Arizona republican., 1909-05-14
Superintendent J. F. StIWeII
 to Leave City Schools EFFECTIVE ON JULY 1
Failure of the Board to Ac- cept Certain of His Recom- mendations Prompted His Action---His Abiding Inter- est in Phoenix.

Professor J. F. Stilwen last night rendered his resignation as superin- tendent of the Phoenix public schools to the school board, to take effect at the end of the school year. July 1st. At the present time the members of the school board, as far as can be learned, have no particular candidate in mind for appointment as his sue cessor, though it is not believed trouble will be experienced in secur- ing a competent man. The position is one of great dignity and respon- sibility, one that will be appreciated by any educational worker who se- cures it as a creditable preferment, and as soon as knowledge of the va cancy becomes generally known, there will be plenty of candidates.
 At the recent school election con- siderable friction was aroused be- tween those who were strongly in support of the Stilwell administration and those who believed a change was desirable. Since the election, Op- position to the superintendent has crystalliZed somewhat and it has been understood that there was friction be- tween the superintendent and the board. It wGs made the subject of quite general discussion the last day or two and when a board meeting was announced for last evening, some thirty or forty gentlemen interested in the schools attended, the session being held in the office of Dr. Dam- eron, a member of the board
 As soon as the meeting was called to order, by Trustee Campbell, Mir Stilwell was given the floor and an- nounced that he had decided to ten der his resignation as superintendent, to take effect at the end of the school year, July 1st. He stated that he had resolved upon this course be- cause it had been indicated to him by the board that certain recommen- dations made by him would not be accepted by the board. While no member of the board was interviewed on the subject, it is generally under stood that MT Stilwell had recom- mended that certain teachers be not reemployed and that the board, or at least a majority of the board, considered that the teachers in ques- tion are among the strongest on the force.
  nation, made a long and very inter- esting speech to the board, particular ly and to the assemblage generally on the welfare of the schools He said he hoped, before his resignation finally takes effect, to be- able to submit written report covering the ground more fully for the considera- ton of the board and his successor in office, believing that his experience and observation would be helpful to them. Primarily it wassin connection with projected building operations, for it is matter of common knowl- edge that the district must do con- siderable building in the near future, as the schools are now too greatly crowded to do the best work
 MT. Stilwell said for one thing he would recommend that when build ing is undertaken the structures be larger and ample for all school pur- poses, as the need of them may de- velop. There are many desirable fea- lures that should be added as oppor- tunity offers, but there is now no room for them even were there plenty of money. Another thing he would suggest was keeping in mind a central location for manual training and domestic science work. He gave numerous illustrations of the value of these branches, a value that is not yet fully appreciated, and also referred to the needs of the Phoenix system for expansion along that line. and the building for a still greater expansion later.
 He spoke somewhat of how his own work had been necessarily somewhat tied by lack of financial resources, re- citing a number oe things that. in his opinion, the city schools need very much, but We're deprived Df by icsten of the lack of funds. He salG ne received letas,s almost daily from ether parts. m 1ll!ns inquiry about the schools, their courses of study, buildings and other things and that he attended to this corre- spondence as well as he could, but the schools would have been greatly benefited and the town greatly help ed if he had been able to publish school catalogues and circulars occa- sionally.
 Another point the speaker empha- sized was his deep personal interest in the schools and in the city. He said he was deeply in love with Phoenix and her people, and their prosperity, and through that prosper ity he saw a great future for the Phoenix schools Personally he had tried to conduct them to the best possible advantage with the means at