The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-01-14

Ierson gained the floor and gave his
Opinions regarding the matter.
mfr. Dlckerson said that 1t showed
very poor Judgment on the part of the
board to be 50 readily influenced by
la shook man" who had come with
expert testimony for that express pur-
Ipose. Nr. Dickerson stated that
the action had been taken by the
old board at the request of Mr..
Beckett in whom they had placed
all confidence and in whose state
Iments they could trust. MIR. Beck
EFT, he thought, had only the best
Interests of the school at heart when
he made the request and 1t did not
impress him as being wisdom to turn
from him 50 readily In preference to
IA man whose only motive could be
Ito sell few books.
Superintendent Frank also thought
1t an extremely bad precedent for
the board to retract in favor of the
book man." while the Ben Pittman
System was without champion, as
Mr.. Beckett had made no pretense of
having expert testimony. Mr.. Frank
Thought that 1t would be wiser plan
to wait until an expert of the Pitt
man system could be present and ex-
plain the old system to the board as
well as the Gregg writer had done
and then the decision could be made
with better judgment.
Mr. Ka11u NJ
that the Pittman or old system had
no travelling representatives. The
board members, however, were an
parently, inclined to believe that the
lold system could stand upon its
merits and not upon the oratory of
Its agents. Mr.. Beckett stated that
the system had experts, one of whom
he could secure If the board SO de-
sired.
The Gregg representatives now felt
the tables turned decidedly against
them and proceeded to bring further
evidence. Mr.. Kelly asked that the
newspaper reporters be asked to leave
the room whilehe addressed the board
Member Dickerson stated that any,
thing which was unfit for the good
people of Marion to hear was also
UNIT for the board to hear.
The scribes were allowed to retain
their places, whereupon Mr.. Kelly
showed an original letter to the board
which had been written to the Gregg
people by Mr.. Beckett a few wears
ago, while the Electic system of
Shorthand was in use in the schools
IN which the following words were
found; "What would 1t be worth to
you to have the Gregg system adopted
instead of the Electric?" Mr.. Kelly
stated that It was his belief that
Prof. Beckett had been offered money
for getting the Gregg system into the
schools and insinuated that for the
same reason he had secured the adop-
ton of the Ben Pittman system.
The discussion became at this point
again very heated and President
CUTLERY called the board to order.
after which an explanation was de-
manded from Mr.. Beckett. The
commercial teacher denied very
firmly that there was any money con-
lsideratfon In the matter and that at
the time the letter was written no
mad already been employed by the
board with the order to teach Gregg
shorthand.
Professor Beckett said that II the
board wanted the Gregg system. he
would gladly teach II as there was
no object Of interest to him other
than that of the welfare of the
school. Mr.. Beckett begins his class
In stenography on the morning of
January 27, while the board meets
again In regular session on the even
ing or that day. II would be neces-
sary, therefore, to make some deci-
sion. Mr.. Frank hit upon the happy
Idea that the classes might be dis
missed until the decision was made.
1t is said that number of books
teaching the Ben Pittman system
have been purchased by the prospect
i've students.
Upon motion the board decided IN
dismiss the classes until the decision
was made and at the next regular
meeting the matter will be thresbed
out with representatives of both of
ahe conflicting systems present to
argue their cases before the board
The next meeting Is expected to be a
very heated one.
] President CUTLERY appointed the
members of the boprd and various
lcommittees as follows: Finance
Spaulding, Jacoby and Christian,
I Building and Grounds: :-Dickerson.
sSpanlding and CUTLERY; Printing
Hiil, Jacoby and CUTLERY; Courses of
Study and Text Books-Jacobv
Christian and Dickerson: Supplies
Christian, Cutlery and Hill: Janitors
-Guthery, Dickerson and Hill;
Teachers-IThe entire board.
Principal Winaps of the High
School asked for a number of I'M
movements in the lighting at the
High School building.
Clover Leaf Flour makes better
bread and little more of II. Did
you ever try Glover Leaf? 1-I3-tf