Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-03-28
School Board Offers Him Same
Salary as Was rendered by
the Local Board
mL.coME HERE, HOWEVER
Mason City People Are Using Every
Influence to Retain Their Popular
superintendent-Has Not Signed
His Contract Here-eIobe- Gazette
Pays Him and His Work a High
Tribute.

If the temptation of salary equal
ing that offered him here and the in
huence of his friends and the school
board of Mason City are of suttlclent
weight, Superintendent E. L. Coffeen,
who was elected to this city's schools,
may remain in Mason City. The Mas
on City board has offered to increase
his salary to meet the terms OF the
local board and are striving to re-
tain the popular head Of their schools.
This afternoon Mr.. Coffeeh talked
with MI. A. e. Wilbur, Of the school
board, over the long distance telephone,
and said THAT he would come to rhls
city, as he had promised when he visit
ed the city last week, resulting In MS
election by the board. Mr.. Coffeen ex-
poets ito be in the city next week, TO go
thru the schools and become ac-
quainted.
In response to telegram sent him
by the mes-Republican Mr.. Coffeen
late this afternoon replied Il shall go
to Marshalltown.' This is decisive
and settles any doubt that might have
existed.
When Mr.. Coffeen was here he
agreed to the terms offered and the
details were arranged with the excep-
ton of signing contract, which was
deferred owing to some OF the school
directors being absent. The local
board members had no knowledge OF
the Mason City boards action until
advised by the Times Republican.
| OF Mr.. Coffeen, his work in the
schools and the regret the public will
feel in his going, the Mason City
Globe-Gazette publishes the following:
1.-THE news that E. L. Coffeen, super
intendent Of the city schools, has def
nitely accepted proposition from the
board at Marshalltown, to take
charge of the schools there for the
coming year is received with general
regret by the board, the entire
force of teachers. the pupils of the
schools and the public generally. Mr..
Coffeen came here from DEBORAH af-
ter strenuous contest in the board
itself and man with less ability and
Hess diplomacy would have made a
wreck of it instead of the splendid
success of the past year. Mr.. Cof-
feen I ade it plain to every MEM
Der of the board that he must not be
asked to pass upon what had trans
| pired, that he would endeavor to seek
| the counsel of the whole board in
matters in their province but he must
be untrammeled in the general policy
Of organizing and perfecting the
school system after it had been ex-
planned and agreed upon. He has
kept himself aloof from factionalism
and has applied himself so indus
triously to the work of carrying out
and improving the foundation work,
SO well laid by his predecessors that
there has been entire harmony every
where and the schools have pros
pered greatly under his tact and
splendid educational ability.
1t is not too much to say that there
is greater unity among the teachers
than for some time past and that they
| have worked with more enthusiasm
| than formerly.
with the building Of the new high
school dragging into the winter
months, when it had been hoped it
would be finished at the beginning of
the fall semester, he was greatly han
dicapped but he brought order out of
chaos, kept the teachers with their
crowded rooms in utmost good nature
| ton of the high school SO we'll that in
it seemed as If the building always
was. He has strengthened the course
Of study, gathered about him a very
energetic. united and enthusiastic
teaching force especially in the high
school and has gotten hold Of the pu-
pills in all the grades with the char
acteristics Of a general.
1.-THE discipline has been improved
and the teachers have found him to
be helpful rather than critical He
has been decisive in his rulings so that
the teachers have been able to sus-
tain their discipline even If In cases
he might have suggested otherwise If
he had been on the scene at the mo-
ment. He has been on number of
public programs and has always ac-
| Quilted himself creditably although he
does not pride himself on being an ora
tor. He is easy and fluent, however,
and always gives in his addresses
either to the teachers or public gath
erings, something which is educational
in it's uplift.
t"There is general regret everywhere
that he is to go away but his friends
are glad of his promotion for Marshall
town is considered ore of the best
| school positions among educators In
Iowa and one with the greatest
possibilities for higher advancement
Three years ago Mr.. Coffeen was the
unanimous second choice of the
school board there with some first
choice votes and this year he was
rendered the position without COM
plete unanimity and without having
been an applicant. The salary Is con-
siderably more than here. If he makes
good as no one doubts, he is to have
$1,000 the first year, $4,000 the second
year and $1,000 the third year. an aver
age of S4O0 more than the present sal
airy.
"The loss.of Mr.. Coffeen is not the
only thing, however, which Masor
City regrets. Society loses one of its
most valuable members in the de-
parture of Mrs. Coffeen. She is a
woman domestic in her tastes ano
wrapped up in her children, who are
unusually precocious and models. but
in the Marie Mitchell Club she has
shown splendid literary ability, anc
social qualities. which have attracted
the cultured women of the city to hel