Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-07-01
HAVE NO FEARS OF AMENT

osAool Rasaf1sa New.
The Union and its bogy man are
much mistaken in the position they
assume. that there 10 any fear exist
ing in Rock Island At the present
time, OF that there has been fuch
anxiety that under any possible cir
cumstAnce Supt. J. E. Ament might
be returned to the control of the
Rock Island public schools. No one
would be foolish enough to autici-
pate, or even imagine such . contin-
gency. It ID doubtful. indeed. il
the Union itself has really con-
sidered such thing possible.
Hence, not the teachers, nor
any one else has had any
misgivings on that score after the
way the public spoke June 80 year
ago. But it 10 the spirit Of the past.
the lingering hatred Of the admirers
Of the relegated superintendent,
the sworn vengeance of his followers
that has awakened the feeling of
alertness on the part of the friends
of the schools. One particular man
identified with Ament's course has
been known to declare that he
would live :to vindicate his friend
by removing those-one in particu-
lar-from the schools. who dared to
be courageous enough to oppose him.
and who eventually had the satisfac-
ton Of seeing him ousted. It
is but the ever cropping spirit to
seize control of the schools again,
OF eagerness to see friction In the
board. and Of anxiety to do anything
to divide public sentiment, and At
ford the coveted chance to strike at
those who struck at Ament-that
furnishes the warning. No, there is
no danger Of Ament coming back,
but it is not proposed to permit even
the shadow Of the man, who caused
the mischief in the schools, to be
thrown over the board, and until the
Union shows that it is no longer con-
nected with the conspiracies Of those
who have been left to avenge Ament,
it will carry defeat to whom it gives
its endorsement in school affairs, Just
as it did last Tuesday.
The Union seeks to set forth some
of Mr.. Ament's virtues in its diatribe
this morning, which are surely out
of place in an effort whose object is
apparently to be concilistory. We
all learned the Unions estimate of
Mr.. Ament year ago, hut it 10 SIM
ply justice to that gentleman to say
that it was not SO much the innova.
tions that he sought to introduce in
the schools that wrought his ruin, a.
his methods and his manners. and
if as the Union says, Supt. Young
has put into successful operation
some of the same ideas without op-
position from the teachers that fact
sustains and vindicates the teachers
in their opposition to Mr.. Ament. and
rot the superintendent, and estab.
fishes very distinctly the difference
in the character of the present head
of the school corps and his predeces-
sor.
As far as keeping up the fears of
the teachers and others is concerned,
there is no ''amiable junta" organized
for such . purpose, and the Union in
seeking to pronounce the contention
of last year dead. it need only be said
/ s1OA 40 w AAOAV NhCCSkVC why VI
keeping . corpse before the public
than in talking about it, and the
morning paper made the first refer
ence to the late lamented this morn
ing that has been made for several
months. The teachers and other
supporters of their cause in the
schools need NO "amiable junta" to
arouse them. They know she house
of tn cir friends. They know where
they received encouragement and
sympathy. and aid, and Leadership
when they we're needed. and when
that to which they would most nat
urally look for relief was turned
against them-the board of cd
ucation. They found the ~.
rants hand held over them, desp tie
their protests and appeals. Az hu.
man beings, they look not with favor
upon what comes from an agency
like the Union that said the yoke
should not be broken.