Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1907-11-15


came from Chicago especially to attend
the meeting, was almost smothered by
her adherents who were anxious to shake
her hand and assure her Of their hearty
good will.
Ask Board to Resign.
BY the overwhelming vote OF So to I
resolution was adopted CaiHug on the
members OIL the ScnUoI board ~ resign
because OF lncOmpetency which was
followed 10y the unanimous adoption Oh
a demand that the teacher De relustaued.
a significant feature OF the aualr WAS
that not i member OF the school Board,
winch comprises Alex CuIuWeI, MIS-.
Kate CIarh and ". Ii. steele, was
present, which occaslOned much com
nenJ and the asking OF the question as
10 why they were not there was greeted
by cries OIL cold Ieet from ali parts
OF the room. one aged gentleman arose
ana upon getting Tie moor announced
that he Understood the board members
had gone to Canada TO escape me
draught." y hen il was announced that
II Mss Roberts does not continue teach
Ing at BeWaukec there is position open
IOr her III the " aukusha schools, there
We're crlcs ct "NauAGsha can't have
her.
Pewaukee Hall IS damned.
The meeting was called by the school
board upon petition vi the required mum
Der Of voters. u hen the appointed hour
arrived the high school assembly room
was packed to SulIocation. the huIls were
hlled and many people were clamorlng
Tor admission. No member OF the board
being prescHt, Harry Cooper was elect
ed chairman, following which, OH motion
OF Andrew Nelson, president OF the vii
lage, an adjournment was taken to Odd
Fellows hail. which also proved made
quatc to accommodate the crowd.
William PETER, who stated that he
had 10 objection to Miss Roberts, but
wanted to see fair play, read Il letter
from State Supt. L. Z. Cary, written in
reply to one from Mrs. Clark of the
school board, which stated that the di-
rectOrs were not required to attend the
meeting; were not responsible to the
electors for their actions in engaging
and discharging teachers and need give
no justification unless they desired. In
conclusion the letter stated that there
was nothing in the state supcrntend-
ent's office to show that Miss Roberts,
who is Il graduate Of the University of
Chicago, was entitled to teach in Wis
cOnSin.
School Not LegaliZed?
Judge g. j.. Armin. appearing i'll be-
half OF Miss Roberts, read Il lengthy SUI
preme court decision tending 10 show
that the school board WAS i'll the wrong.
He said that the school board had made
a mistake in not having Miss Roberts
credentials attached TO her contract, as
required by law. This had not been
done with the other teachers, he said,
and there had not been a legally en-
pIoyed teacher i'll the local high school
for six years. The very legality Of the
high school itself was questioned. Miss
COrnelia Walrath, Il graduate of Chica-
90 university aud high school inspector,
quoted from the school manual showing
that by illegally employing teachers the
school forfeited its right TO state aid.
President Nelson moved that the school
be closed for thirty days or until Miss
Roberts was reinstated and harmony re-
stored. The motion was not seconded
and it was subsequently voted that Miss
Roberts be reinstated upon presenting
her credentials emitting her to teach in
Wisconsin.
Board to Stand Pat.
The failure of the board members to
attend the meeting is taken TO indicate
that they intend to pursue their stand
pat policy and will decline to resign.
From sentiment expressed at the meeting
1t seems evident that if they continue to
defy the wishes of the members OF the
district the matter may terminate i'll the
courts.
At the mass meeting last week when
Secretary Alex Caldwell was summoned
before the meeting he stated rcpea teddy
that there had been no complaints
against Miss Roberts character or teach
ing, but that she had been asked to re-
sign because the other four teachers had
threatened to leave unless she was dis
missed. j Quinlan stated publicly at
last evenings meeting that Secretary
Caldwell had told him that the best thing
would be for Miss Roberts to accept a
position as teacher in one Of the lower
grades. Miss Roberts states that at the
time the board requested her to resign
she had asked for two weeks grace. but
was advised to leave town quietly and
no one need ever know about it.
What the final outcome will ba can
only be coujectured. but public sentiment
in the community is 50 thoroughly in
sympathy with the teacher thar her
eventual victory seems assured. Her at
1orney has in his possession Il petition
signed by the parents Of every one Of her
l. l.