The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-03-01
THAT CAMPAIGN DEMAND
ANOTHER CRATER IN BoUsToS's
SCHOOL TROUBLES.
Letter From Mr.. shcarn which
Takes the starch Ont of DonbIe
Dealing and Hypocrisy.

1
came UP, the mayor gave In a public In
tervlew In the local press as a reason 70
his summary action that the removal o
Superintendent Klmbrough was one OF thu
] issues in his campaign.
Behind this statement OF the mayo
is a story not hitherto written.
| az the removal Of Mr.. Kimbrough wa
an issue in the campaign few people knew
OF 1t until after the campaign was over
when the cry was raised that his appoint
ment In the first place was the result
Of a political deal between then Mayor
Rice and Governor Culberson. This, 4
anything. was the basis for making Kim.
brough's removal an issue--if really Il
was an Issue, which seems to be very
much in doubt In view OF the fact thai
two-thirds of the aldermen. includ.ng
Mayor Brashear's closest friends and al
herents. signed petition for his relen-
ton.
BE that as It may. however, the fact
is that there nsver was any deal between
Mayor Rice and Governor CulDerson with
regard to Mr., Kimbr1ugh, and the tal4
to that effect was an after .ho1ght--a
mere subterfuge to pall!nte AM reader
.e s imp pu.ar an ugly an at on. lie e Is
a letter from Mr.. G. p. SAeara. mcm.er
OF the school board, ami the facts to
which he atteEs viii be confirmed by
Messrs. Cage, Carr, Reiehardt, Caie and
other members OF the board at that time
Houston. Texas. February l0.--Dear Sir.
IN reply 10 your letter OF the list. have 10
say that when II was found necessary TO ap-
point a suptriutcndCHt OF schools to Nil too
vacancy made by the resignation OF Mr.. SUIT
ton. Mayor Rice called a meeting of the
school beard. and at that meeting requested
thciG to make a selection. stating that he had
confidence In the board. aud felt fhat they
knew the needs Of the schools. aud we're fully
canable OF selecting the proper person 10 take
charge Of them, and that the whole RESPONSE
DIZZY would be on them, md no matter whom
they selected be would nominate The board.
feeling their responsibility. Immediately took
up the application Of each applicant and
thoroughly investigated their recommends
tons and after careful confederation Hr
klfnbruugh was selected. Tho bOnrd selected
the best educators OF the State. list OF
them | herein lnclose.
II was tho Wish Of the board to select a
Houston man TO nll tho vacancy and as
there was only one applicant Mr.. Barnett
he was given special attention. but he whs
not selected for the reason that the hoard
ala not think he could serve the best inter
est OF the schools acting as SUPERINTENDENT Ol
same, whereas the board recognized his abil.
NV as good teacher; they did not believe
he would make a good executive Officer Your.
| truly. Gins T. Shearn
I Here are the gentlemen who re ON
mended Prof Klmbrough. as referred tc
/ by Mr.. shearn:
/ Hon. j. NJ Carlisle State superintendent o.
public obstruction; Hon, o. II. Cooper. former
state superintendeut OF public obstruction
Hon r. 9. prtchttt president SAM Houstor
normal. 'ormer Stnte superint ndent. su'
perinttndent Y, G. Harris Of the Austin pub
lic schools, former principal OF the Houston
lilgh school Governor j. s llogg Governor
\ G. a. Culbersou Hon, Il. ". Finley, comp
troiler; pr W. H. Bruce Of the Athens
schools; Superintendent John r. shelton o
the Travis county schools, Judge y T. Full
more. president school board Of Austin. Prof
w. II, Pool. Baylor unlvcr lIy Waco.
( 1t VIII be seen from the letter of Nj
Shearn that Just TO the contrary o
forcing" Prot Klmbrough ON the cts
schools Mayor Rice did not even suggss
his name to the board of trus ees Ht
left the matter entirely TO the blarl, a!
all other mayors had and have done VI
to the time the presert incumbent cam.
into office with a campaign demand" II
his pocket,
! This shows Who put the schools int
politics and just when they were put lat
politics; for, be 1t remembered, there ha.
never been tho slightest trouble OF an,
description in the schools up to the tim,
the present administration came into now
er and attempted summariiy to chang
the personnel OF dhe board OF trustees ii
order to remove a superintendent who wa
entirely satisfactory to a majority OF th
board OF trustees as we'll as to a majorlt,
of the patrons OF the schools.
! When Mayor Brashear promised Mr.
Browne at Austin to retain Mr. Sh ar
on the board OF trustees he no doubt in
tended to keep that promise. feeling as
sured that he had, In view OF recent ap
pointments of his own, a majority OF III
board with him in his designs on Kim
hrough. But much to his surprise h
found that he was mistaken, and who
the meeting at which superintendent
was to be selected came around sometaln
had to be done, Pleading lndlsposltlo
at the time, and desire to give the mat
ter some thought, he asked the board I
postpone action until the next meetlns
;; After some discussion the poslponemon
! was agreed to. but Mr., shearn says h
warned the members that they wore fail
; ing into trap; that the TO . maiorlt
Tor kimorough would be reversed by som
: coutrlvanee OF the mayor. and the warn
: Ing wes prophetic At the very nav
meeting of the city council his honor 70
: moved two Q. the trustees who fayore
kiTbrough, one OF the two being NJ,
y Saearn, whom he had promised NJ,
Browne to retain.
n When this outrageous exhibition Of rsck
z less partisanism occurred the friends q
4 the schools-belieying as they had goo
\ reason to do, that this was the prelud
z 10 a Wholesale discharge of teachers an,
3 other employees for mot having vote
y ngnr'-took advantage OF the new schoo
Z trustee law and the deposed members o
, the board, acting upon advice. refused !
\ recognize the mandate OF the munieIna
Z czar. And in confirmation OF the anna
esfst,