The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1903-06-05
ANOTHER EXPRESSION.
Editor of The Sun /:


as simple must have written it. It
may be we'll for the board to talk of
discipline, duty and such things, and
try to throw the responsibility and
blame on some one else, but glory in
the spunk of those children who. real
izing the deception, misrepresentation
and stealth that have baen employed
to dispense with some of their teach
ers by board of men who ought to
have set better example, got out and
publicly showed what they thought
about it. ask the board, what sort of
public school system may we expect
to have in Paduoah, when such a state
OF rebellion and hostility has been
aroused among the pupils, that they
openly hiss the superintendent of the
schools when he enters the room
What man or woman of common intel
ligence thinks for moment that the
people believe that either the press or
the teachers created or nurtured such
q condition?
If you will allow me to say it, /
would express the belief that no one
will, or did, deny the right of the
school board to change tine teachers,
not even these thoughtless a. chill
dren. IL is the time and way they
went about it. There is time for ev-
erything. When our board of educa-
tion meets In secret caucus, or "pri-
waite session" as they are pleased TO
call it, weeks in advance of the prop
er time, and TO please and accommo-
date strangers 10 whom they or the
people of Paduoah owe nothing, decide
on which Of these strangers shall hold |
positions in our schools here, so that
those strangers left out can look for
other jobs, and then let our own teach
ers know nothing about il until too
late to get other positions themselves,
think they are pretty lot CT officials
10 set examples for the young idea. If
Il was necessary TO let these strangers
know about the selection that far in
advance so they wouldn't be knocked
,ut Of jobs, it was equally necessary
% show our own teachers similar cour-
esy-but they didn't.
Let me say this also. No sane per-
on believes that the teachers to be dis.
'ensed with, or already dispensed
With, were discharged because they
we're incompetent, either in scholar ,
hip or discipline, or were in the least
Their certificates show
heir scholarship-get them and see.
heir years of successful teaching in
he schools proves their ability to {
ommand the respect and obedience of !
heir pupils. No one, whether large or 9
mall, dignified or frivolous, . saint q
I monster, man or woman, can abso- {
utely control pupils in school, or :
hildren anywhere else for that mat. c
er at all times; and il these teachers /
i'd not control their pupils in the past {
ears the high officials of the schools Z
re guilty of gross neglect of duty in t
OF reporting it. II they did control 1
heir pupils in past years, they can do a
now, and the children know all
hese things. You can't fool them.
There is one thing now about these
chool children and the teachers who ,
re charged with melting insubordina- J
ion. They are on the inside, and the
chool board, while it may fool part l
{ the public, and even themselves.
annot fool the pupils and teachers.
he latter know the good teachers Q
rom the bad, and know fairness from
and they are not afraid to
xpress their sentiments as they did
he other afternoon.
Such public demonstrations are the I
est way to rebuke public offioiais who G
how such . total disregard for JUS L
Ice. public sentiment, and the public
chool system. Look at our schools G
oday. What messi Disorganized, G
and the end not in sight.
md some friend Of the board comes
onward, and tries to blame it ON the
apersl
I say again, / admire the pluck of .
hese children. Nobody has got them
ooled. They are typical Americans,
nd will not stand for anything that
avors of unfairness or deoeptionss al ID
ONE OF THOSE NOT FOOLED. i