The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-10-26
D. \. PERKINS PRODS
POLITICIANS
Tells Portland. School
Beard a Few Things
According to Leading Educator Per.
kins Was Just What The Portland
Board Needed.

When SkOWnegan lOst ner very cl-
6cient superintendent of schools,
DeForrest H. Perkins, one of the lead
ing educators in Maine remarked:
Portland needs him. That school
board down there spends too much
energy playing politics. They need
somebody who can just skin 'em
alive before they know 1t, and l
think Perkins can turn the trick"
According to the news dispatches
from the metropolis on Casco Bay,
the renovating process has already
begun. Tuesdays Argus says:
The school board learned some
things yesterday afternoon at the
regular monthly meeting. From the
Mayor they learned that their ideas
on various subjects are so hazy and
indefinite that no official action ought
to be taken until they crystalize them
into something tangible. Also that a
number of old time customs that have
been carried on for years "for con-
yenience," have the difficulty of being
clearly illegal and altogether un-
businesskke and they cost the city
good money every day.
From Supt. of Schools Perkins
they learned that that official has
certain duties prescribed by law and
which he intends to perform 80 long
as he holds the position of superin-
tendent in this city"
The members Of the board of which
the Mayor is chairman had been
"jangling" among themselves about
Various matters, with indeelsive re-
suits. The atmosphere was still
somewhat charged when the super
intendent was called upon to make
his report The Argus man intro
duced his story of what followed with
the sentence Then came the tenn
pest"
Mr.. Perkins acting as he said for
Mr. Dana who was absent from the
city, presented the request of Miss
Abbie H. Sawyer of the West school
for leave of absence Until Jan. list,
1912. He named Miss Dorothy Gill
man as temporary teacher for the
same school at the salary of $3.50 a
year.
Mr. Murphy asked how about this
He said he was looking for square
deal for everybody and didn't want to
play favorites with anybody. He said
as he understood it this girl is a first
year teacher, that she has been in
the school at So day the regular
pay of substitutes and he saw no
reason to give her salary now.
He said there Is case in the
Park street school where a girl is
serving as a substitute for So a day
and this Mcclellan school case is one
wherein an experienced teacher is
serving as a substitute at that pay
and here they go to work and elect
a new girl without previous expert
ence and give her salary by the
month. To be sure the amount is
not much more, but the principle of
the thing Is what makes 1t unfair.
"Mr. Perkins figured that the pay
by the day is $44 and the pay by the
month is SAB, only one dollar differ
ence.
Mr. Murphy said something about
not blaming Mr.. Perkins as he was
not a member OF the board, but that
the members ought not to stand for
anvthing like that
DIR. Cammett made the point that
two teachers could not be elected for
the same job, that the one who was
granted the leave was the regular
teacher. and that the one who filled
In for her could be only substitute
no matter what they called her. He
therefore moved to reconsider the
action as he claimed the board had
voted to do something it could not
do.
Cunt Perkins got the floor at this
point and in a few words very plain
ly told the members of the board
whore they stood and where he
stood. He said that while it was
true that he is not member OF the
board, yet the State law plainly
states that the nomination of teach
ers shall be by the superintendent OF
schools and their election must be by
Concurrence of the superintendent
and the school board. And so long as
he held the position of superinten-
dent of schools he proposed to
stand upon his legal rights and to
assume his full legal duties. He was
citing for Mr.. Dana in presenting
this request, but he had full sense
Of his own responsibilities and rights
and proposed to maintain them.
There was quite ripple of ap-
plause at this statement, which was
the first time within the memory of
men now living when superinten-
dent of schools has ever stood up and
told the members of the board just
where the line came between bis du-