Arizona weekly journal-miner., 1896-06-10
MASS MEETING. In the Court House to Discuss School Matters and School Trustees. A Resolution Adopted Repudiating the
 Action of the Board.
From Saturdays Daily.

The interest manifested in the public schools was demonstrated last night by the large attendance at the mass meeting held in the court house pursuant to a call % review the action of the trustees in refus- ing to re employ Prof. Brouse and Miss Baker. The court room was packed, even to standing room, by ladies and gentlemen. County School Superintendent Hicks read the call for the meeting. and it was organized by the election of Henry Goldwater as chairman and W. W. Ross as secretary.
 Superintendent Hicks then related briefly the cause of complaint against the trustees, reciting what had already been street rumor. that the teachers were given the alterna- tive Of circulating peiitio asking to be retained, or of being denied a reelection. He spoke iii the high est terms of the efficiency of both Prof. Brouse and Miss Baker, saying that they were among the very best in the public schools.
 Attorney T. W. Johnston was then called for, and made a strong address, in which he referred in scathing terms to the action of the school trustees in imposing the con- ditions on the teachers on which they might receive employment for another year. All of the trustees being present, they were called upon to give their version of the affair. Trustees Jones and Head were the only ones to respond to the invita- ton. The former quoted copiously from the Revised Statutes of 1887 as being his guide in the matter, com plained that Prof. Brouse, according to good authority, had taught a pri vate class, had not attended the teachers institute in December, and moreover, had wanted the trustees To enter into a two years contract with him.
 In reply to the charge of not attending the instItue, Dr. Butcher explained that during it's session Prof. Brouse was very sick and he absolutely prohibited him from leaving the house until the last day of the session. Judge Hicks stated that on the recommendation of Dr. Butcher he had excused Prof. Brouse from attendance, and that the question was one, any way, not under the jurisdiction of the trus- tees.
 Mir. Jones, in his talk, was not at all defiant, but expressed a desire to only do what was right.
 Trustee Head arose and, in rather defiant tones, made brief explana- ton 10 the effect that Prof. Brouse wanted a two years contract and besides he was not a strong man physically. Trustee Hartin remained in his seat as though glued to it, and refralned from participating in any way in the discussion. The de- fense offered by the other trustees was the weakest imaginable. Not a single charge of incompetency, or of inefficiency, or of neglect of their school duties, was made against either of the deposed teachers. Even Mr. Jones, who found fault with Prof. Brouse's night class, did not charge that he neglected his regular duties for that class.
 Prof. Brouse was then called, and explained the conditions in which he found the schools, practically un- graded, and no course of studies prescribed and records incomplete. 1 He had taken it upon himself to reorganize the schools, had pre- pared a course of studies for the | high school, embracing three years, which would fit pupils after gradu- ] ating to enter any college or univer sity in the country. As he had two | grades to teach, he found it impossi- | ble to visit the other departments, ! but had required the teachers to 1 make monthly reports, showing i work and progress, and in this man. ner had exercised the best super | vision over them that it was possi- | ble to do, and at the same time do | justice to his own department. | Touching on the question of peti- l tion, he stated that one of the | trustees had visited him at his resi- l dence on a Saturday night, between | g and 10 o'clock, had told him that | the teachers must circulate that | petition, and must do it quick, and l if you don't do it me and the other | fellow will take of your heads" He stated that there had never been 1 a complaint entered against him by any of the trustees, or to him by any trustee against any of the