The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-04-12
SATURDAY, APRIL IL, 1918.
THE VOTER WILL DECIDE.

Next Tuesday the voters Of Fargo
will decide whether or not the Fargo
school system is to remain in its
present splendid condition, or whether
it Is to be disrupted by making a
change in the superintendency. The
issue should not be clouded. Thai is
the question that is put squarely be-
fore the voters. 1t is not a time to
bubble. If DR.. Sorkness. K. M. Ha-
gen and e. s.. Elliott are elected Mr..
Hoover will be retained as superin-
tendent. II any one of the three Is de-
feated, another superintendent will
probably be secured for the Fargo
schools.
One of the things Of which Fargo
has been proud for many years is its
public school system. The Fargo
schools have gained a wide reputation
in the school world for efficiency. I'M
der the SUPPLEMENTARY Of MI. Hoo
yer. Further the scholastic records
prove tha the Fargo schools are eff
feient.
The question now before the voters
is. shall this efficient system be re
tanned or shall an experiment be tried.
To put a new man in charge Of the
schools is bound to disrupt them. for
a time. Undoubtedly many of the
splendid corps of teachers would be
replaced with new teachers, and al
though a man the equal of Mr.. Hoover
might be secured the reverse might
prove true. The whole thing would
be an experiment which might put the
Fargo schools into a muddle for
years, to the great detriment of many
of the young people of Fargo at a
critical stage in their career.
The charges that have been brought
against Mr.. Hoover have been either
false or are so trivial that they are
really ridiculous. One Of the charges
was that he did not visit the schools
regularly as required by the rules of
the board of education. This charge
is proved by the records, made by the
teachers and on file in the superin-
tendent's Office. to be absolutely I'M
true.
The criticism upon the superinton-
dent with respect to deVoting his time
to Masonic duties to the detriment
of the schools is ridiculous. Every in
formed Mason knows that the office of
grand master Is purely administrative
in function. The executive details Of
the office are performed through the
office of the grand secretary, and
through the district deputies. located
in various parts OF the state.
As a matter of fact MT. Hoover has
been out of the city on three Occa-
,sions in an official way Of this nature.
In August he laid a corner stone at
Calvin and instituted a lodge at
Rolette. In September he instituted
a lodge at Erie, leaving the city at s
o'clock Friday evening and returning
Saturday morning at $50. During the
holiday vacation he dedicated the Ma
sonic temple at Grafton.
At no time was Mr.. Hoover secre-
tary Of the state fair as has been
charged. He merely assisted in that
capacity to help out the fair associa-
AlNH uhEtlb 1AS ohlIlLIlGE NdNdLlOII as
any citizen might have done with his
leisure time. Further reference is
made to this elsewhere in this issue.
At the present time statements are
being circulated concerning the can
didates who favor Mr.. Hoover which
are entirely apart from the merits of
the question. The Forum does not
know who is circulating these state
ments but it does know that rumors
have been started that are so ma
licious in character that they are
bound to react. Some have ever gone
so far IS to attempt to bring religious
differences into the question.
This is a most important PROPOSE
ton and the voters should keep their
minds clear to the main issue. The
question should be settled, as it will
be, without personal feeling, by those
having children in school. If, they
are satisfied with the showing that is
being made by their children they will
vote to retain Mr.. Hoover. Do the
people who have children in school
want to retain the present efficient
system, or do they want to try a
experiment?