Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-12-08

DISSATISFACTION IMAGINARY
Came After Long Notice
or Ills Recommendation Had
Been Made.

seeking to hamper the work Of the
| public schools, the Tribune of this
morning attacks the appointment Of
George n. child as supervisor OF the
grammer grades Of Salt Lakes public
schools and endeavors to cover its
attack with the cloak Of dssension all
legged to exist among the principals OF
the schools. This allegation attempts
to show mp II condition of antasonism
among the principals and declares the
appointment OF Child was an eleventh
hour move. purposely held back to
throw aspiring local educators off the
track as to vino Supt. Christensen was
going to recommend for the place,
The superintendent recommendation
Of Child was announced by The papers
at least q week before it was confirmed
By the board Of education and regard
ing the action being preclpitous, supt.
Christensen declares:
Mr. Chid's appointment has been
under consideration for months. ] took
the matter up with State Supt. Nelson
and asked his advice regarding the
man for this particular place. Supt.
Nelson said to me. on one occasion
when we were discussing the matter:
Il don't know whether you can get
Child or not, but If YOU can, you ar,
getting the best man in the state out
side of Salt Lake
Relative to any antagonism existing
among the principals or teachers to the
appointment of Mr.. Child, cannot see
whore it exists. Take any man and
place him in such a position and among
II great many men following the same
vocation and there is likely to be some
little feeling against him for the time
being, but once he gets into his work.
the conditions again adjust themselves
ana move along as before.
II have watched the work Of Mr..
Child IN his connection with the Utah
schools and. knowing the place needed
n man in every sense Of the word to
ill it properly, ] recommended Mr..
Child and believe l have the man for
the place. All i ask from those who
object to the appointment. if there are
such, is that they give Mr.. Child
chance to adjust himself to the new
conditions and then weigh him in
justgbalanor. ,sISIafter they nave OBJ
served his work and nave judged him
by that measure, they still feel that a
mistake was made. let them ccnsure
me. for the error will have been mine
in Recommending him" NEt2sH'
STAKES HIS REPUTATION.
Upon the men whom appoint to po-
sitions of responsibility rests my rcpu-
tation as superintendent. II Mr.. Child
Is Incompetent. as this mornings ar
ticle seeks to make 1t appear not only
will he suffer. but 80 viii j. He Is
II man cminently lifted for the place
ana | am willing to stake my replta-
ton on his execution of his duties.
However. as | have said before,
believe this discomfort among the prin-
cipals mt this appointment IS imagin-
airy. II il exists. it is only the natural
result of such changes and is in no
way apparent"
Speaking of the type OF man the new
liz, Supt. Christensen cited
the fact that he left a better paying
position as superintendent of the Utan
county schools to come to the place
rendered him because he Is a man of
lofty ideals and saw in the supervisor
ship an opportunity for work Of wider
scope.
place" continued the superintendent,
''and his only thought at the time was
that OF in which place hc could DO OF.
the most benefit. His first decision
was to decline the place, declaring he
had started II number OF projects which
had not become rounded out us vet and
In any event he would not leave tho
Utah county schools until he had car
ried these propositions to completion
in so far as he could. Even in the
matter of pay. that was not even mem
toned until after he had decided to ne
rcpt the place. He had not thought Of
it and neither had |, so intent was he
upon making the decision which would
the greatest benefit to tho
greatest number OF school children and
| upon securing the best man In view
for the place. Aside from my per-
sonnl observations, Mr.. Child has been
highly recommended to me since it be-
came known he was being considered
for the place. Iie is II thorough cdu-
Gator and II conscientious one. and re-
peat. l have been given man for IA
position which requires one"