The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-09-16
.DEF|ES COUNCIL
AND OPENS SCHOOL
Mrs, Carl Willctt Takes Posses
sion OF Building at Vir-
ginia Beach.
MAYOR HIGHLY INCENSED
Meanwhile, Woman Principal
Calmly Resumes Sway
Over 10 Pupils.
MAYOR HIGHLY IMCENsED
Especial to Tho rlmcs- Dlspatch |

Especial to The Times Dispatch
Norfolk. Va. September 1j.-Mrs.
Carl Willctt. whose status az principal
OF Tho Virginia Beach School Ia main
taned by some and disputed by others,
entered the now building at tho Reach
at o'clock this morning and declared
school 10 be opened for tho session
OF Ioi3-lf
That strong sentiment at the Beach
| * with her was evidenced by the fact
mat there was an enrolment of 40
pupils. many OF whom were attended
| by their parents.
! Mrs. Wllctt gained possession OF the
new building through strategic
move on the part OF Mr.. Drinkwater.
one of the trustees. who all through
/ Mrs Willett's difficulty with the Town
! Council has stood by her IN her fight
! to maintain her position as principal
/ Of the school.
b. furnishing n bond 10 the con-
I tractor 20 insure him against loss. MIR.
( new building. turned the keys over
( TO Mrs. Willett. and she proceeded to
/ open for business
/ The school boards other two mem
( bers, Or r. Il. South and E. D. Fcre-
3 bee. VINO have been trying to depose
Mrs. W!lieit, erected a placard In front
. OF the new building announcing that
4 '''- 9'H'oi Nou!u ne open on SepteO1D Der
-. When Mrs. Willett took charge
this morning this sign was turned
with its face 10 the wall and ITO pupils
walked merrtly in.
Tho plan OF Mayor b. p. Holland and
members OF the Town Council is now
/ TO have court order issued restrain
Ing Mrs. Willett from teaching In the
school, on the ground that she IL IL
/ legally In charge. and that the con-
10 ,,.ft
The old school board is invalid because
II was made after the Council had
/ asked for the boards resignation
Mrs. Wdllctt has employed Attorney
/ y. I. Green TO represent her and has
announced her intention OF remaining
/ III charge. She is guarding with great
/ care the contract that was made with
/ her by the school board, In which she
Is named as principal of the school
for the coming scholastic year.
Virginia Beach is looking on the
! contest with a half frown and halr
/ smile Sentiment seems overwhelm-
/ inSly In favor of Mrs. Willett At the
/ same time, the patrons say that they
B regard tho whole affair as unfortunate
and calculated to dctract from the
I educational facilities offered at the
/ Beach. Mayor Holland. who is leading
/ The fight against Mrs. Willett. said that
/ ne regarded the whole affair as most
I damaging, and that IL the Beach pro-
/ poses To allow a woman to take the
rcins OF authority n her hands ana
drive pe!l-meli over the invested au-
thorties, il is time aid of the state
courts is invoked 10 set things to
rights.
Mayor Holland also stated that Mrs.
/ Willett has no right TO be teaching the
school IL for no other reason than that
| she is a married woman, because lie
added, the Town Council has ruled that
! no married woman may hold such a
/ position: rule which Is borne out, he
! said. by the school boards of towns
| and cities nll over the country
at is one of the most diserdCeful oc-
/ currences | have ever seen" said Mayor
! Holland, and ii would be folly :or the
/ town To continue to employ Mrs. WI
/ lett after the events that have taken
! place since she first began openly to
/ defy the authority of the Council. She
has maintained her position up to this
! time by sheer domination. She has
dominated Mr. Drlnkwater. she dcml-
mated Mr. Sorey and all others who
| tried to cross her path. We cannot
stand for such high handed methods.
especially from a woman. and be-
! leve when people OF this place have
/ thought the matter over and come out
/ of the wave OF maudlin sentiment
( which has guided them they Will
! agree that Mrs. Willett should not he
permitted to continue In charge of the
/ hieh-class school which has been es-
tahlished here"