The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1909-01-23
SCHOOL Superintendent.

At Patton Rouge, Yesterday, the acts
of the School Board of this parish in
electing Prof, Louis A. Valet to the
position OF Parish Superintendent OF
Public Education were reviewed betofe
the State Board of Education. AT t1e
swriting Of this article the decision OF
the State Board is not before US.
Whatever may have been the merits
of either or both sides to this contro-
versy in the first instance, when Prof.
Dupuy applied for an injunction re
straining Prof Valet from exercising
/ the duties Of the office of Superinten-
dent, they were completely and finally
set aside by the handing in Of the re-
signations of the two claimants. This
aeems clear.
The designations were based upon
an agreement, the terms of which
were plain and were gives and &C
cepted IN good faith. These terms
were, in effect, that both parties should
resign in the interest of the schools !;
and that the Parish School Board
should elect an outside party t. the Ell
flee of Superintendent This was done
fully and in all good faith. A gentleman,
away from this parish. was elected
for the full term of FOUR yea,s-one
of those who were recommended by
the State Superintendent for the posi-
tion-a he was notified OF his cleo
ton. His acceptance was conveyed
to President Cyr in a tele
gram. Later. for reason not made
public, he resigned. Every article of
the agreement between the State ST.
perintendent, the Parish School
Board, and the two contestants for the
office of Parish superintendent had
been kept and discharged in good
faith. Prot Bittle was elected for
four years no one could foresee his
resignation.
Had Prot Bittls declined the office
it wsuld have been the duty Of the
School Board to tender the office to
some other outsider. But he accepted.
Are there any who are 80 partisan as
to deny the right of either Prot. Du
puy or Prof Valet to make applica-
ton for the position, at the end of
Prof. Bittle's term. had he served the
four years? Was Prof Dupuy and
Prof. Valet to be forever barred from
the service Of their people because of
the four ornered agreement suggested
by the State Superintendent? And for
what? Because they were partisan?
Who makes the charge of partisan
ship? Has he removed the beam from
his own eve?
Papf. Blttle resigned. All scores be-
ing settled, the members of the School
Board had again free hand, were
privileged to exercise their judgment,
and discharge the functions of the Of
fee to which they were elected by the
people. Msny applications were
handed ln-new names appeared in
The race-why could not Prof. Dupuy
and Prof. Valet?
It may be unfortunate for Prof. Wa
let that he has had 10 appear before a
State Board whose partisan coloring is
not of the same hue as his own-but
will it not be infinitely more unfortu-
nate for the schools Of Iberia Parish to
hav6-s superintendent forced upon the
School Board whose partisan hue
Ices not harmonic with that of the
School Board2
The best interest of the schools
would prompt the letting of good
alone. Let matters settle AZ
as they will. Let the School
Board alone. They are amply capable
IT adjusting their own affairs. Stop {
III outside interference. Prof. Dupuy
3 raising 30 issue No one else has
ight to 40 so.