Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-05-21
WORKING FOR
HIS RETENTION
Patrons and Pupils Of Lowell
SChoOI Want Mckay,
LATTER STATES HIS POSITION
AZ lis Meeting yesterday Afternoon
The Board Selects Principals for
The Ensuing Year,

A determined effort is being made in
the Lowell district to have Prof. Geo.
N. Mckay retained as principal of that
school. TO this end petition was cir
culated among the patrons and pupils
and IN an hours time 2Os Of the former
and 6l7 of the latter had signed IT, This
petition was placed in the hands Of
Judge Powers and he was unanimously
asked to present the same 10 the board
OF rs meeting held yesterday after
noon. This was done, the Judge being
ACCOMPANIED to the board rooms by
Roger w. Powers and Neil Pratt rep
resenting the pupils. The petition sub
mitted was as follows.
"We the pupils Of the Lowell. re-
specially urge your honorable body 20
continue Mr.. G, n, Mckay principal OF
our school In the position which he mas
held so many years with signal sue
tega IN the school work and to the un-
doubted satisfaction Of the schools
patrons. This spontaneous expression
of our sentiments Is voluntary Dut
none the less sincere, and In the best
interests Of the Lowell school district.
We commend to your further consld-
Grafton the question Of the difficulty OF
satisfactorily filling Mr.. Mckays
place
The petition win be considered at a
meeting OF the board to be held In
few DAYS
TEACHERS ENDORSEMENT.
That Prof. Mckay is held in high
esteem By the teachers Of his school,
is evident from the following letter pre-
sented to him yesterday by those labor
ing under him In that district.
"Salt Lake City Utah May 20 1907
Dear Mr.. McKay-We, your fellow
teachers Of the Lowell school, in veiw
of the fact that our relations are soon
TO be- severed. wish to express our
feelings toward YOU our principal
AS a principal you have been most
helpfuf You have established a high
standard Of excellence for your teach
ers and have encouraged US In every
way 10 reach that standard. Your eX-
ecutve ability has been a daily object
lesson TO us. You have heen resource
ful In the matter of suggestions that
make easier the difficulties that arise
In, our teaching lives. The fact that
" recognize that your Ideal Of the
teAcher Is high and that you have the
ability TO discriminate between work
that is and work that Is not commenda-
bic. has been a constant incentive 10
US 10 90 the best work Of which we are
capable
"Those Of US who have been with
YOU during most OF your 10 years OF ef-
ncient work In the Salt Lake schools
owe much Of our success as teachers 10
you. In the example which you have
set for US you have always emphasized
the importance Of loyalty 70 those in.
authority.
"As a gentleman you have been to-
ward US all that the term implies, II Is
with keen regret, therefore that we
contemplate the fact that We shall not
have your help and inspiration another
year We most sincerely wish for you
success IN the new field Of work upon
which YOU have entered and knowing
your ability are confident that you can
meet with nothing but success.
"Denloring our loss and trusting 10 q
bright future for you, we are your
friends.
THE Lowell Teachers; Katherine r.
Parsons. Mrs. r. s Barnett Jennie NJ
Carney Edith g. Lloyd Jessie Drew
Fstela Engilman. Martha Walters,
Nina Knudsen. Grace Helkes. Bessie
NJ Chambers Alice L, Manning. Laura
l. Foster Winifred Hardy, Mabel Car
son. Helena NJ walsh Mary L. Hosg
BESSIE Williamson Rowena Ottinger
NJ D. Stay Estelle Dunford, lrma
Eberhsrdt"
MIR. McKAY's STATEMENT.
Explaining his own position in the
matter Prof Mckay makes the follow
inr statement:
Il had determined not TO re-engage to
teach next year. II is known TO my
intimate friends that ! am 10 assume
the management Of school Of corre-
spondence and wish Il distinctly I'M
derstood that ! am positively declining
TO serve In the employ Of the board OF
education.
AT the same time ! was ambitious to
put an end TO my school work in a prop
er way. and considered that because Of
my long connection with the schools |
had "a right TO expect honorable treat
ment My school year does not end Till
Iunt I, and when | was summoned TO
present my resignation at once | con-
sderei Il unfair.
Il went TO Supt Christensen and dis
cussed the matter with him. The up
shot OF the conference was that he
agreed to recommend me for re-employ-
ment with the other principals, on the
understanding that ! would resign Fur
ther, he agreed 20 remove from his let
ter COPY book the copy OF the letter he
sent me asking for my resignation, so
that no record OF this would remain.
He did not recommend me FOR re-em-
ployment. and | am reliably informed
that in the executive meeting OF the
board Of education. when II was pro-
posed TO throw me out with smIrch
on my name he never raised his voice
In favor OF carrying out his agreement
with me.
zone reason / have Tor quitting Is
that the time seems TO have come when
Individual or professional opinion is
worth nothing In principals meetings.
There Is a disposition not 20 distinguish
between honest opinion and imaginary
characterization. ! have been Tor many
years In school work. / have taught
elsewhere as well as IN salt Lake. /
have been al the mead Of the Lowell
since L was built. 10 years ago
81 sent q communication 90 the board
Of education saying that ] would not
accept unemployment / cannot under
stand why Il was not laid before the
board at It's meeting yesterday.
Il wish 10 thank the patrons the pu-
pills and the teachers OF the Lowell for
their loyalty and kindness under an
circumstances. | especially appreciate
the action OF my teachers. and ] Mold
their testimonial az a higher value than
any that could have been given me-
PRINCIPALS CHOSEN.
At the board meeting yesterday after
noon the following principals were
chosen for the ensuing year.