West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1901-10-03
TEACHER TROUBLES.
One of The Trustees Gives His Side Of
thu Case in the Celebrated Ross
Leonard School Matter.
Written Specially for The Argus.

Written Specially for The Argus.
In the tall of loco. when the trustees OF
Red OAK school met to employ a teacher Tor
that year it was agreed by all the trustees
to sign the teachers contract whoever he
OF She might be. and thus begin the school
| ia harmony
The first time | ever saw Leonard. nc
camc To me with the names of the other two
| trustees ON his contract. and to stu pre-.
serve the peace, signed IT, too: but was
not very favorably impressed with his ap.
pcarance and conversation as school
teacher
Leonard came on. according to promise
aud began his school i'm November 1000
Then In few days It began To bc rumored
that the school was having Jolly good
time and the pupils doing about as they
pleased
As the law requires. visited the school
during the FIRST two weeks. and found. as |
candidly thought the school in bad work
INK order and Leonard unable tn control
the school at that time, the larger pupils
were in the highest glcc possible the entire
time was there and Leonard seemed To
be the center of attraction. The school was
SO noisy that could not hear the classes as
they rccitcd After was in the school
short time. Leonard asked me to give a talk
to the school. which | consented to do |
kindly demonstrated with the pupils for the
way IN which they had conducted them.
selves since had been there aud requested
that they show moro respect Tor their
teacher in the future and give more heed to
their lessons than formerly also told
Lconatd hc could not teach that school and
make success OF it and allow the pupils To
be as rude as they were while was there.
and advised him To get control of il in the
best manner he could, II il was 10y the use
of the birch We would stand 10y him and
bear up Ia what lac did. SO long as hc did
what was right After this the school stiIl
proved unsatisfactory and complaints were
made To me about the conduct of the
school and advised the parties To call a
meeting oi the trustees TO investigate the
conduct that Lconard openly allowed in
his school
The trustees were all notified according
To law To meet az the school house one after.
noon. Then Leonard demanded that the
trustees give him 6vc days notice before
told him was not according to law Then
We proceeded to hear the charges. which
were via incompctcncy aud neglect of
duty Aftcr hearing all the evidence. both
pro aud con the trustees an three agreed
that the testimony was overwhelmingly
against him, and therefore dismissed him
Iconard then wanted to appeal his case to
the Board and as the law requires that lac
have petition signed 10y a ajorty of the
patrons OF the school. he failed tu get his
case before the Board lawfully. but the
trustees agreed that the Board hear him
without this After hearing the case. the
Board. through misunderstanding of the
evidence reinstatcd him TO his school again
They understood the worst conduct to he
at the first Of the school This was not the
casc-that being just before we dismissed
him Upon this ground they rclnstated
him. with the specific understanding that
hc conduct his school better In the future.
Then Leonard went on with his school and
! sent my children back again. I have
boy twelve years old afflicted with hip dis.
case, and he cannot SIT on a low scat Now
Leonard put him on the lowest seat in the
house. and kept him there making his dis
case so much worse that IL became neces.
sary 10 get the aid Of physician Leonard
did this after had notified him twice to
change him. and giving my reasons for
same Then sent him note. kindly ask.
ing him 10 change the boy. lie bluutly re-
fused. Then kept my boy at home the re-
maindcr Of the school term thus robbing
him Of nearly all his school
Now. after his reinstatement by the
Board the school appeared to be worse
than vt first. met ono of the members OF
the Board and hc asked me how the school
was progressing since thc teachers rein
statement told him that / had learned IL
was worse than at first Then hc advised
me TO dismiss him second time. and upon
charges property brought aud heard. We
found the school in worse condition than
when we FIRST dismissed him-thus our rca-
son for dismissing him second time Then
Leonard wanted to- appeal his case before
the Board a second time but the Board
positively refused 10 have anything 10 do
with 10 until lac appealed 10 according to law
this lac could not do for want OF slgncrs on
his petition but the Secretary called a mum.
Der oi meetings Of thc Board unlawfnlIy
for reasons best known to himself although
the Board refused to take action Then
Leonard threatened 10 bring damage suit.
and the Board not wanting To be implicated
in anything Of the kind advised the trustees
60 compromise the trouble by letting him
have his school back which we did. with
tie specific understanding that this wasto
forever end the school trouble aud that we
(thc trustccs) should not be- held rosponsi.
bic for any damage which Leonard claimed.
Then after completing his school and
getting his pay for the same be- brought
suit against thc trustees Tor goo and was
allowed s}o The trustees then appealed
the case a. thc Circuit Court and the
Judge ruled 10 as an unlawful action and re-.
fused 90 hear the case have not said
anything intending 90 for enc dctfimcnt of
Leonard don't feel cnvious toward him
but rather wish him we'll.
! a DASsFR