East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1915-06-12


vital factors in correcting such condi-
tons, and for that reason gave
them my hearty support: that If /
could be shown any other organiza-
tion than the church whose purpose
II is to uplift the moral life Of the
community, and provide a safer and
more wholesome environment for
young people, ! would join that or
ganization Immediately
In regard to my announcements Of
the meetings at the high school be-
fore the student body, / wish to say
that they have been grossly distorted
and mlsrepresented, The reports that
have been made were so at yarionce
with the truth that I would not wish
the public to depend alone upon my
statement of the facts, but that they
would seek verificaion by members
of the high school faculty. any un-
biased student, or the four pastors of
local churches, who we're present.
shall be entirely satisfied with the ex-
planation of my announcement, made
by any member Of the high school
faculty, and regret that the question
arises at a time when so few of them
are in town 10 be consulted by those
interested. II has been said that the
promise was made to students that II
by reason of their attendance at the
meetings they failed in class work,
they would receive their credits just
l
not in my mind at the time of making
the announcement and was not used
any way. What / did say was that II
students attending the meeting were
not able to keep up all their work,
the teachers would doubtless give
them time to make it up. / explain
ed to the students that it was the de-
sire of the faculty that they generally
refrain from attendance upon evening
! functions during the week but wait
until the weekend for such relief
| from school work. And | further ex-
planned that this is a period of un-
usual stress in religious affairs: Two
of the churches are now observing
Lent and all the denial that it means,
and four others are joining in a union
revival service. They have sent for
these people (who were seated on the
PLATFORM to aid them in the services
and to bring good to Pendleton. If
we are going to get any Of this good
I for urseles. we shall need to place
/ ourselves in contact with the work
being done. While the faculty de-
sires that you refrain from being out
evenings during he week, yet if you
choose to attend these meetings for
this brief time, the teachers will
( doubtless give you an opportunity to
make up your work in case you fall
/ behind in it.
In regard to the same matter. the
/ hoard also states that "at later day,
an assembly of students was called
and an announcement made by Mr..
Landers that any infraction of the
rules Of discipline as fixed by Mr. Bull
! gin at his meetings, would mean i'm
mediate expulsion from the school of
the offending student" If Mr.. Bull
/ gin made any rules of discipline /
1 do not know of them | am certain
4 that l referred to none in my remarks
/ to the student body. What | did say
was that several mothers were COM
planning that their children in the
high school were being harrassed by
| other students because they attended
| or took part in the meetings or Join
] ~ oh
person has certain inalienable rights,
among which are life. liberty and the
| pursuit of happiness: that this coun.
try was founded largely for freedom
of belief and worship; that the day
of persecution in this country is past:
that to criticize and offend another
because OF his religious views was TO
make him unhappy and thus infringe
| upon one of his alienable rights;
that 1t is as much an abridgement of
ones rights to take away his happi-
ness as it Is to deprive him of his
money or other property; therefore
hoped that all criticism that was
meant to hurt the feelings of others
would cease; and that, if they did not
cease, they would he liable to suspen-
sion. Because of the misunderstand-
ing the board had of my former an
nouncement, I invited Mr.. Brock and
Mr.. Tallman to be present to hear this
announcement and they will recall
that am not misstating a single fact
In this. as in the former annouce-
met, am willing to rely upon the tes-
timony Of members of the high school
faculty present
In calling attention as I did to the
Bulgin meetings, was only following
my long established policy of encour-
aging student attendance upon gath
erings designed for the Intellectual
moral or spiritual education and bet
terment of the young people of this
community such as lectures, concerts
sermons and other means of uplift
1t is likewise. the welfare of the
young people that l have in mind
when advocating and furthering any
cause, as that OF prohibition. I have
not and do not hold the slightest re-
sentiment or ill-will toward anyone in
the liquor business, nor toward any.
one holding views contrary to mine
In their conclusion, the board hint
ed at other reasons for my dismissal
ether than religious and prohibition" "
To these unmentioned charges. | have
of course no defense to make. since
the board has never at any time in
formed me of any other objections to
me or my work in the school In fact.
at the close of the meeting in which