Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1907-04-20
MacOn's School Troubles.

TO that strong article in the last issue of |
the BEACON, written by the Honorable
Chairman of the Board of Trustees an |
article in which the integrity of the
faculty is at stake; in which their vera
city is so plainly doubted that we, as a
body, deem it necessary tocorrect thus
publicly a few of the errors made.
We are not able to understand why
the Honorable Chairman, Mr. A. 1.
Dent, should have made such declara-
ton as that, when we remember so
well his speech at the opening of school
in which he eXhorted the children to be
chivahous to the ladies', remarklng that
a woman was the grandest piece of
work God ever made, Pnd expressing
his deepest respect and admiration for
women, especially for the faculty. He
had so much confidence in them that he
even advised the pupils TO do every
thing the teachers should do.
What is il to lead to? If, as set forth
by the trustees who signed that article,
the teachers are not to be depended up
on for the truth of a statement, is 1t
not a case of extreme woe that the
children, who may have needed the
Chairman S exhortation to follow in the
footsteps of the faculty, are being led
into paths Ol sin-the sin of lying and
are growing unto be unreliable citizens?
A child a falsifer Their children talsi-
fiers.
On the first of April the principal
went over to the school building to make
a fire, as no janitor had been employed.
When he entered the building he found
that it had been broken into-a crime
according to law-and that one register
in the lower hall had been thrown into
the yard. He found further that some
Of the property had been damaged; that
more was out Of order, and that some
was even carried away, Gt has devel-
oped since the investigation that among
the last were a number Of books and a
clock from one of the recitation rooms)
SO he sent a message Immediately to
the president Of the board stating the
condition Of affairs and asking that an
investigation be made
In accordance with his request the
President of the Board came up and af-
ter so-called investigation, promised
to see about the matter of providing a
ianitol; but later, remembering very
| important engagement in the country
he left town, and altho we know he had
the interest Of the school at heart Che
always has the interest of the school at
heart) he failed to send a Jamtor. why,
| if he did not intend to be as good as his
word, did he not use that ounce Of COM
moi sense and those two grains OF IN
terest in the school and have those boys
who were so willing to help, make a
! fire and clear away the rubbish before
the lady teachers arrived?
The morning was raw and cold; the
thermometers registered between forty
and fifty degrees throughout the build
ing, and altho we attempted to teach,
we soon found it impossible for SILVER
ing pupils to grasp the subjects put be-
fore them. Realizing the danger con-
nccted with such a venture as sitting
all day without fire, the principal al
lowed them to return to their homes.
This same thing occurred Tuesday
morning, and, Wednesday as it
had grown warmer, we taught
all day, altho the inconvenience was
very great owing to the passages being
INSTRUCTED by overturned desks, not
only teachers desks but some of the
pupils; by books and papers be scat
tered over the floor, matches thrown
here and there over the building, all of
which constituted a part of the rubbish
which the gentlemen-and they ARE
gentlemen-failed to see on their inves-
tigating tour
1t became evident to the faculty that
no relief would be furnished through
the Board Of Trustees, therefore a
united appeal was made to the Mayor
in order that the school might be car
ried on to the satisfaction of the pa
irons.
Now, our worthy friend tells us that
| these teachers desks which had been
carefully laid on their sides could have
been placed in proper position by any
eight year old child but at the same
time, we noticed thatit took two Of the
Board of Aldermen to readjust them.
The faculty are not the only ones
| who are guilty Of carelessness where
truth is concerned, for somebody has
said that upon investigation the basket
ball equipment was found to be in per
c,.4 1,,,5i;t;g,, ..,-,r,,+ fg. 81 f,,, l,pnts