Evening journal., 1912-10-16
rIenr FoR rHE orEN nOOR.

VAJt nave read with interest the remarks hldue ny
W Or. T. o. Cooper, member Of the Board OF
Education aud the High School Committee relative
certain conditions in the High School which have given
rise TO public complaint With several of the things
said by Or. Cooper we are in hearty accord and we
congratulate him upon those utterances. Upon one
great and essential point however we feel compelled
TO take issue with him.
We agree unroseryedly with DR. Cooper in his con
tenton that there should be in the High school build
ing at all times someone in supreme authority TO see
TO IL that neither the property its privileges are
subjected abuse II matters not whether that per-
in authority be the city superintendent the prnc-
pal ianitor-engineer the authority should be
there present at all times and its presence should be
recognized by teachers students and visitors
We also agree unreservedy with DIR. Cooper in his
assertion that before and after school hours there
should be strict regulation bearing upon the persons
who arc permitted to be in the building. There are
moral reasons which call for such regulation,
past experience in that and other similar buildings
has demonstrated.
Our sympathy also is with DR. Cooper when he
objects to the front door Of the High School building
being thrown open for the Of the senior class, on
the ground that it would be undemocratic and con-
stitwe discrimination against students in the other
classes. We think the Wilmington High School
Alumni Association erred when it made such request
Where we take issue with DR. Cooper is in his con
tention that IL is right 70 prohibit any student
in that High school from the free and unre-
stricted Of that front door What the
Alumni Association should have done was to take
a bold stand for the plain and unmistakabe policy OF
the open door We assert that in building erected
and dedicated to the educational uses Of the good and
boys girls of the taxpayers Of our CITY, It
Is outrageous abuse OF power to close the main
entrance to the students and to leave 1t vide open 10
the of the Board of Education and the High
School Committee, their friends and visitors This
demand for the open door has bearing upon the
moral side of the question the protection of the
High School property In particular does it inn
pinge upon them II merely means that in entering
and leaving the High School building the boys and
the girls Of taxpayers who built it, and who main
tain it, shall be permitted il they desire to do So
to use that front door which row is closed to them
under penalty Of humiating reprimand or even more
humiating suspension,
Tho action of the High School Committee in dis
eliminating against the student body already has
caused much resentment among students and parents
We think it would be well for the Board Of Eudcation
To take steps to aay that feeling by opening that
door We understand that DR. Cooper has said that if
certain things were done he would decline to serve
longer as a member OF that High School Committee
Our opinion is that such threat that will not
weigh for instant upon the minds of the taxpayers
nor should it be permitted to weigh for an instant
upon the minds OF the members Of the Board OF
Education Dr. Cooper must not take to his soul the
soothing JUNCTION that he is Indispensable member
of either the High School Committee or the Board OF
Education There in our city educational activity
long before DR. Cooper heard Of as factor
in H. and that activity, will continue following his
retirement The system has been organized highly
by Professor Twitmyer able and intelligent city
snperiniendent that the work would go right ahead
we're all the members Of the High School Committee
to resign. Dr. Cooper is man of intelligence ana
affairs He should recognize that neither ne nor any
other Is indispensable. Il is unhecoming Tor MIN
to suggest that he will retire from the committee if
such and such things be done BY resort to such talk
he merely begs the real question at issue, which Is
the open door. We say TO him with the same frank
ness which impelled 20 praise his stand upon GER
tain other phases the High School situation that the
closing OF the front door of that High School building
to the boys and girls Of our city, and the fixing OF
penalties to infci upon them for disregarding that
prohibition was hiehminded abuse of official power
that the taxpayers will not tolerate It is gross af-
front to the student body and to the fathers and moth
ers OF this city.
We would remind DR. Cooper who poses as the cham
pion OF this afront to the people that he and his
associates should do something az to put end
TO such ntolerable condition The idea that he and
some of entertain that that front
door is too good TO be used by the boys and girls
who have won their way through the elementary and
the grammar grades, but not too good to be used by
the members of the Board of Education and thei
friends and visitors is not that sets well upor
] the mind of the average Wilmingtonan The average
wilmingtonian feels that his child is good as any
Que who now using that front door and that th
High school was built for the convenience and th
bcreht Of the children. they should not be barred
from the use OF the chief entrance and exit Som
active and aggressive member of the board now ha
an opportunity TO right wrong that is being done e
the student body, and at the same time to popuarz
himself with Wilmington parents, by making sue
ccssful fight for the open door.
Herads of the Salisbury Democratic machine ar
proclaming that so-called Republican gangsters il