Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-04-15
Superintendent
POWERS QUITS
JOB AT SALEM


VOUCHERS MAKE THEIR APP
PEARANCE TO HELP EXPLAIN
SHORTAGES-NO ACTION TAX.
EN- ON TEACHERS.
At a meeting of the school board
Saturday night, the resignation of J..
M. Powers as city superintendent Of
Salem schools was received and ac-
cepted The only condition, in sub
mitting the resignation was that the
board pass resolution generating
the superintendent from any blame
in connection with the turmoil and
strife that has existed among the
faculty Of the high school, which
resolution was prepared by Superln-
tendent Powers and is as follows:
Whereas, The report has been
published as coming from an author
itative source, that a majority of this
board has agreed to request the
resignation of the superintendent,
and further, that in the event such
request was refused, a majority of
the board would then prefer charges
against the superintendent with a
view to his dismissal by the board
therefore,
BE 1t resolved, That a majority Of
this board has never entered, and
has never contemplated entering
into any such agreements as have
been reported; that such reports
were untrue, having no foundation
in fact; that they were unauthorized
by the board and should not have
been published"
BE 1t further resolved, that this
board appreciates at its full value the
high character of the service rem
dered to this school district during
the last eight years by Superintend-
ent j. M. Powers, and sincerely re-
grets that any report derogatory to
this view should have gained public
ity.
BE it further resolved, that the
clerk be, and he is hereby author
lied and requested to spread these
resolutions upon the minutes, and to
mail a copy thereof to each of the
local daily papers, and to the Ore
gonian and Evening Telegram OF
Portland, Or, accompanied with q
request for their publication"
Prior to the introduction andupas-
sage of the resolution, Mr.. Powers
made statement in which he said
in part, During the last year there
has been lack of harmony among
those connected with the city's
schools. believe that the highest
duty of those connected with the
schools can only be reached by for.
getting the individual and thinking
only of the best interests Of the pub.
lie to be served. l regret that my
financial condition has not been suct
that | could forget myself sooner
but have now reached the poin
where / intend to forget myself.
will go as far as / can to show tn,
people that | am deslrous of elimin
ating friction from our schools anC
do it at once"
After the reading Of the resolu
tion by the school clerk, Mr.. Mile
took the floor and made plea fo
the adoption Of the resolution il
which he stated that he considere,
that Mr.. Powers was making grea
sacrifice in rendering his resignation
and that the superintendent wal
meeting the proposition more thar
half way. He felt that there wal
nothing in the resolution that shoult
cause any member of the board t
vote against its adoption and hC
hoped that 1t would pass. He sale
that Superintendent Powers had pre-
sented the olive branch of peace anC
1t was now up to the board to adopt
or reject It, At this juncture Chair.
man Moores called Director Holt tC
the chair Moores then made a mo.
tion that the resolution be adopted
and supplemented his remarks with
a statement that he held the resig.
nation Of Mr., Powers in his pocket
and that he would submit It to the
board Immediately upon the passage
Of the resolution. Mr.. Lafky re.
marked that he might have some.
thing to say about the resolution, but
on account Of the best interests Of
the public schools, which he was
earnestly trying to serve to the best
Of his ability, that he was willing tC
swallow all accusations and inslnu.
ations The resolution was passed
unanimously. Chairman Moores ther
! said 81 reluctantlv hand vou thf