The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1900-09-15


" }sSs l.ARAygrrE, La, Sept. IA, 1900.
- 9ahoa1 1oasd q Lafayette Parish:
~ the ttune 81 the organization Of
leu ScAool Board was inn
eosed With the eseat advantage II
Ueald ~ L fosvardine the work Of
SIC sducation In oar parish. for
- Supervision of the schools To be
gwen il charge VI competent
superintendent. and I expressed =
pgesezence for . man of proper
aloral and mental training for this
special work Who would devote his
whole time and attention in uphuild-
s Ing the public schools. l vas per.
suaded that upon an aggressive and
capable management of the schools
rested the highest welfare of the
educable children of the parish,
and was convinced that the School
Board could render no greater
service to the public than to labor
earnestly and assiduously for the
attainment of this end. These
views met with the appreciation of
S~O1 VI ASAaOW -SSuOOA 0sICSSOAS
to whom had occasion to express
them in advance of the selection of
. superintendent of the Board.
The official action of the Board
in passing on the question Of the
superintendency of public educa-
ton furnished a fair criterion for
determining the attitude of the indi
vidual members of the Board with
relation to the policy to be pursued
by the Board in the management of
the educational interests of the par
ish; and it was owing to the marked
division of sentiment that developed
between the other members and my
self as to what qualities constituted
an aggressive and capable superin-
tendent that 1 determined to sever
my connection with the Board.
My action was based upon the
belief that 1 would compromise
principle by participating in the
administration of the public schools
if my views were not in harmony
with the views of at least a majority
of the directors, on a measure that
supplied the only enduring founda-
ton for the establishment of public
education in accordance with the
intent of the law and the demands
of progressive age.
l was conscientious in the step I
purposed to take, and I believed
that my duty lay in my resignation
as q director but have been as
sureo By a good friend of educa-
ton in Lafayette, gentleman of
acknowledged great commonsense
and for whose opinion 1 entertain
high respect, that l would be OPP
posing the true interests of public
education by retiring from the
School Board after having taken
firm stand for the upbuilding of the
public schools, and this friend of
education maintains that my just
appreciation of the duties of
school director cannot help bearing
good fruit with my colleagues on
the Board who will, in time, recog-
nize and rectify mistakes committed
through thoughtlessness ana lack
of experience. (And, as a matter
of fact, prominent member of the
School Board has already &C
knowledged to me that the Board
has made ssfaux pas'O.
The friend of education whom I
have already quoted, has taken
high ground in arriving at his de-
duction that my reason for resigning
as a member of the School Board
is the best reason l could possibly
have for continuing my connection
with the Board, and the sound
logic of this deduction is SO ap
parent and forceful l find myself
committed to the prospect it holds
out of triumph in the end of the
very forces for which I am contend
ing and that will conspire for the
attainment of the highest and best
in all that relates to the priceless
blessing of education.
I am intensely in earnest in this
matter of public education. and
with this explanation of my resump
ton of duties as a parish school