The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1903-06-06
SATURDAY, JUNE, 6 1908.
DAILY THOUGHT.
Live today; lose not an hour"
THE WEATHER.
q Generally fair tonight and Sundny
ANNUAL ELECTION
OF TEACHERS.

Col. W. o. r. Breckinridge, in
Thursdays Lexington Herald, says
several things that will doubtless be of
interest in Paducah at this time, when
there is so much discussion of the
public school troubles. The express
sions provoked were from the reported
intention of the board of education to
dispense with the annual election Of
teachers, which action has since been
taken. Says the Herald;
There has been for several years a
growing disapproval of the present
method; the conviction is constantly
growing that, III the interests Of the
Vchildren of the schools are TO be CON
sidered, teachers must be retained for
merit, and removed only for unfitness,
and that they must not hold their po-
sitions as dependent on their political
or personal affiliations with the mem
bers of each successive school board.
$50 long as the present method. is
persisted in there is of necessity sug-
gested to the public mind at this time
every year the idea that our school
board is influenced by fother motives
than the..good Of the schools, and that
the teachers are selected for other rea-
sons than solely for their fitness to
teach; there is created a feeling Of un-
rest that is not confined to the teach
ers whose positions are thus yearly put
in jeopardy, but is communicated to
the whole community, and its causes,
as has been indicated, are wider than
the mere loss of position By one or
another teacher.
"And do the members of the school
board consider the thing from the
other point of view, from the teachers
point? What must the ordeal be to q
modest, to a self-especting woman,
who is thus obliged TO push her own
claims aud advertise her merits-the
feminine teacher is so much in the
majority that we feel that our use Of
the pronoun is justified. How unfair
10 10 TO q woman who has done her
work we'll and fsithfully to require
of her that she shall yearly subject
herself to this additional and undig-
nified labor, and how unfair also to
the interests OF the children that dur
ing the last few weeks Of school, at .
time when examinations are being
held, when the school demands Of the
teacher her very best effort, that ner
energies should be thus diverted, her
mind thus distracted from her legiti-
mate work, and nervous strain put
upon her, for. fear that by some failure
in electioneering activity she shall lose
the position ON which her bread and
meat depends --
There is also serious question as
to the legality Of the process. The
school law as to the election and re.
moyal of teachers by the school board
reads: Said board shall have power
to elect and sppoint such superintend-
emit, principals and teachers as they
may deem necessary for the public
school; regulate and fix their salaries,
and may. at any time, suspend or re-
move them or any Of them, bya vote
OF two-thirds of the members-elect Of
the board BY a strict interpretation
Of this, law it viii be seen that no one
can be- elected or reelected to the
places now held by city school teach
ers until these teachers have first been
removed by two.thirds1votv CT the
members of the board. AwhsiesHls
removal by vote must precdds the
Wholesale election;ct bf teachers do not