Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-06-01
Five Trustees Explain Their Position
in Superintendent Fight.
ALLEN STILL FIRST CHOICE
jenkins Recommended only Because
Eligibility Of other Candidate to
ouestloned-Promis to Prefer
Charges Against supt. Morton.

AS q result of a conference held Dy
the Ave members OF the board OF
school trustees who voted TO endorse
Prof Willis A. jenkins for appoint
ment as superintendent of schools, IN
the event prof James e. Allen should
prove to be ineligible, the following
letter, signed by Messrs. Pickett,
Harrison, Leaz. Bachelor and Sutton,
has been forwarded to the State
board OF education:
ION Arrn -, 1909. in response
to your request contained in printed
circular of February -, 1908, the
Newport News Board of School Trus-
tees, without a dissenting voice, en-
dorssd fcr the position CT suPerin-
tendent to succeed Prof. w. G. Nor
ton, Prof. Jas. r. Allen, who is now
teaching in Davis & Eikins Cclleg3
in West Virginia. Recently the Goint
has been made that Prof. AiI1n Is
Ineligible, because ne is net quail
fed voter in Virginia.
mot meaning to anticipate what
ycur decision will be on this point
and ST adhering firmly to the
Boards endorsement Of Prot Alien,
we, nevertheless, deem IL pr09cr, III
view CT the strenuous effort being
made by Prof Morton to procure the
position, Notwithstanding the opposi-
ticn OF every member OF the local
board, to exl.d to- you our choice
in the event of Prof. Aliens Slmina-
ton. That choice is Prof. Wills \.
jenkins, whose superior professional
qualifications for the position are so
v ell known to the members OF Your
beard as To reQu re no testimony
from us. It is also known 10 scue.
If not all of ycur members. tha. frd.
jenkins mas emily recently ief. an in
stitution where he received treatment
fer the drink habit and whit cure
seems to have been effected ard his
purpose not to fall is undoubtedly
genuine. and We have accordingly ac-
oepted his voluntary tender II his
resAgnation, which IS now In the
hands of the chairman Cd tho local
board, with direction from Mr.. Jen-
kins to be forwarded 10 you III me
event he shall. at any time ddInS
his inclmbency in th,sl Office. taNe
single drink of intoxicating liquors.
Pref. Jenkins has resided IN this
ccmnrRity with his family nunlter
of years, and the high esteem IN
which he and they are held by ou-
people is evinced by thia nIerCus
appeals which nave been made 10 us
within the past two weeks, To use
cur influence with you in his behalf.
The truth is, our citizens gsnraily
shiire with the local school beard The
oeinion that the excellence of our
Schools is due more largely 10 the
xxyhi1A no
in charge of thsm, than to any other
cause.
1T is the firm conviction of every
member of the local board that me
elec1 on of Pref Morton would pro-
dluce a situation most unfortunate, II
not disastrous The attempt has
been made, with some SUCCESS. 10
create sympathy for him in this com
munity en- the ground that the local
beard has turned him down without
ass gning any reasons. In view OF
the fact that our action in endorsing
srscflier only condemns him indirect
IN, for us tu publish the grounds OF
our opposition would look as though
we wera going cut Of cur way 10 40
him rEsdbj1 injury. Indeed. We
would consider IL unfair to state our
objection except under circumstances
which wrtiid not permit him to make
answer and have the truth q the mat
trs involved This, We understand
canir1t be dcne under your establish
ed procedure for selecting ssps<in-
tendents. hut can be zone in a pro-
ceeding for removal from Vffice.
Eve ans giving Prof. Merton
Cory rf this communication ana
should YOU Deem II desirable. an re-
sponse I'd the snresl which preSlima-
Div he will make. to have an inter
parties hearing of the grounds q our
otypces.scn tn him. are viii furnish
yos, promptly the n csss7ry sped hcs-
tons and attend at ..uch time ana
place as you may designate, and
present OK proofs"
prof Morton's Position
When asked last night whs, he had
10 saw about this letter Professor
Morton declared that he courtcd an
investigation Of his record. and would
he glad 20 have the school board file
its charges at once. without waiting
for the state board to pass upon his
application for reappointmcn;.