The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-03-13
Has Been Superintendent Of
City Public Schools For
Seventeen Years - Term
Expires July 81.
HINTS AT DISCORD
WITH SCHOOL BOARD
No Detailed Explanation Is
Given-Members of Board
Of Education Have Made
No Appointment. -

t. Abbott Mott, for seventeen years
superintendent of the Richmond pub
lie schools, today made public let
ter he presented to the school board
last night, in which he announces that
he is not candidate for reelection to
his office. Mr. Motifs letter follows:
ITO the Board of School Trustees.
July 31st will end the seventeenth
year of my services as Superintendent
of your schools, and l hereby wish to
notify you that l am not a candidate
for reelection.
Knowing, as do, that have not
the full support Of your board, and
knowing that the fullest cooperation
between Superintendent and board is
essential to the highest success of any
school system, l find it best not to al
low my name to be considered for the
position for another year.
Il believe this year, thus far, to
have been the most successful year of
the Richmond schools since l have
known them, and l will gladly do all
in my power, during the remainder of
the year to place the schools in the
best possible working order for my
successor.
ALSO any service l can render to
your board, shall be glad to do Who
ever succeeds me will have for his aid
as earnest and efficient corps of
To- he in, ifv
in the country, and l bespeak for him
the most hearty support from both
your board and the teachers.
Respectfully yours,
ct. A. MOTT"
Board Reticent.
No explanation is offered for Mr.
Motifs statement that he has not the
full support fthe school board, men,
bers of that body stating today that
the board is not prepared to make any
statement on this question. Neither is
detiled explanation offered by Mr.
Mott.
Mr. Motifs retirement does not come
as surprise to the public for it had
been reported for some time that he
intended to take this step at the expi-
ration of his present term.
During the seventeen years Mr. Mott
has been at the head of the local pub
lie school system he has done much
benefit for the schools, having taken a
leading part in the establishment of
vocational education and improving
the general health conditions, with the
result that the Richmond schools have
attracted considerable attention of
educators all over the country
On National Council.
{ For the past ten years Mr.. Mott has
been a director of the National Edu-
cation Association land last fall was
reelected for a term of six years as a
member of the national council of
that body.
In announcing his retirement from
the local superintendency he states
that he has made no definite arrange
ments for the future but that he has
several positions in view and may de-
eide to leave educational work. 81 have
given my best services to the schools
of this city and l think they have ben
efitted from my efforts in their be-
half Mr.. Mott stated today.
DR.. M. F. Johnston and Miss Sarah
Hill, members of the school board,
stated today that the board did not
have any one under consideration to
succeed Mr.. Mott at the present time
and that the board would be in no
hurry selecting the new superintend-
ent.
When the fall term of the public
schools opens next September there
promises to be number of changes
in the teaching staff. A perma-
nent principal of the high school is to
be appointed as we'll as a new superin-
tendent while some of the older teach
ers will be affected by the retirement
feature of the teachers pension act
passed by the last legislature. 1t is
also probable that other members of
the teaching staff will resign to accept
better positions.