The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1915-02-06
PLAIN FACTS.
10 the kansas -Ciiv Snn

On June ~, 1919, there was held q
examination for the position of Bat
! Matron at the Garrison Square Fiel
House. | was a competitor in the e,
/ animation, ranking second, when tn
results were announced. On Decen
Der 70, l received word that the on
who had ranked first and had bee
holding the position from the time q
the examination, had been transferre
TO another department, and that tn
work was now open for me to repor
Tor duty, which did January 1, 1915
Just fourteen days later, | receive,
the surprising information from tn
Park Board that my services were n,
longer desired. Why? you ask, s,
do $50 do many others. Union in
quiring into the cause at the rooms O
the Park Board, l was told that m,
position had been abolished. becaus,
the few demands at the Bath Depart
ment there now, do not justify the ex
penditure of s45 per month Tor an at
tendant; but that, instead the former
playground instructress there hat
been employed as assistant janitrest
and could also attend the few baths
wanted at~$25 per month.
Now why do l give the public this
information? Do l want the work
again? Would l have it? After liy
ing in that polluted atmosphere four
teen days, by no means. But it is be.
cause | think that the public, and par.
ticularly those who have s~triven to
make the Garrison Square Field House
a success, should know of the condi-
lions there, that l feel were really re.
sponsible for this unjust change.
say unjust, because l was given no
choice in the matter. Maybe l too,
would have done the work for S25 and
for all anyone knows to the contrary.
l might have done it for nothing. in
order to help make the place a sue
cess. And doesn't it seem reasonable
to suppose that had no suggestion
been made to the Park Board when
they decided to reduce the salary, that
they would offer it first to the one al
ready there, instead of to one whose
work was of an entirely different
sort--and certainly a drop from s45
to $25 would not be so surprising as
one from $50 to $25, the former being
the salary of a playground instruc-
tress. And this, too, regardless of the
fact that, according to her W words.
my work was perfectly satisfactory to
Miss Canty. And such report did she
at headquarters. AS to whether
or not Mr.. Bailey was pleased and
have recommended that l be
given the first offer, l could not say,
for not once during my stay there did
express himself on the subject of
my work, not even to give instruc-
tions about my duties and l have only
my predecessors to thank for infor-
about anything that | did not
find out for myself.
n this attitude was maintained
in spite Of his expressed approval of
my appointment should the position
be available to me. Why the change
attitude? Simply that he wanted
the former assistant there-not that
she is more capable than | for that
particular work; but to afford greater
opportunity for their attention to each
other. Now l say this not for SLAM
der, and not idly, but for the good of
institution. AS long as we have
he place it behooves us not only to
to keep it, but to keep it on a high
plane, above the sordid level of i'm
influences. And the moral atmos-
Dhere of the place now is certainly not
What it ought to be. Why should one
whose work has been closed and serv-
ces dispensed with, frequent the place
practically every day, missing only
wo days out of fourteen and having
My two voluntary classes during that
ime, and stay for hours each time in
lose conversation and in private
'ooms with doors closed with the
lead of the institution, when the lat
er cannot even give instructions to a
lew employe?
Why would he, when she was there
'stensibly for no business whatever,
ell me nearly every evening from one
o three hours before my time was up,
hat might go, when it would leave
My him and this oma (who was
hen an outsider to the work of the
lace) in the building, with the ex-
option of a fireman in the basement?
These things have been observed
OF by myself alone, but by others
9th employees and visitors, even chill,
rem who 60 there, having been heard
ossiping about the "frisky" attitude.
) that the sort of example to have
efore those children who particularly
eed inspiration for higher ideals?
ay these things openly and unafraid,
spite of Mr. Bailey's cautioning me
hen left Ito be careful what said
fter leaving or | might lay myself
able to the court" l am willing to
I'll the courts exactly what l know
order to make this Institution
orthy of us-and l feel that the Ne
of Kansas City should investi-
ate conditions there and see for
lemselves if things are as they ought
be, and if not to make them so.
MRS. R. G. MOORE,
1919 Norton Ave,