The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-03-31
SUPERINTENDENT WEIGH EN-
poRsEs THE MOVEMENT.
ANSWERS ANACONDA BOARD
States Chief Education Officer Says
Organization Of Instructors
Benefits Schools.

= letter addressed to the editor
of an Anaconda newspaper, the state
superintendent of public instruction
endorses the movement instituted
among the public school teachers of
that city to organize a union. Mr..
WEIGH declares that teachers not
only have the right to organize UNI
ions, but that they should be en-
couraged to do sc.
On February 20 the school board
Of Anaconda passed a resolution in
which it stated it had been informed
that the teachers Of the city were
about to organize a union, and that
if they persisted in that course the
board would dispense with their SER
vices. This is the resolution, as pub
1ished in the Anaconda tSandard Feb
ruary 81:
Resolution Of Board.
Whereas, 1t has come to the
knowledge and information of this
board that a teachers union is about
to be perfected and organization of
said union has been instituted and is
now being supported by certain poll
ticians. therefore be it
Resolved, That it is the sense of
this board that the organization of a
teachers union or my organization
or association of the employees Of the
schools that is not under the direct
control and supervision of the board
OF trustees elected by the people, is
detrimental to the best interests of
the public schools and a violation of
the spirit of the laws, rules and reg
u1ations governing the said schools.
1t is therefore
Resolved, That any teacher or 9th
er employee joining or uniting with
be sufficient to cause their immedi-
ate discharge from the service of this
school, and the city superintendent
is hereby authorized and instructed
to promptly investigate by personal
inquiry with each and every teacher
employed by this board as to the ex-
organization and of the connection,
il any, of the said teachers with such
organization or proposed organization
and he will Immediately suspend
from duty and report to the board
any of the said teachers whom he
may find belonging to such organiza-
lance thereto"
Away at the Time.
State Superintendent WEIGH lef:
Helena on the day the resolution Of
the Anaconda board was published.
His attention was called to the reso-
luton upon his return and this after
noon he replied to it. He upholds
the action of the teachers and refers
to it as an example of honesty of pur-
pose and for the best interests of the
teachers and for the schools. 1t is an
effort, he says, to do away with con
ditions that are fast becoming "in-
%tolerable." In his address he states
that the duties of a school board are
ito enforce the rules and regulations
of the superintendent of public in
struction for the government of
schools, pupils and teachers and to
enforce the course of study" He
says:
Il desire to say to the board OF
trustees of the Anaconda schools
that in my opinion the time has gone
by when teachers need to apologize
for making intelligent, well-directed,
organized effort to better their con-
dition- You very boldly tell the pub
lie that information and knowledge
has come to the board that a teach
ers' union is about to be perfected
d deplorable condition, isn't it? 1
want to ask the board if they think
that teachers who join a teachers
union would know less about school
management, less of mathematics,
grammar or literature? If they are
normal graduates, do you think they
would Immediately lose their profess
sional training because they have
joined a teachers union?
Endorses Their Action.
II am proud to know that the teach
ers of Anaconda have taken the initia-
tive in the matter of %unionizing the
teachers of Montana and in doing SO
you have already learned that the
critics are not all silent, but the gen.
eral diffusion of knowledge of facts
IN the economic situation disposes