The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1908-04-30
SCHOOL BOARD PROCEEDINGS.

nut, on motion, UNANIMOUSLY carried, he was re-
uested to read same to them at once and let the
Board take whatever action they thought best in
pproving or disappearing of what had been done.
The report was then read, which is as follows
the Honorable President and Members of the Parish Board
Directors of Parish Bossier State louisiana
By authority of law, vested in me Parish
of Public Education in your said
parish and State, and set forth in sections so and
Il of Act PA of 1902, have found it my painful
luty to revoke the license to teach previously
lwarded to Mr.. E. D. Burgess, Principal of Plain
Dealing High School, and | hereby respectfully
lotify your honorable body of my action in the
premises, for your approval or disapprova, as the
aw directs.
Excerpts from the above mentioned sections of
aw read as follows:
Sec. 50. If at any time a teacher becomes
incompetent inefficient or unworthy of the en-
dorsement given him or her the Parish Super
intendent may revoke the same and notify the
Board of his action, for its approval or dis
approval.
Sec. g. The teacher shall faithfully enforce
in the school the course of study and the regu-
lations prescribed in pursuance of law; and If
any teacher shall willfully refuse or neglect to
comply with such regulations the Parish
Superintendent, on petition or complaint which
shall be deemed sufficient by the Board, may
remove or dismiss him OR her.
l wish to emphasize the fact that l have been
very careful in every step have taken, endeavor-
ing to do Justice to all concerned and administer
the law in fearless, honest and dignifed manner,
so to avoid the contempt and merit the approval
of all good citizens who place high value on
proper character building in the public schools of
our country.
In the absence of statutory regulations prescrib
ing the course to be pursued by superintendent
in case like the one thus confronting me, was
left solely to the guidance of my own judgment. If
my judgment has been in error, at least feel as
sured that my conscience and my candor have
served me unimpaired.
In order that the Board may have clear under
standing of this unfortunate affair, will give here
a detailed statement of the facts as | understood
them, taken from the mouths of sworn witnesses.
The testimony was to the effect that on Wednes-
day afternoon of the 1st day of April quite num-
Der of the high school pupils left the school room
and went off on escapade of truancy, intending
it all-fools-day joke on the Principal, who it
appears was absent from the room at the time.
On being informed of the truancy. the Principal
leaped out of back window and went in search OF
the truants In course of half three quarters OF
mile he overlook them, walking in couples, COM
posed generally of boy and girl, but all, how
ever, under the chaperonage of the music teacher
who, as is known, has immediate connection
with public school.
The Principal marched the truants back to school
and ordered them kept in one hour and forty min
utes after school to pay for lost time. He then
prepared list of written rules which to apply
to the truants only, prescribing that none of the
boys and girls should walk together in coming to
returning from school, speak to one another on
the campus, or engage in the same games, for a
week, on pain of suspension.
On Friday morning he witnessed with his own
eyes an open violation of his rules by John Car
starphen and Lucy Perry. He asked Carstarphen
if he knew he was violating the rules, and was
answered in the affirmative When asked why ne
had done so he gave an evasive answer. He was
informed by the Principal at once that he coule
consider himself suspended. This occurred on the
yard, and as they walked into the school building
Carstarphen asked for and obtained private in
terview with the Principal in room No. Z. On en-
tering the room Carstarphen invited several pupils
who were seated therein to ret re. All went out
leaving the two alone. Carstarphen then rose AMI
shut the door. During my investigation both thes
gentleman swore that they left the room very angr.
with each other. Both took their places at chape
service Burgess swore that he lost control OF hi
temper and for about forty minutes administered
very severe rebuke to the school generally abou
violations OF the school laws. Five of the teacher
swore that this lecture was an undigniied ha
| f,,I brpo re ot11ro an
disgraceful to the school, They further swore tina
during this harangue Burgess turned to Carstar
phen and without any apparent reason Withdrew
his order of suspension but that Carstarphen ros
and defiantly replied that Burgess could suspen
him if he wished, that he thought the pupils had
much right to court as the teachers, who had sc
the example. The testimony showed that eve
afterwards Burgess seemed to be mere toy in tn
hands of Carstarphen. When Carstarphen wa
asked why he wished an interview with the Prln
cipal in No. I, he answered that it was simply
explain how he happened to be in company wit
Lucy. and that it happened by accident. Burgess
also swore that this was the explanation given
Carsterphen and all that occurred in room No.
Carstarphen was then asked if he did not tell Bul
CESS in No. that he knew enough on him which
diyulged would do him up in Plain Dealing ar
cause him to lose his place. AT this iuncture Blu
CESS rose to his feet and, with angry gesture, DEF
antly declared that the Superintendent should n
proceed further with this line OF the investigate
that he would not permit it to be done. Carsta
phen answered no. He was then asked II he M
not told ]. A. Mitchell, ex-Mayor OF Plain Dealln
and others, on Sunday morning, the 9th instant,
Mitchell's store, that he had told Burgess in No
that he could do him up in Plain Dealing by tellii
ardt that RurceSS afraid