Pleasantville weekly press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1890-1911, 1909-02-06

-'-- - - - - :
and criticism Of my letter Of Jan
80, as published in The Press, he
starts i'll by trying to enlist the
sympathy Of the people Of Pleas
antville and trying to make my
letter one of abuse and vilification
directed against himself and the
State Superintendent. He says he
can contradict, with ample proof,
every statement that | made, but
he wants this controversy stopped
right here, and not give me chance
to defend myself. / am supposed
to rest under the stigma Mr.. Mar
stellcr has tried to place upon me,
without a denial on my part. /
refuse, however, to stand under
any such position, as ! have a rep
utation to uphold as well as he,
and will submit a little documen-
.tary proof of my former state
rnents. As Mr.. Marsteller says il
is unwise to quote another's words
unless you have the same in writ
ing, in order to shorten this letter,
| shall print an extract from my
letter of Jan. 23, and an extract
from Mr.. Marsteller's letter of ] IAN.
30, and then submit Mr.. Baxter S
letter Of Nov. %, in full, and let
people draw their own differences
the people draw their own infer
ences.
Extract from Helfrich's letter:
"Mr. Reed and came home and
notified the President and Clerk
Of Mr.. Baxter's request and de-
cision, but were his instructions
carried out! Not so; instead, Mr..
Marsteller went up and saw Mr..
Baxter himself. What he told Mr..
Baxter only Marsteller and Baxter
know. Ii he told him anything
but what Reed and | told him hc
misrepresented matters. Why did
the Board OF Education fail to
follow out Mr.. Bakers instruc-
tionsl Why did Mr.. Marstcllcr
usurp the power Of the Board te
himself and have Mr.. Baxter's IN
structions ignored! OF what III
terest or benefit was it to him The
number of years Mr.. Baxter has
been State Superintendent, didn't
ne know the laws! 1t seems not,
Tor after two months delay tht
decision came, not only debarrins
me but Mr.. Strang as we'll"
Extract from Mr.. Marsteller's
letter:
about Nov. Doth, Mr.. Reed re-
quested Mr.. Bates to write a lettel
to DR.. Baxter asking for another
written opinion regarding tho
Boards obligation to pay Mr.. Hcl
frich's sons tuition fee.
Under date Of Nov. 2Sth, Mr..
Bates received a reply, a copy o.
which was also sent to Mr.. IIel-
frich. In this letter DR.. Baxtcl
states that SO much was comprc
hended in the case that he deemea
it advisable to refer the same te
the State Inspector Of High
Schools for investigation, and wal,
his report before giving formal
written opinion"
Mr.. Baxter's letter of Nov. %
November %, 1908.
G. III. Bates, d. G.,
Pleasantville, n. j.,
Dear Sir:
In an interview with Mr.. Hell
frich and a member Of your Boaro
and at subsequent interview with
Supervising Principal Marsteller,
| expressed the opinion that tht
Pleasantville Board Of Education
was under legal obligation to pay
for the transportation aud the tut
ton of Mr.. Helfrich's son. If, as
| then supposed, this decision had
applied to an isolated case, it would
have been correct.
Later developments, however, re-
veal the fact that so much is com
pretended in the case that | deem
it advisable to refer it to the State
Inspector for investigation and
await his report before giving a
formal written opinion.
Very sincerely yours,
(Signed) Q. 7. BAXTER,
State Superintendent