Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-04-11

from ten to twenty-five of Salem g best
teachers sought positions elsewhere and
left the employ of the schools herel
1t is an absolute fact that ninety per
cent Of those same teachers left be-
cause they could not stand it longer
under such an administration. Very lit
tie inquiry will verify my statements.
One teacher in the school
shook her fist under the very nose of
the superintendent, threatening dire
things and refusing to teach with him
another day. He had given certain
instructions to be followed throughout
the schools, and the very next day hs
reversed himself on those same instrue-
tions. This same school was thrown en-
tirely out of gear every time he en-
tered the building. One day he asked
the principal why things were so out
of harmony when he came there. That
same principal to this day regrets that
he did not tell him the real reason
the presence of the superintendent.
Several weeks ago one Of our most cap
able teachers resigned and went else
where. Whyi Only few days be-
fore the superintendent, with the thump
of a elenched fist ON the desk, vowed
that he would "sec that she is never
reelected to position in the Salem
schools. - How about the under-aged
child that he insisted be admitted TO
the already over-crowded room, and IN
spite Of the protests Of the teacher Of
the room and the principal of the
school? Can this be termed char
mony9" / shall not burden you with
other illustrations, though they ara
numerous.
| come now to the last straw that
broke the back of my forced silence in
these matters. If it be that the daily
papers of the city intend to "let our
frienl down easy,' then / shall not
enter my protest. But in the rame OF
common deceney may they not comfort
the facts so outrageously The truth
won't hurt the residents Of this COM
munity, be it ever so naked. The
Statesman of Saturday, April 4, re-
ported that at meeting of the teach
ers on Friday the action of the school
board in dismissing the superintendent
was announced by the superintendent,
and that the teachers by rising vote
unanimously declared themselves as
favoring his retention and as "stand-
ing tehlnd him y in his difficulties. A
more rancid lie than that was never put
to press. In the first place the an.
nouneement was not made and the vote
was not taken. In the second place
had such a vote beea taken the result
would certainly not have been as stated
That is not all. A day or so later l
asked the editor block down the
creek if he would consider varifying
the statements made in the above-men-
TONED article. He gracefully and graf
uitously (but not at all sarcastically)
retored that off 1 reported 100 teach
ers in attendance and there were only
SO i am indeed very sorryD If this
gentleman "thinks that the light Of tine
twentieth century is to be put out as
soon as he tinkles his little cow-bell
curfew" then may his fears be as
suaged and he be calmed.
] may be nicknaned Adam Krank,
and my remarks may have the weight
Of feathers in the wind, but l am a
sticker for what think is right ami
for what know to be the truth. Let's
have more Of it that we may know
whether the ice be thick or thin where
on we stand. Yours very truly,
W. A. WEST.
p. S.-Why does the superintendent
not eat his own cooking' A year and
half ago he advised that the "easiest
way out of it is to resign and pull
out. z" My record is enyiable when