The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-02-11
BOARD OF EDUCATION
Continued From Page One.

was a new member and did not vote.
This meeting Of the board is what
has been called the star chamber ses-
SION" The facts are that the change
or superintendency had been consider
ed by two meetings of the board with
each member present. Outside Of the
meetings of the board it had been con-
sidered by the teachers committee and
by the school betterment committee,
each acting separately, but never in
joint session. We believe that Mr..
Hoover's presence with the board in
considering the SUPPLEMENTARY would
not have been proper ant he never has
been present on such occasions.
We felt that in justice to Mr.. Hoover
he should be informed of the boards
action as soon as possible and he was
sc informed within two days. The fact
then is that Mr.. Hoover was not dis
term of employment was in no way in
.terfered with, but he was informed
that he would not be re-engaged and
this information was given him six
in advance of the termination
Of his contract. .
The teachers committee, acting on
instructions of the board, took up me-
gotiations with the gentleman who was
met in st. Paul, and it was found that
conditions had arisen which prevented
him from accepting.
Negotiations were then entered up
on with other candidates, among them
Mr.. Siders, whose recommendations
were so superior that he was request
ed to meet a, member of the teach
ers' committee in Bismarck for a per-
sonal interview. This he did, and the
impression made was so favorable
that he was asked by Mr.. Holt who
met him at Bismarck, to come to
Fargo and meet all the members of
the board, which he did. His recon-
mendations were from educators of
che highest standing, and from a
careful investigation and very *
tended interview with him on educa-
tional subjects we became satisfied
that he was the man we wanted for
our schools.
The members joining in this change
are opposed to the Introduction of
"fads and frills" in our schools. We
satisfied ourselves from an examina-
ton of Mr.. Siders' record and from
our personal interviews that he is a
practical educator and not a theorist,
and can assure you that he is a man
of good common sense in educational
matters, and that with the aid of his
services our children will get the
practical and substantial education,
which we believe 1t is the desire of
the parents they shall have. Our
schools will profit greatly if his serv-
ices are secured.
We, therefore, recommended his en-
ployment. A recommendation uigned
by all of the tecahers' committee and
and by the school betterment COM
mittee was presented to the full board
at the Feb. 5 meeting. The presi-
dent of the board was authorized to
make a contract with him upon the
following vote: Holt, Young, Frame,
Hanson, Bolley and McArdle voted
aye; Smith, Hannaher and Carpen-
ter voted no. Every member of the
board was present.
The members of the board serve
without compensation. Our action In
this matter has been dictated solely
by what in our Judgment we believe
is best for the $500 children in our
schools. We take il that our first
duty lis TO these children. We main
tain the schools for the benefit of the
! children not for the superintendent or
the teachers. The superintendent and
! teaching force are mere agencies
| What we want is better schools and
| we feel that it is our duty to do what
is necessary to get them, n in GU;
| opinion, this requires a new superin-
| tendent. We regret that our motives
have been impunged; there is no ex-