Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-06-04
BOARD MAY HOLD A TRUMP
SCHOOL DIRECTORS HEAR THE GAR
FIELD PETITION.
But They Keep Very Mum as to Why
Professor Thompson Was Not
ReappOinted-Say Their Ac-
ton Was Unanimous.

About forty patrons of the Garfield school
waited on the school board last evening and
presented a petition signed by over oO
residents of the district protesting against
the action of the board in failing to re-
appoint Professor c.. W. Thompson as prin-
cipal of the school,. Chairman Modes, of
the central committee of ten, which was
authorized by the patrons of the Garfield
school to represent them, offered to V
the remaining residents of the district sign
the petition If the board so desired, but
was told that was not necessary
Two members of the board were absent
from the city, F.. A. Faxon being in the
West, and ]. Scott Harrison at Sabine
Pass. w. ]. Modes was the first speaker
for the Garfield delegation. He said there
were two ways to judge of the success of
a school, one by the feeling of the pupils
and parents toward 1t, and the other by
the results shown. He thought the feel
ing OF the patrons of the Garfield school
toward Professor Thompson was evident
scented to the board. and said the pupils
of the school, past and present, were a unit
in kindly feeling toward Professor I IN M
school, he referred to the records OF me
board. showing that p per cent OF tne
pupils in class A. which is representative
Of the highest grade, the past school year,
were the product of Garfield school;
a. d. johnson told the board the resi-,
utllL6 VI bdl2 ~ AhA0 o.
school. They did not want a better one.
1t was perfect, in their opinion. and they
desired no Improvement and wanted no
change.
c. S. Palmer said he had been delegated
to speak in behalf of the retention OF FRO
fessor Thompson, not only by many Oh ms
neighbors, but also by his S-year-old boy,
who had that evening charged him to DO all
possible for Professor Thompson. He said
his son held the eX-principal in the same
high esteem as did all the other pupils OF
the school and all their parents. He said
the patrons of Garfield school demanded
either that Professor Thompson be rein
stated or that the board of education give
some sufficient reason for not doing so.
+. A. Leach said both his wife and him
self paid careful attention to the methods
and results of the teaching In Garfield
school,. He thought they were each quail
fled by training to judge whether a teacher
is successful, and said il was the conviction
of both. and of all the parents in his neigh
borhood, that Professor Thompson was enc
of the rare men who can be and are perfect
instructors.
The members of the board held a brief
conference and President Yeager announced
that the decision to drop Principal ThOmp-
son having been a unanimous decision of
the full board, reached after a careful con-
sideration, the board desired to not recon-
slider the matter without the full board be-
ing present.
lie Stated that Directors Faxon and Har-
ris0n would return by the first OF next
week, and that a special meeting would
then be called, when the petition of the
Garfield district patrons would be acted
upon.
Chairman Modes, of the delegation, said
the boards views in that matter were sat
isfactOry to the petitioners. Mr.. Modes
stated after the conference with the board
that the residents of Garfield district would
demand to be given the reasons for fail
ure 10 r%eappOint Principal Thompson,
should he not be reinstated.
The board allowed bills a~ggregating over
81, 600. Bids for furnishing gas fixtures for
the new library building were received and
viii be opened at 3 o'clock this afternoon
6ytI1res offered will he shown. The ques-
ton of smoke consumers was referred 10
the architect and chief engineer Of the
board. with a request that they recon-
mend different kinds on which bids can
be received.
The board did not take up the matter of
the salaries of principals ana teachers In
the high school, but will probably do so
at its next meeting.