The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-02
IS STATE KEEPING FAITH
 WITH HER HIGH SCHOOLS ,?
Russevle Ladies Point Out Injustice Done by Superntend ent Feagins Ruling That No High School Gan Employ
 Teacher Residing in Town Where School is Located

children of county, counties of great state, why deem it expedient to enforce the rule that admits of no ex- captions, when it is known to fail in ether cases?
 Again. when one child is unruly and troublesome. does the wise parent pun ish the obedient ones we'll? We are reminded of the benighted mother who solved the problem thus: T aim to be the boss an when l hears of rucus mongst any of my kids, I just lights in an fans out the whole bunch!" adding: "You cain't hit | 'em a lick a-miss nohow." Possibly the troublesome schools cited by MT. Feagin, as necessitating this chance of teachers may welcome this flaming out' as means of rid . dance of the inefficient teacher, but does it in any wise guarantee or even | help them to secure better ones? 1 Be it remembered, this ruling debars the inefficient teacher in only on place. the home town. (the only place per- haps, not likely to employ him again Mir Feagin gives him the rest of the state in which to operate, making it pos sibly thereby for many schols to be handicapped by his inefficiency, com polling the removal of teachers of proven ability, leaving their places to be filled, it may be, by these same l teachers who made disoord in other schools.
 It would be of interest and instructive as well, to know how the fifty odd coun- ty high schools in Alabama regard this ruling and how it affects each particu- lar school.
 | It is not in the bounds of reason to suppose the schools governed by factions and petty jealousies can predominate in a state that Is alive to the great need of giving our boys and girls educational | advantages.
 Granting then that they are in the | minority, would it not have been wiser for the superintendent to use the author ity he has sc lavishly indulged in veto- | ing the good teachers already engaged. l by selecting a competent faculty and placing at the scene of trouble.
 As as instance of the hardship, not to say complete upheaval this ruling may create l give the high school of l Franklin county, which was just ending it's most prosperous and harmonious year
 since organized when this ruling was issued.
 The patrons felt that it would at this juncture be most unwise to change teach CTS since almost the entire faculty is composed of home talent, therefore they sent petition to the superintendent urg- ing that this school be granted an ex- ception in favor of Miss Forbes, who
 had taught in the school with increasing g popularity and success since it's organl- | zation.
 | This petition was prompuy-and I am sorry to admit curtly-refused, although it. was inGorsed by the county board, the county superintendent, the principal of the school the entire patronage and student body.
 Disappointed. but hopeful still, the mothers of this school united in a pe- tition to the governor of the state, send ing a representative in person to urge their particular need in retaining this one | teacher not less for her efficiency as a teacher, but in the capacity of chaperon for their daughters as well.
 These mothers realize that a teacher with flattering recommendation is com- paratively easy to obtain, and to have
 successfully stood the test of examina- ton is a requisite surely, but to be able
 to impart that knowledge, to measure up to the lofty standard of Christian char
 acter is rare indeed having found the
 teacher with all of these qualifications,
 these mothers claimed the right to keep
 their own.
 |. In Governor O'Neal they felt they had an advocate, for beside being chairman
 of the board of education, he doubtless
 owes his high office to his avowed and active insistence of personal rights.
 The governor did indeed lend a sym
 pathetic ear to their message, readily 
 agreeing that it would be unwise tt
 adopt rule of this nature which would
 admit of no exceptions
 Further he advised that the principa
 of the school write letter to be reat to the board stating the necessity fol
 retaining the teacher in question, addns that he felt the request would be read
 lily granted.
 | Since the meeting of this board. how :, ever, the governor writes that for req l sens best for the state. the board see 2 fit to make no exceptions; this schoo must accept the hardships it entails, an, n wag along as best it can--or words t
 that effect.
 n Here's to you, old Caesar Our Brutu II | failed us, too.
 v In consideration of the co-partnershi l existing between county and state, i e the founding and operating of these coun = ty high schools. it would seem but sim :, pie justice to allow the school voic r | in the choice of it's teachers. especial
 in the matter of those already filling tn