Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1909-03-24
Correspondence.
school Census Discussion.
ELLSWORTH, ME-, March "a, /!

| In view of the many false and mislead-
ing statements published, or circulated
about the city, in regard to the school
census discussion, we feel called upon to
make brief statement of the present
schoo, boards position in the matter.
| There seems to be widespread impress
| sion that the school board asked John A,
| Scott to retract his census figures. news
communication to the Bangor Neics from
| Augusta last week states that eMr. Scott
| had received threatening letters from the
school board. in which he had been told
that If he did not retract his figures in
relation to the number OF school children,
he would be dismissed. He refused to
make the retraction and was dismissed"
The story is put in still more radical
form in reports circulated on the street of
| Ellsworth, 1t being in brief that the school
4 board asked Mr.. Scott to sign statement
which practically amounted to perjury.
| These statements are very far from the
| facts. The first knowledge which the two
new members of the present school board
had OF the matter was contained in threat
made by Mr.. Scott to Rev. p. A. A. kiiiam,
the secretary of the school board, which
was, in substance; "If they turn me down
as superintendent of schools, ] will make
them squirm." This threat was made the
day before the meeting of the school
board at which Mr.. Scott was "turned
down" as superintendent and Mr.. ki,iam
was elected, although, as matter OF fact,
it did not come to the ears of the school
board until after the meeting. Mr.. Scott's
legislature, before which the resolve grant
ing Ellsworth something like $50 in
additional school money ives pending,
Immediately followed.
| In this letter Mr.. Scott charged the city
or city officials OF Ellsworth with fraud
and attempt to obtain money on false
| pretences.
Our representative in the legislature,
John A. Peters, was shown this letter, and
Immediately wrote to Mayor Simon
ton, who called the attention OF the
school board to it. The charge OF fraud
ON the part of the city, thus advertised
| throughout the State through the legisla-
/ AuEc ktlt TtroiNc having poSSCu Nhhouk -
both Senate and House and reached the
governor, and being sent back over its
course, labeled as fraud, to the committee
on ciaims) was too serious matter to be
overlooked. A meeting OF the school
board was immediately called. MIR. Davis,
the third member OF the board, was no.
titled but was unable to be present on &C
count Of illness.
The board did not enter into the issue
as between the Scott and Royal census re-
turns; in fact, neither were available. 1t
took up merely the charge Of fraud made
by Mr.. Scott. A comparison OF the school
census returns for the past twelve years
1897 to 1897 in 1907 (only sixty-two in
eleven years. and then a sudden drop to
1907 as returned by MIR. Scott last year.
These figures furnished, in the minds Of
| the school board, sufficient reason Why
the city government should order new
census. The board called before it John
F, Royal and John H. Bresnahan, by whom
the special census was made by order Of
the city government, and satisfied itself
that the charges of fraud made by Mr..
Scott were unwarranted.
The board thereupon took the action as
recorded, copy of which appeared in last
weeks AMERICAN-it censured MIR. Scott
for holding the city of Ellsworth up to the
whole State as guilty of fraud, requested
him to ''retract mis- charge of fraud" mot
his census figures, please notice. or con-
slider himself dismissed as teacher in the
( high school.
The board sent Mr.. Scott no threaten
ing letters, but merely served on him,
| through the secretary, notice OF the vote
which we repeat here;
Y ted, That Mr.. Scott be requested to re-
tract Immediately the charge OF fraud made
in his letter to the Legislative committee on
claims in another letter to that committee, or
to consider himself dismissed as teacher in
the high school, said dismissal TO take effect
at the end of the present term.
Foted, That the superintendent communi-
cate to Mr. Scott copy of the foregoing vote.
As to the issue between the Scott and
Royal census returns, on which the legis-
y
ported, the school board has nothing to
do. If that committee exonerates the
city from fraud in the matter, the action
of the school board will be fully sus-
tanned, regardless of what disposition is
made of the resolve appropriating addi-
tional school money.
The school board takes the ground that
such damaging statements against the
good name of the city are especially un-
becoming in an employee of the city. They
are of the same piece as the statement in
the Augusta report to the Bangor Neirs
before referred to, which quotes Mr.. Scott
as saying before the committee at Augusta
shat from 100 to 900 non-residents were
brought into Ellsworth every year and
allowed to vote at every municipal cleo
tom, and that ''the city has been sub
hitting bogus returns as to the number of
school children for the past ten years..