The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-07-28
BLANTON'S RESIGNATION.

BLAN lON > RES1GNA 1ON.
Prof Blanton has resigned and by
this act he has relieved the School
Board of embarrassment and led the
great ma jority. if not all. of the patrons
of the public schools and their friends
and sympathizers to rejoicing.
By stepping down and out the irri-
tant which provoked an undesirable and
regretable situation. has been removed.
The friction. the antagonism, and
finally the open rebellion against Prof.
Blanton was not spontaneous. Its lnten-
sity was the result of series of little
ness and of arrogance in manner9 in
the display and in the exercise Of his
authority.
1t may be said that Prof Blanton' S
antagonlsm preceded the date fixed by
him, in which he attempted to discredit
a lady teacher, as we'll as the public al
tercation with one of the professors Of
the High School He incurred the dis
pleasure of the teachers at the very be-
ginning Of his official functions and he
had become so great until he presumed
he could not only defy the teachers he
had discredited wantonly. but their
friends and the public as well.
When so powerful man as Wander
bilt, who in a sense had money to throw
at the birds, could not resist public SEN
timent and lived to regret this express
ion. 1.-The public be - it was not pos
sible for Prof Blanton to stem the tide
of indignation he had aroused. Unfor-
tunately, at the critical moment, when
in his report extraordinary which he
presented in words and i'll temper VEN
omous, he was not only sustained by the
School Board who accepted his report,
but he was endorsed by his reelection
for another term, with increase of sal
airy recommended And the situation
was aggravated in his deliberate dis
credit of teachers who at this day have
no knowledge of their offending. In his
capacity as the superintendent of the
city schools he deliberately .discredited
teachers whom he did not fancy; he
slandered teacher, for which he was
convicted i'll the city court, and he at
tempted to evade responsibility for an
act, in connection with the School
Board, i'll the notification to teachers to
appear before the board to be heard, as
already stated, for offending of which
they stand ignorant today.
Having placed himself in this predica
1nent, which 10 self-respecting, unbiased
good citizen would approve, his, future
usefulness became impaired, as ne nat
urally lost caste as teacher in Shreve-
port, and notwithstanding his inclina-
ton to resume his duties at the next
scholastic term. he realized finally that
his usefulness as teacher and the ST.
perintendent of the schools of Shreve
port was at an end He is entitled to
some credit for his conclusions which
led to his resignation.
1t may not be inappropriate for The
Caucasian to say that in its connection
with this controversy it has never been
actuated by malice nor a dislike for
Prof. Blanton; indeed up to the even
ing when Prof Blanton presented his
report to the board, in which he charged
lady teacher with breach of conf
dence, The Caucasian had entertained
for him the kindliest regards. Through
out the publicity of the various stages
of this contention The Caucasian, while
pronounced, has been fair to Prof. Blan
ton in the statement of facts, which, had
they been incorrect, would have been
challenged by him and his friends.
From the beginning, The Caucasian's
position has been for harmony in the
schools. 1t was not possible to have
harmony in the schools with Prof. Blan-
ton, and therefore there was only one
course to pursue, and being plain, was
followed unswervingly.
Now that Prof Blanton is no longer
an ,ggravating issue, harmony will pre-
vail and the welfare of the public
schools. which is paramount to personal
Or private interest, is assured.