
school board made o school house to
school house investigation OF the re-
ported dissatisfaction OF our teachers
as to their real or imaginary griev-
ancc as to the reported treatment
our teachers had aud were receiving
from our superintendent Of schools.
After this Investigation was made
one Of our members informed our
board that there was no grievance
except with very few. in fact SO
small percentage that it Gid not
seem best to at that time take any
particular notice Of it. While had
personally tried to keep away from
contact with our teachers on this
question. still the rumors have come
to me with such force that l could
and can no longer ignore or overlook
this question. assure the patrons
of our schools aud the citizens of
Rock Island. that it is with deep
sense Of regret that bring this to
their notice. Our present superin-
tendent came among us last fall and
we each extended the right hand
OF fellowship to him and we we're
willing and anxious to do whateve r
We could to make his work with our
schools and ourselves q success.
But it seems that his first meeting
with our teachers was so unusual
and unexpected to what they antici-
pated that it was like drawing a saw
through the brain. 1 tried to At
tend that FIRST meeting between our
teschers and the superintendent. but
did not arrive until just the end.
must say that when I did arrive
was somewhat nonplussed at some of
the remarks l heard, but at the time
did not think OF any trouble. After
this, as our business relations pro-
Igressed with our superintendent,
began to study the question as to
whether we had made a mistake or
not. As our business relations pro-
gressed became convinced that our
superintendent was not my ideal at
all. on either school management or
financial questions pertaining to our
schools. Our secretary and myself
have been put to considerable annoy
ance at the end of each school month
on account of not knowing whether
all the teachers were in their schools
the whole month or not. We have
made mistakes in making out the
pay orders from this cause, and have
had to rectify mistakes at . later
date. Oar superintendent was ap-
prised OF this and promised to look
after this matter in the future.
but has not up to the present time
attended to'it. Mrs. Hamilton has on
several occasions taken it upon her
self to kindly find out and lot US
know of the cases of absence of our
teachers SO we could make the paw
orders correct. This is only
ono OF many instances OF a
lack Of our superinteudent's
duty. Now after reciting all
this. have taken it upon myself,
being Of the minority Of our board
on the question OF superintendent, to
lind out for myself il there was real
grievauce among our teachers and
to what an extent.
With this object in view. upon in
vitation, l attended a meeting held
by our teachers Saturday evening
last and found SO OF our teachers as
sembled to make protest against the
assertion that there was no griev.
ance. With this protest. fresh in my
mind. coming from our teachers and
believing that our teachers as Q
whole will compare favoGably with
any town OF our size. cannot but
again record myself against the re
tanning OF our superintendent. Our
schools are too broad to come to the
level of any one man, no matter il thai
man should be rs great in theory and
intellect SIS Goliah was in stature. Al
the meeting OF teachers Saturday
eveuing last. there was o set OF
lrpso,nYiops sdopsoJ oio,. a, ot q Tina