The Columbus weekly dispatch., 1907-05-23
AsweIl's Resignation.
New Orleans, May 1T.-The New
CfnfaE

man anu CupcTIul0uUeuL UI EOu-
cation Whitfield of Mississippi Of let
ters from Prof. ]. B. Aswell, Louis
lana superintendent of education,
rendering his resignation Of the chan
sissippi, to which he was elected sew
eral months ago. Today's dispatches
from Mississippi and from various
parts of Louisiana confirm the news.
Readers of the States have for
some time had an inkling of the pos
sibility of change in the plans of
Mr.. Aswell, dating from the big con-
yention of teachers held in Shreye-
port some months ago. Mr.. Aswell
was Iionized there and an insistent
demand made upon him to abandon
his proposed departure from the
State. Since then pressure has borne
upon him from every quarter, and it
has been known that steps were be-
ing taken by the school interests
throughout the State to provide a
fund which would make possible the
payment of an adequate salary TO
the superintendent until by consti-
tutional amendment the people were
given an opportunity to change the
present miserable salary to one com
mensurate with the dignity and re-
sponsibility of the office.
During the recent gathering of
teachers and editors at Lafayette,
La, there was a very considerable
demonstration in favor of Mr.. AS
well, and the prediction was then
printed in the columns of the States
that ultimately Mr.. Aswell would be
persuaded to send his resignation to
the Mississippi authorities. He final
ly did so yesterday.
'Mr. Aswell's acceptance of the
Mississippi offer was generally under
stood to be due to his inability to
as much as to the honor which was
involved in being elevated to SO i'm
portant a position with one of the
great educational institutions of a
identified with the school interests
of the State until his selection as
president of the Industrial School at
Ruston. In the latter position he
attracted the attention Of educators
throughout the State, the institute
making great strides under his di-
rection, and both Governor Foster
and Governor Heard during their ad-
ministrations came to regard Mr.. AS
well as one of the strongest forces
connected with the educational ad-
vancement of Louisiana.
when Justice Blanchard became
a candidate for governor of Louis
lana and resolved to make education
ton, he sought the consent of Mr..
Aswell to become a candidate for
State superintendent, though the con-
sent carried with it a sacrifice of sal
ever, that the new administration
would lend all its influence toward
the submission and adoption of a con-
stitutional amendment that would in
crease the salary from $4,000 to an
amount commensurate with the i'm
portance of the Office. Such an
amendment was submitted by the
legislature, but unfortunately Gov
ernor Blanchard became involved in
a bitter quarrel with the people of
~ l.; sr{ -,
the Gutenberg matter, with the result
that sentiment turned against him
and his educational measures all over
the State, and the salary amendment
bond measure and most of the other
amendments that were proposed. AT
the last session of the legislature per-
sonal antipathy to Mr.. Aswe1l in iso-
lated quarters re- .dered it impossible
to put another amendment through.
''Since Mr.. Aswells acceptance of
the Mississippi chancellorship, how
ever, the whole State has seemed to
realize the need of an increase in the
superintendent's salary, even should
Mr.. Aswell decide not to stay. In his
address to the voters Lieutenant Gov
ernor Sanders declared that if elected
governor he would do all in his power
to have the salary raised to $4,000 a
year. The other candidates will, it
is understood, also favor such an
amendment, and there seems to be
no doubt that in the election in No
be put through. In the meantime
the educational interests of the State
are anxious to make an arrangement
through appropriations by the local
school boards whereby the difference
between the present and the DrOpOSed