The Detroit times., 1911-03-11

II Seventeenth Ward-Albert G. \
Kunz (R), and Edward T.
\ I Nichols (R).
! Such evidence as the fact that
three inspectors, Kuhn, OF the Third
ward: Snitgen, OF the Fifth ward.
! and Hutton. of the Sixth ward. voted
with the machine gang" 10 retain
Bsrkeeper Trappa as principal or the
! Campbell night school. against the
protests OF the women's clubs, clergy
and reform organizations, Is partly
responsible for the anti-ring work
| ers' antipathy toward inspector can
didates who favor the retention OF
Wales c. Martindale as superinten-
dent OF the schools OF the city. They
further explain that Mr. Martindale
paws too much attention TO politics
and not enough TO the welfare OF the
educational system OF the city. Even
Mr.. Martindale's warmest supporters
admit his political activity, his OPP
ponents declare.
"His political activity, however, is ex-
cused on the ground that, under sucn
wretched school board system as
ours, superintendent has TO play
politics TO hold his position, says
anti-ring worker.
IF you will follow me In this state
ment. l think that you will be con-
vinced that Mr.. Martindale prefers
playing the game OF politics to TAX
ing any steps that would make such
game unnecessary.
i LET me, very briefly, review some
| OF the conditions that have prevailed
on our school board during the Ii
years OF Mr. Martindale's regime:
"Up to very recently there were on
the board no less than three saloon
! keepers, one Of them chairman OF the
| important committee on text books
and courses of study. This saloon
| keeper, when confronted with the
fact. not quite two years ago, that the
children In the Cleveland schools were
getting their books 20 per cent cheap
er than or children In Detroit, Is
thus quoted: See Martindale. He
knows all about text books. don't
know anything about EN-. Yet this
ignorant saloonkeeper was chairman
OF the committee having to do with
the purchase OF text books.
Another saloonkeeper, who Is at
the present time and has for several
years been a member OF the school
board, is known as the silent mem
ber.' His one set speech in making
q saloon campaign for reelection two
years ago. is thus given by the local
press, Give EN- all drink.
MIR. Hely, who is engaged in the
cattle buying business, Is still a mem
Der OF the board OF education. In spite
of the combined opposition TO his re-
election, two years ago. OF all the re-
form forces and OF every paDer in the
city. He was chairman OF the Inn
portant committee on supplies and
janitors, and is at the present time
on two committees. the judiciary and
the committee on real estate ana
school buildings.
Until quite recently, discord ana
personal abuse have characterized
nearly every meeting OF the board.
The words grand jury inquiry In
stantly call TO mind numerous charges
of graft In connection with the trans
actions OF our school board, whose
evil reputation has spread far beyond
our own city.
OF School superintendent, has. Tor
several years past. been the most &C
tive force at work for legislation TO
remedy such conditions as those COM
planned OF, and is at the present time
pushing a bill in the legislature for
school board OF Ave members, nom
mated by petition and elected from
the city at large, a bill having the
backing OF the best educators OF the
state and earnestly worked for by
numerous reform organizations IN
Guiding the Federated Women's Clubs
OF Michigan, we would naturally ex-
pect that Mr.. Martindale, the superin-
tendent OF the largest school system
I'm the state, who has himself for
years been working under these tre-
mendous educational and administra-
tive handicaps on the school board,
would be among the foremost cham
pions of reform Instead, ne has
never allied himself with the other
superintendent Of the state In their
efforts TO take our schools from under
the domination OF self-seekinr poltti-
clans. Within the last month even
ne has .urned a deaf ear 60 no less
than two urgent invitations from one
OF the head professors at the Univers-
ity OF Michigan 70 join with the rest
Of the school superintendents OF the
state In working for this measure.
that would. If adopted, relieve him
from the necessity of tying up To sa
loonkeepers and ward healers. De
troit is regarded and pointed 10 all
{. over the state by those interested In
, educational matters as not only cool
and aIoof, but as aggressively hostile
TO remedial legislation.
Appointments Of incompetent In
spectors.
"Nominally. the president OF our
board OF education makes the com.
mittee appointments. but II Is To be
4 expected that In doing so. he would
consult the superintendent Saloon.
kooDora and man Of euually low 40.