Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1909-08-06
MCLEOD WRITES HIS OPINION ABOUT
FERGUSON FAILURE TO SECURE
PRINCIPAL SHIP.

Editor Herald:-ln order to clear
away some statements that | under
stand have been made in regard to
the election of Rev. A. G. Ferguson
as principal of the school here for the
coming term, desire to say as
follows
After Prof. Miller had been turn
ed down, quite number OF the
Schools best patrons were in favor
of electlng Mr. Ferguson, and most
of these had in the past borne the
greater part of the financial burden
of the school.
The time for the election OF Teach
ers mad been set 50 far ahead that
any who was looking for q place in
the School was left in a predica-
ment, so such a course was likely to
leave them out of a job any where
in consequence thereof Mr.. Ferguson
was in a state of suspense. He
wanted to stay here, because his
home is here; he pays taxes he@ and
and in short he is a citizen here, and
no man can say he is not a good one.
In consideration of all these
facts. suggested while talking to
SOME of his friends that were get
ting restless on account of conditions
then existing, that we circulate q
paper direct to the Trustees of the
Scho d and among the patrons to
find out by actual test-which was
done and twenty two of the patrons,
some of whom in the past had car
ried the heavier part of the financial
burdens signed the paper without any
influence or persuasion of any kind
being brought to bear on them, and
Mr. Ferguson resting on what these
signers had promised to do, with
about ten or twelve Others who
were in favor of electing him, lost
not only the place here but all three
other good places that had been of
fered him, and now he is on the
ground with no opening in sight.
For the life of me | can t see why
any one could afford to commit
themselves by promising and attest
ing it by their signatures and then
90 back on it. l understand that
some parties went among them and
told them they were under no OBJ
legation to vote for Mr. Ferguson
although they had signed the paper;
that the paper was only an under
hold to get his election. If any one
did this, l think the parties who
signed the paper ought to have look
ed upon such argument as an insult
to their reliability and integrity,
If these paroles didn't want him,
they ought not to have signed the
paper. 1t seems mean to mislead a
man in such way that it will leave
him fat without a job. ntoJ
And it IS very strange that the
people would drop an old settled man
of a family; man of experience in
teaching; man who has, and would
in the future zealously guard the
houor and integrity Of the young
people admitted to his charge; a high
toned Christian gentleman and take
a young mon with his experience,
with no family, man OF whom we
know nothing and trial is only an
experiment. Strange, pas 81 g
strange, we can't say word against
the young man. but we can t say a
word against the young man, he
might prove all we expect and more,
but we can't know these things I'M
til after actual trial. | said it is
strange but not strange after we
think a little. think | know, the
reason why Mr. Ferguson has been
so shamefully treated and if [ am
right somebody will have to give an
account at some time in the. future.
I never encouraged the election of
Ferguson until after the paper was
signed, because / knew there would
be some strong opposition to him.
| was in favor of him, and had he
been a minister of some other Protes-
tant Church, knowing him as / do,
| would have advocated his election
with all my might, and | am proud
TO say that the first two patrons [
ever heard mention him for princi-
pal were not members of his Church.
They were prominent men, the one
a Baptist and the other Methodist.
Very respectfully,
DAN MCLEOD.