The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-12-15
Just a Word or Two.

Editor Citizen:
In your issue of Dec. 8 l read an
article written by Prof. Seipe of
Gouldsboro regarding the prelimin-
airy contest held at Sterling on Nov
8, and after debating with myself
whether l should or should not make
reply, / have decided that it would
be very unjust to myself to let it go
without defending myself.
The annual High School Literary
Contest is an affair that was decided
to be held every year during Insti-
tute week. The first meeting, called
for the purpose of organizing, was
held during Institute week of 1910
and it was decided to have a chair
man from each district. These chair
men were appointed by the general
chairman of the several contests.
He, accordingly, appointed Rev.
SwartZe as chairman of the southern
district. Sometime in October | re-
ceived a letter from Prof. Oday say
ing that Mr.. Swartze could not serve
as chairman, and urged me to take
it and to try and make it a success.
l accepted and told him that l would
do the best under the circumstances,
i.e., being appointed so late, so l
made three copies each of the selec-
ton for the boys and girls and mailed
them to the principals of Sterling,
Newfoundland and Gouldsboro
schools. We were requested to hold
meeting and make arrangements,
so as the Teachers Association met
at Newfoundland in October, wrote
to Prof. Seipe and Prof. Reimer that
we would hold our meeting after the
Association finished theirs. l re-
quested them to be sure and come to
that meeting. l drove twelve miles
through the mud and rain to attend
the Association, but particularly to
make arrangements for, the contest.
Prof. Reimer was not there, but |
called meeting which, was attended
by Professors Swartze, Seipe and my
self. The committee decided that
each principal should appoint a
judge and that the chairman should
secure an impartial judge for the
fifth one. Now, since Mr.. Seipe at
tended that meeting at which all the
arrangements were made, should the
chairman be asked to explain the en-
tire proceedings over? or should Mr..
Seipe have remained until the session
ended? With the work already done
by me, l consider it an imposition to
ask such a thing.
In regard to the impartial judge
l will say l tried to secure several
others, particularly Mr.. M. ]. Han
Ian, but as they were all so busy and
it meant the loss of about two days
l could not secure anyone without
large expense and l was not in Q
position to guarantee that, so l did
the best I could by securing Rev
Morrison of South Canaan, whom
had never met until the night of the
contest, and whom / know was en-.
tirely impartial regardless of what
has been said. If Rev. Morrison
went to Sterling with the idea Of
knocking out Gouldsboro do moi
think he would have made such are
mark to Prof. Seipe.
1t was not my fault that Prof
Seipe did not have his judge there
| Furthermore he told me he had 6
suitable judge engaged but that late
on the day of the contest he was un
able to come. My judge that / ha6
engaged was unable to come, but
didn't get director nor did l bring
a teacher of our school for Judge
| If Prof. Seipe was dissatisfied with
| Rev. morrison ne should nave sale
something about it before the con
test. In regard to holding the con
test over l desired this as l thought
| that neither Gouldsboro, Newfound
land nor Ariel had the same chance
as Sterling. | think they all should
have agreed to this for Ariel had got
first and second and were running
greater chances of being defeated in
the second contest than any of the
schools.
In regard to Prof. Seipe's saying
we went down to Sterling to secure
| both honors, | would say, that is
| just what we went for, if we deserved
them, and that is what we will go fol
next time. We are not undaunteG
one particle by the result of this
contest and we are going to try
harder than ever next year.
l don't think anyone is so small
that they would criticise the educa
tional interest of Wayne county fol
this little dissatisfaction.
(Signed). JOHN d. STORM.
Ariel, Dec. s, 1911.