The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1916-02-04
F. D. WATTLES RESIGNS
FROM SCHOOL BOARD
Says he Cannot Spare the Time
From His Private Business.

Frank D. Wattles, president of the
Putnam county school board, has sent
his resignation to Gov. Trammell
The resignation was also read to the
school board at its meeting last
Tuesday, and seems to be final.
This is indeed a serious loss to
Putnam county. Mr.. Wattles, by vir-
tue of his office as president of the
board, has given much more of his
time to school affairs than have any
of his predecessors. He started out
with other members of the present
board to make a record in the con-
duct of our school affairs; he intended
to wipe out the present school board
debt (and this is being accom- plistied)
through a thoroughly business-like
administration of school affairs. All
unnecessary expense has been elini-
mated. Mr.. Wattles has done more;
he has personally visited all, or nearly
all the country schools of the coun-
ty and learned by personal inspec-
ton of their condition.
Mr.. Wattles is a business man;
his business requires his personal at
tention, and he found he cuold not
give it and attend rightly to his Of
ficial duties. Hence his resignation.
He was one official whose work told
handsomly for the public benefit, and
he will be missed.
The following is his letter of resig-
nation:
Honorable Board of Public Instructions
Putnam County, Fla.
Gentlemen:
Feeling that l shall be unable to
give the necessary time to the schools
the coming year i have determined
to retire from the Board of Public
Instruction, effective at the close OF
the present meeting, and my formal
resignation has been forwarded to the
Governor to-day.
l apprised you some time ago of
ny intention to resign January 1, but
on account of illness of teachers and
pupils of School No. l, necessitating
an extension of the Christmas vaca-
ton, I acceded to the request of the
Superintendent to defer my retire
ment until normal conditions should
again prevail.
| This conclusion to leave the School
Board has not been hastily reached,
but rather after long and careful con-
sideration, and | assure you that I
am prompted by no cause or motive
ther than that stated above. The
Board is engaged in work that is of
utmost Importance to every resident
of Putnam County-more urgent and
necessary than brick roads and more
beneficial than all else for which pub
lie money is used. For the business
of the Board, with the innumerable
details of school management, to be
properly cared for, a great deal of
time and attention is required. To
this work l have given literally of
my time during the past year, but
now convinced that I cannot contin-
ue to do so, I am unwilling to remain
a member and neglect the duties of
the position.
l am very much gratified to know
that the office of the Superintendent
and all of the affairs of the Board
are in such splendid condition, as
shown by the recent examination and
report of the State Auditor, and that
our efforts along economic lines, nee
essitated by circumstances, have not
been unavailing. The present Board,
Immediately after its organization,
January 1, 1915 determined to pur-
SIZE policy of equitable distribution
of funds, to investigate every item
and purpose for which school money
was to be used, and to eliminate ev-
cry unnecessary expense. This plan
has been productive of most pleasing
hoard undar the law had No authoYi