La Junta tribune., 1908-12-12


tions OF the law that appear to conflict
and they generally do II SO as TO
unite those sections into one har-
monious whole. But this school board
or its great legal light. does just the
( opposite. He loves confusion.
The point l make here is this-that
II the school board really believed
that they were right. and the state
superintendent of schools was wrong.
in her decision, they should, as wise
their own opinions and accepted hers
for the sake OF peace and harmony in
the schools and TO avoid, two
years conflict OF authority, with all
its evil consequences. and since they
failed TO do this they showed want
OF diplomacy aud tact and proved
their unfitness for the positions they
occupy.
should not be forgotten or overlooked
II is not necessary for any one to
inform me of the Decentralization such
school rumpus would have on the
schools for | know from my past
experience as teacher how difficult
it would be for teachers, however
worthy. to keep the minds of the
scholars on their books when there
is lively fracas going on among
school officers on the outside.
Even dog fight in the middle OF
the street will attract crowd OF
spectators to see which dog licks and
which dog gets licked. ! cannot i'm
agine and am unable to determine
what possible motive could induce
any party or parties to get up this
high school rumpus. unless it was
and make public exhibition of them
selves. and that, too. at the sacrifice
{ of the interests of the boys and girls
of La Junta who are now struggling
/ to improve their minds and prepare
themselves for the great battle OF
life.
| learn from a communication in the
/ Tribune of Oct. 3lst. that this board
engaged La Junta attorney to give
them his opinion as to the number
OF that high school committee. and
whAn he informed them that 1t was
not five, but THREE, they rejected
his opinion and went In search of
an attorney who would DISH OUT
the law to them as they requested.
/ This circumstance proves beyond the
shadow OF doubt that this school
board had previously formed an opin-
/, ion, fixed and Interchangeable, that
tha- committee must consist OF five
members and they were determined
to STICK to it, right or wrong. law
or no law.
When Pat came off the witness
stand he was told that he had made
great mistake in his testimony In
swearing that the horse was sixteen
feet high when he meant sixteen
hands high. and he replied:
well, well, IL said that ! will
stick to it. and bluff 'cr through.
believe in consistency, anyway"
Pat represents class in society,
always too numerous, who have so
much egotism and false pride that
they will not rectify a mistake or
correct an error. no matter what he
consequences to themselves or others
i declare that this school board is
responsible for all the costs they
made on both sides of this case. for
Z the bitterness OF feeling aigendered
and for the injury to the schools and
/ they should be compelled to bear that
responsibility.
This board should have shown
| themselves as high-minded and as
conscientious as did the county
Superintendent Of schools. by paying
the costs which they made By their
blundeplng. out OF their own pockets.
and not out Of other peoples pockets
"a thing they had no moral or legal
right 70 do, And ~ wish to state
here that do mot censure the Pueblo
attorney for taking the S5oo-would
not IL It were . 81 .000-but ! cen
sure the board for paying 1t out Of
the school funds.
During my investigation Of this
case. made two discoveries-first.
that the principal business Of this
school board has been transacted by
two. possibly three members. of the
board. the others being so busy with
their own private business and be-
lieving that everything was moving
along all right, gave little time or
attention to It; and. secondly. dis
covered that this fchool board has