The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-01-26
Borough and rovu,hip Primaries.

One of the most violent storms ever
known in this part of the country was
witnessed on Saturday night and Sun
day, Immediately following the RepuD-
lican primary election, at which candi-
dates for school director and for the vari-
Gus municipal Offices to be filled at the
coming February election, were voted
for. Il has been suggess ed that the Il ur-
~ kicked up by the elements was the di-
rect result of the dynamite exploded
Saturday afternoon by the friends of the
candidates, who worked with determi-
uation rarely before witnessed on simi-
lar occasion.
Perhaps the greatest interest was man
ifested in the battle for school din ectors,
and this battle brought about the unusu-
al spectacle Of the County superintend-
ent, assisted by all of the male teachers
employed in the schools, evidently urged
on by the thought that hard days work
for their favorite candidates meant reten-
tiOn in Office and position for them.
Novel and peculiar as was the action OF
the gentlemen alluded to, it can not be
denied that they exerted strong in fiu-
ence in bringing about the nomination OF
Messrs. Barron and Pritts and that fac
tional politics will in all probability con-
tinue to dominate the school board of
Somerset borough, and that qualifications
such as a teacher should possess will not
always be considered a desideratum as
against the more potent political pull.
A number of teachers who have former
ly been employed in the schools OF this
borough Will realize the force of this
statement, which is not dictated by feel
ing of disappointment or resentment, but
is given as an indisputable fact.
A majority of the teachers employed in
the schools of the borough are fully COM
petent to discharge the duties Of the posi-
tions they have been called upon to fill,
but il is the pernicious secret system of
electing teachers, regardless of their at
tainments, that should be abolished. if
the schools of Somerset borough are to
regain the prestige they have lost among
the schools in the county and which is
working to the detriment of the youth
of the town.
II is hoped that the suggestions above
made will be considered by the old men,
bers of the board of directors as well as
by the gentlemen who will become men,
bers of that body in June next in the
friendly spirit in which they are written,
and that the schools of the town will soon
take the position they should among the
cOunty-seat schools of the State, ire
spective of political bias or church creed.
The contest for town council was a mer-
~ one, three of the contestants button
holing their fellow citizens at every OPP
portunity, while the fourth, Mr.. Cum
ningham, remained quietly at home.
Gentlemen who are regarded as adopts
in local politics backed VIM. NJ. Hochstet-
Ter for the Office of Justice of the Peace,
and we presume they accepted the nomi-
nation of Oliver Knepper as philosophi-
cally as did the defeated aspirant, who
smilingly remarked when the result of
the ballots was announced, they never
touched me-"
We believe that few, if any, of the 9TH
er gentlemen whose names appear among
the successful candidates, did any "elec-
tioneering.D
Following is the vote:
Justice of the Peace, Wm. NJ. uOch-
stetler, l32, Oliver Knepper, 162; School
Director, R. r. Roberts, Isl, James Nc
Kelvey, l45, H. F. Barron, 221, NJ. ].
Pritts, Isl; Town Council, Elias Cunning
ham, IS2. Ed. Hoover, 1874 Ed. NJ. Love,
l42, J. w. Frease, 10; Street Commits
sioner, Daniel S. Knee, 2Ss; Inspector, A.
C. Davis, 9s, Thomas Jones, 100; Judge,
VIM. P. Foust, las. Alex Huston, l43 :
Assessor, George NJ. SaylOr. l64, Wm. B.
Coffroth, ia; Auditor, James F. Ferner,
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