The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-07-06
MISS POLLOCK
FLAYs CRITICS
Christensen Merely Obeyed
Command of Power Higher
Up, She Declares.
TEACHERS ARE GRTEVED
AT HER DISMISSAL
Her Work in Salt Lake Schools
Praised by Noted Educators
From Abroad.

You may lac assured that 10 not
hold any III feeling toward Superintendent
Christensen for his part IN my being dis
nisecd rrom &c services Of the city
schools as supervisor Of kndcrgartcns
and primary grades. said Miss Rosanc
Pollock TO Tribune reporter last night
"lIc only carried oUt mandatory instruc-
tians from a power much higher than
himsci, and which he utterly un-
able to contradict. ! am sure ut this
minute That he feels worse over my sum
mary dismissal than l. and am just as
Iari Ii. did. He ike others 70 whom
certain dutie. are assigned. obcys with
ou asking questions.
Tho primo pals of The Salt Lake
schools and the ieachcrs are afraid to
cpcn their mouths. This has become
more apparent in The last few years,
principals were fighters for what they
believed 10 lie the best methods for the
success Il the schools. Now they do not
raise thciI voices because they are afraid
10 say word. fus, as Mr.. Christensen
j. afraid 10 disnSev orders from above.
TIC strictly Mormon vote OF the board
trat resulted In my dismissal is proof OF
what I saw.
''But what Of the alleged friction be-
tween YOU and the teachers under Your
supervision that was discussed So freely
al the meeting OF the school board the
other ::ivht?" was asked.
No Frlction. She Declares.
''AII that talk OF friction is a big joke.
farce and Is OF the really amusing
side lights on the board meeting. Let
INC tel YOU about this friction. II Is
simply enc Of The trumped up excuses for
the consolation OF tho superintendent.
WHY. only today was approached by q
good citizen OF Salt Lake whose daugh-
&c: Is o@e OF the teachers ] am charged
With SO severely .critic!siag rs To cause
his daughter this man said he considered
the actions of the board rs poor piece
Of business for the good OF the schools
His daughter with tears in her eyes told
mo that she had r"reived help from
that had enabled hey 20 hold her place.
She vas ANYTHING but glad to hear OF
Don't YOU think she would consider Il
as good ms 4 vacation 10 know that she
would he under new supervisor Ii there
had been all this friction?
Let me tell you OF another similar
case. 1 do not want to tell these things
because they sound too personal and
ed bui IN fairness to myself / feel that
the public should know these facts
wcl as in fairness 10 the teachers who
have worked uader me. Another tencher
a Young sirl who owes her place 10 nc
the ore above all others that | have
hecu compelled To criticlse and correct
called me over The telephone and with
sobbine told ne that she wanted 10 know
where intended 10 locale that she might
seek a position there. She came into the
city schools in the primary departments
I-atcr sllcNwaS transferred TO the gram
mar grades and was sent back to my
DEPARTMENT having failed to qualify for
work III Inc grammar department.
Teachers Deride Charges
81 undertook 10 so direct her work as
tu make her success. At this time
sine is one oi the highly proficient pri-
mary teachers in the primary grades.
Docs that sound like friction? Her work
IS satisfactory cnlinenily 10 Mr.. Christen-
gen. as II is 10 the patrons OF her school
could multiply these cases. In a quiet
flaf.
my department are laughing at the alb
surdity OF these charges. But they dare
not openly express themselves and / DO
not blame them.
"As 10 my work as supervisor being
unsa tisfactofy and not up to the stand
ard OF proficiency that ma rlted the first
j. as untennble the other charge II
! Was SO Incompetent why did Superin-
tennent Christensen delegate me TO list
books for study for next year? Why did
ne allow my work 10 pass without criti-
c!sW all The past year? And why were
there so few necessary consultations be-
tween me and the superintendent? In
mE own way have tried TO help the
schools oi Sal; Lake TO, q higher plane.
am not afraid To- let my work stand
on its own merits with the best educators
OF the country as judges.
All his talk OF friction and incom-
potency would never have come up II
the plans Of the powers that be- had not
!niacBrried: Members OF The school board.
The superintendent and the. real source
VI tne ut11a1O IpF my GlSllliSSill dl0 not
exnect The matter 20 turn OIL the way
It has. The offer OF n years leave OF
absence with half pay vas the bait 1
didn't takc
Frustrated the Plot,
Il knew ihe trick they expected To turn
and l simply compelled them TO show
illcir hand and they could not back down.
year IL long time and one year easily
could have been extended to several,
giving ample tlme 10 work ont the plans
the higher 2llthOrttN' determined N ly1rlr
out
When / didn't take the proffer what
e"u'd they do ether than what they have
1T was up to Superintendent Cmisten-
sen then TO follow out his instructions TO
get rid OF me and the board was com
PEELED 10 act as II did--the vote explains
the whole situation. The Mormon mem
bers OF the board put the finishing touches
naniniity on the part Of Mormon school
70 give me years leave OF absence.
My health required it, they thought
How my friends would look with favor
on The school board in granting me that
years vacation. TO me II was too clear
10 need any extraordinary mind to grasp
ii maGe no difference to me. however
1nd did not propose to allow my friends
10 be deceiv ed. Now the whole scheme
Is laid bare. I not disgruntled over
There have been a number OF changes
j. short time along these lines. I
mar grades. e. y. Child The prin-
cipals felt that they should at least have
The right 10 be consulted. They held a
meeting Of protest. but to no avail. Mr..
Child WIS appointed on the recommends
tiotl of Superintendent Christensen.
THE principals certainly were entitled
to have say when the board took up
the se'ecton OF a man TO fill the place
Of John $. welch. known as man held
in high esteem by educators of national
and international prominence, To select
successor TO Mr.. .WeIch was no easy
task. and yet the board went 10 Lehi
and brought in Mr.. Child. who had had no
cxpcr.cncc I'm supervision work.
ing CT their own number 10 I'LL the
place. II It, must be An outsider. some
one they could recommend. ! have higl,
regard for Mr.. Child and he IL making
a good sUncrvisor AT his own solicita- :
tion Mr.. Child has been given many sug-
aestions bv me regarding his work and
was made 10 feel by the sunerintendent
that anv assistance / could offer the new
supervisor would be appreciated. 1 am
not cr1ticising Mr., Child or his work.