Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1908-09-10
TRUE HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL TROU-
BILE AT HICKS CHAPEL AND
HICKORY GROVE.

HICKORY GROVE.
Editor News
If Won will allow me space III your
paper, | will give your readers t1e
facts in regard to the school trouDle
here in the 2nd district OF Marion
County. | note your readers have
never had the facts laid before them.
write not meaning to give offence TO
any. The intention of this article Is
to give the positive facts as they nave
been and are also to correct some er-
ors | prefer to write above my real
signature and not to use your paper as
a shield to hide from the public. Men
who write above fictitious names are
not supposed to write facts and their
articles are most generally fictitious,
like their names. | would have Who'll
ly ignored what has been written mad
it not been for incorrect statements
and Misrepresentation and continual
throwOff.
In the News of last week it was stat
ed that the daily attendance was from
nine to fifteen and that the school at
Hickory Grove would be shut down
either by agreement or bill of inJunc-
ton. Not a word of truth in the
statement. Nobody is scared at bill
of Injunction to stop a public school
that has been established by those hav-
ing authority and the teacher teaching
under a contract and an average at
tendance of % and % enrolled and ev-
erybody within school distance. Miss
Sallie Jenkins is getting along nicely
= Of tho hast schools
that has ever been taught here Meth
er she nor the Board of Education is
responsible for non-attendance but the
parents, who fail to send their child
rem to school, 1t is teachers duty
according to contract to give instruct
ion in all the branches required by law
to all pupils who may attend. Teach
ers are not required by law or contract
to compel parents to send their child
rem to school. Children are entitled to
days and not dollars. If parents fail
to send their children they neglect the
education of those children and there
by do their children an injustice. 1t
has come under my observation that
those who boiler school the loudest
send the least l knew that the school
strike here was originated long before
the school started. 1t was done to
whip the Board of Education into line,
so [ decided to let others fuss if they
liked it, but | would send my children
to school and to school they have gone
every school day for five weeks. |
send them to school every school day
unless there is sickness in my family.
| am not contentious but submissive to
the decision of the Board.
1t was stated in last week. paper
that was representing Hickory Grove
before the Board of Education last
week Not word of truth in the
statement | was not there. | have
represented Hickory Grove before the
board but not at the time specified.
was at the teachers meeting at Jasper
Saturday, August 26, and heard the
teachers reports from the various
schools of the county and | can truth
fully say that the average attendance
at Hickory Grove is about up with the
average of the rural schools.
Now all that talk about IS pupils be-
ing on strike is incorrect, and is toe
fishy for thinking people to believe.
There are only SO numbered and they
are numbered to Hickory Grove Some
of the 50 are young married people.
There are 80 of school age living at
Hickory Grove and no statement can
change that fact. | have carefully
counted the pupils and know whereof
| speak. find 80 in the bounds of
Hickory Grove independent of the dis
trict line which did run between Dr.
i. A. Burnett's and Hicks Chapel.
| have not counted any pupils in that
part of territory that New Hope took
from Hickory Grove by slyly and Sc,
cretly getting up petition and slip
ping off down to the legislature at
Nashville and having special district
made by an act of the legislature.
New Hope by that act took territory
that never before belonged to her.
Some say the New Hope district line
runs too close to Hickory Grove tC
have school there. Not so. The south
Hickory Grove independent line once
was some nearer Hicks Chapel thar
the New Hope district line is to Hick
DRY Grove yet the Hicks Chapel schoo
ran ON and don't remember of hear
ing anyone say anything about it
Talk about the majority of pupils
They live at Hickory Grove and belong
there and Hickory Grove is most con