Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1906-04-19
OPEN LETTER TO THE VOTERS OF
AUDUBON COUNTY:


AUDUBON COUNTY:
In another column of this paper 1
have announced my candidacy for the
office of County Superintendent. 1t
would be impossible for me to make
campaign over the county even if
people expected it of me. Being en-
ployed as Principal of High School, /
feel that my time belongs to the
school district and that I have no
right to neglect my school work to
further my private interests. Neither
would you expect me to follow the
custom of distributing cigars. 1 do
not believe any citizen who considers
the welfare of his children, who con-
siders their moral and intellectual
improvement, will be influenced by
cigar. However that may be, wish
to be considered upon my merit only.
Sixteen years ago [ was solicited to
be candidate for this office. [ re-
fused largely on grounds of friend
ship. Since then at different times |
have been solicited to become can
didate and refused for the same reason
| that of friendship. The old saying
has often been quoted to me, What
q person gets in this world he has to
hustle for" Indeed / know what it
is to hustle, but believe / can make
this statement unchallenged: have
never crowded another to make room
for myself.
But the time has now come when I
feel that [ can conscientiously step
before the people to urge my candi-
dacy.
AS to my qualifications for this
office, you, the voters, should investi-
gate that for yourselves. However
submit the following. have
taught for over twenty years in the
schools of Audubon county. I have
taught in the country schools, the
Extra schools, and for years here in
the Audubon schools. My present
position is that of Principal of High
Sehool-a position that involves
large responsibilities, larger in many
ways than that of the office of County
Superintendent position that re-
quires qualifications of a higher order
than has ever been demanded for the
office of County Superintendent.
Teaching is my profession aud not
stepping stone to something else
that Is better pay. In business life
the time element enhances efficiency,
aud enters largely into the question
o; promotion. Then why should
n vt teacher who has given her Ii Q
TO school work be given favorable
hearing in her claims for preference,
granting Of course that her years of
experience have added to her qualifi-
cations?
/ presume my record as teacher in
some respects is unparalleled in this
county. / was initiated into the pro.
fession in the Lone Willow school in
Douglas township-the building was
a shanty with paper roof that ne
cessitated agile lodging in times of
rain storms. l considered it quite a
promotion when / got school that
boosted a chalk box and water
bucket.
During the years / have taught in
this county have been associated in
the school room with from thousand
to twelve hundred boys and girls.
Many of these same boys and girls u
are teachers now and they have al.
ways given to me loyalty which |
truly appreciate. Should / be sue
cessful in securing this office, | feel
there would be a strong bond of sym.
pathy between those teachers and
myself, which is one of the most es.
sential elements in successful school
supervision. Let all bear in mind
that the mission of the County Sup.
erintendent is not that of critic, but
he is to be helper, a guide, safe
counsellor to the teachers under his
supervision.
Now that the County Superintend.
ent has little to do with certifica'
ton of teachers his duties are con.
) eiderably altered. His usefulness de.
: ponds more than ever upon his ability
: to supervise, upon his intimate know
. ledge of the conditions OF the schools
and adequate experience in dealing
!, with those conditions. Unless the
= Superintendent has this ability he
!. will be mere fgurehead, the Office
: will be useless, and you are simply
: making him a present of his salary
The people of Audubon county spent
8 over $60,000.O0 per year for thei
] schools. TO the voter / would say
: ponder these figures. then ask your
;, self this question, ais it not a matte
= of great importance to me and to my
8 children whom place at the head o
r these schools?" Because one is
''good fellow" or personal friend, il
, that sufficient reason for giving hin
8 your vote? Have you right to vot'
a away the peoples money in that way
r An eminent statesman has said, ''Th'
r election over this country of the RICH
e men and women to the offices o
| School Director, Superintendent ant
: Instructors in our public schools is o
[ more importance than that of Presi
t dent of the United States. Whateve