The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-12-08
CHILD SELECTION
RAISES BIC ROW
Principals and Teachers of the
Salt Lake Schools Are Up
in Arms.
BITTER IN OPPOSITION
TO SELECTION LEHI MAN
Crisis Was Reached Tuesday
at Meeting in Professor
EatOn's Office.

The appointment OF George n. Child
of Lchi as grammar grade supervisor for
the Salt Lake City schools. is raising q
storm of protest from citizens Of Salt
Lake and from the teachers and prin-
cipals OF the schools. The occasion for
the antagonism lies IN the fact that
Child's only apparentA recommenda ton
for the place Is that he is u Mormon.
The opposition TO Child reached crisis
on Tuesday afternoon In the. office OF
Principal George a. Eaton OF the salt
Lake high school The meeting of the
principals was called by, Fred \, Pouison;
principal of the Franklin school, and
president OF the Salt Lake Principals
association. None OF the principals seem
Inclined To discuss tho details OF the
meeting. and since IL has been held
President Poulson has conveniently an
nounced himself not at home TO news
paper men since the meeting.
However, this is certain. The one sub
ject under discussion was Child. and the
expression of the members was decidedly
antagonistic to the new supervisor, re-
ports to the contrary Notwithstanding.
One principal had his views relative to
the Chids appointment written out, and
at the request OF the other principals
these views We're read by him. They
were anything but flatterinS TO the ap-
pointee. II was explained that he had
written these views prior to Childs APP
pointmcnt and while Child was q candi-
date for the position and the place was
still open.
What Principals Favored,
The sense of the meeting was that the
principals were strongly in favor OF the
promotion OF one of their number TO iii
the position OF supervisor OF tho gram
mar grades. or that ii one OF their num-
bcr were not considered competent, an
eastern man Of known qualification
should be selected A motion was made
that a committee OF principals be chosen
10 notify Superintendent D ~. Chris
tensen OF the attitude of the association,
but after some discussion this was voted
down. Finally the principals adjourned
without taking any definite action, the
principals feeling that since the appoint
ment had been made by the unanimous
vote OF the board, there was little use
in protesting further
Word OF the discussion had at the
meeting of the principals reached the
cars of Superintendent D, II. Christen-
principals at his office "Wednesday after
noon. According To some Of the princi-
pals who attended the meeting the su-
perintendcnt was quite severe in his rep
rimand or the principals because they
presumed to eritlcise him and the board
OF education fer appointing Child. When
he learned that they had practically de-
clded to press their protest no further
the supcrintcndents attitude grew milder.
Christensen View.
Superintendent d; H.: Christensen
when asked concerning the conference,
said; This was not the regular meet :
ing OF the principals. ii WAS merely q
conference with some OF the principals
relative 10 the work OF supervision. THE
question OF the appointment Of Mr., Child
was only indirectly discussed. The i'm
preston that seems TO have gained some
currency that the principals are antag-
Is entirely false. In fact. the attitude OF
tho principals is quite the reverse
am assured by them that Mr.. Child
appointment is highly satisfactory TO the
principals
Later in the afternoon Mr.. Child made
a short address 10 tho teachers and prin-
cipals nj the high school building.
AS to Child's Appointment
The appointment OF MI Child soems
TO have been accomplished rather hur-
riediy and rather quietly. Two or three
principals of Salt Lake schools, men OF
thorough education and wide cxpcricnc,
as educators. were spoken of for the
place Some eastern educaors with cX.
cellent qualifications were also mentioned
Tor the position. The principals OF Salt
Lake decided that the matter of The I'D.
pointIuenr OF grammar grade supervisor
who ls virtually the assistant superiu-
tenJent OF schools. was a matter in which
they were deeply Interested. and IL wa
decided that a meeting of the principals
association should be called and that a,
that meeting the principals should rec.
oIiNlcnn some one from Their number y,
some eastern educator for the place. Be.
tween the time that this meeting wa:
called and the time which IL was tt
take place, Child was quietly appointed
All the indications pointed to the fac
that the appointment was made quickly
in order TO head off any recommendation
that might come from the principal:
favoriDg another candidate for the place
Child's educational qualifications wer;
not announced In connection with his an
pointIncrt His experience is confined
to teaching In Utah county, where h,
has ser"ed rs superintendent OF school:
for the last two years. He has nevcl
taught SCHOOL in n city larger than Provo
yet he is placed In position over neI
who arc graduates OF the best college,
OF the country and who have beer
among the leading educators OF salt Lake
and other cities for years.
MormonS in the Schools.
Although Salt Lake is Gentle by
| large majority. there are six ont of tel
members OF the board who are Mormons
| Although the school population is large
ly Gentle. there are great many NOR,
schools For several years. with rar.
exceptions. every principal who has beer
| appointed has been q Mormon
| The late John :. Wclch, formerly gram
mar grade supervisor for Salt Lake, WA:
an educator Of national reputa ton liz
WAS IL GENTLE ard man of unqIics
! TONED ability. The excellent standin;
OF Salt Lake schools was largely due Il
his ability and energy. Now his place
! Is being filled by ruralite, whose onl.
recommendation is that he is Mormon