Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-07-10
pemands "square Deal"

Demands Square Deal"
To the Editor of the Evening Star:
More than the championship of the
cause of Principal Evans, of the high
school, prompted the two big public
gatherings at the meetings of the
East Orange Board of Education a
fortnight ago. 1t was a spirit of fair
play, a desire for a square deal;"'
and had the commissioners met the
situation in a kindly mood, with a
proper courtesy, there would not
have been so much, If any, of the
drastic denunciation of the commits
sioners and the superintendent of
schools. T.
Rev. Ferdinand @. Blanchard, a
member of the committee that report
ed in favor of employing Mr.. Files in
place of Mr.. Evans, has taken occa-
sion to explain his position, using the
newspapers for that purpose when he
might better, SO many think, have
taken the opportunity afforded at the
public meetings. AS his position
seems to be about the same
as that of the other commission
ers, and as they made a COM
pact to stand together in the
matter of d~isposing of and degrad-
ing Principal Evans, 1 would like to
outline in your columns, if 1 may,
some of the causes that led up to the
monster gatherings at the board
meetings and the manner in which
the voters and taxpayers were re-
ceived and treated.
Public interest in the proposed ac-
ton of the board started at the
graduation exercises at the high
school on the previous Thursday eve
ming OF course many persons knew
that the board wanted MI. Evans to
walk the plank, but sentiment vas
not crystallized until hat time. The
prolonged and repeateds applause
when Mr.. Evans had completed his
address was so marked that 1t &C.
casioned comment from those who
were not aware of the facts. 1t was
also noted that the superintendent did
not seem pleased at the ovation. A
remark by Mr.. Cadmus, president of
the board, after the graduation exer
cises, and after he had applauded Mr.,
Evans's address, that the meeting
seemed to be packed by Mr.. Evans's
friends" although made privately,
became known to a few and was soon
spread through the hall, and it was
not considered a gracious expression
A quiet movement was started Their
and there to have a gathering of pub.
lic-spirited men and women at the
next meeting of the board in an effort
to bring about fair play. 1t was
hoped that perhaps 200 would respond
to the announcement made in tbs
newspapers, and when fully 800 inter.
ested men and I'M came crowdint
into the high school building OF
Monday night the leaders of thu
movement were as much surprised al
were the members of the board.
IN anticipation, however, of a gath
erlng of greater proporti n t'd
could be accommodated in the boar
room, a request was made to tn
board on that Monday morning ths
q larger room be provided. Here
where the boaId made it's first tao
teal mistake with he "rshble,"
a number of the board is reported
have called it. President Cadmus di
not make any arrangements to az
commodate the public-the Taxpayer
who pay the bills incurred by II
board. When at the comms ncemei
of the board meeting he was coui
teously requested to have the aud
forum opened. he refused, but sal
that a. about $3.50, after some of Il
business had been transacted, an a,
Journment would be made TO a larg'
room. AS it vas an extremely h
night, the pubic looked upon this {
attempt to. make it SO a #
J them that they would leave. The
got hot" Immediately and crowde