The Mount Holly news., 1918-03-26
The School Meeting


} three hundred votes cast at the cleo
ton for members of the Board ol
Education, at the court house, Tues
day evening, there was nothing especial
ly stirring about the occasion. Some
time since the Board of Education de.
cided to issued ballot with the names
of all who desired to be candidates for
the office. One year ago a ticket was
issued containing but three names and
at the last moment another ticket with
four names was put out, the result be-
ing that one of the men on the three
name ticket was defeated. This year.
after four-name ticket had been decid-
ed upon one with three names made its
appearance. 1t had on it the names of
John Lawrence Elberson, who had
signified his intention of being on the
blanket ticket, John M. Huff and Ross
w. Quicksall. The idea of this move
ment was very apparent. Mr.. Mason
was to be the man against whom the
opposition was to concentrate. Just
who got Elberson into the fight is not
known but the rumor soon became
current that he was the candidate of
Charles II Folwell, who had unsuc-
cessfully tried to defeat Mr.. Mason for
township committee and who was now
trying to oust him from the position
which he had filled with credit to him
self and to the township.
Whether this rumor was true we can
not state but it had its effect and the
result was that history repeated itself
and Mason was elected. Mr.. Elberson
ran we'll but that he was badly advised
and that his campaign was conducted
on methods that he did not originate
or approve of worked to his disadvant-
age and his defeat does not in any
way reflect upon him. He can lay his
failure to be elected entirely upon the
issuing of the three-name ticket, show
ing plainly that the onslaught was to
be made against Mr.. Mason.
The meeting was called to order by
the district clerk. William A. Slaught-
er was named as chairman and Will
liam H. Mason was elected secretary
The latter read the district clerk s
annual report, which was very compre-
hensive and which will be printed and
circulated among the taxpayers. At
the conclusion of this part of the pro-
ceedings Mr.. Mason made short ad-
dress as follows:
Your presence in such numbers indicates in
terest in your schools. l will talk to you
briefly, referring to the schools in a general
way.
This school system of yours, in many re-
spectS, is not unlike corporate business You
have 100000 invested in school property
real estate and equipment You are the
stockholders and owners of this property. You
elect board of directors in whose hands you
place control. and you sit back and await the
dividends which you expect to come to you in
the form of benefits derived by your children.
The functions of your boardrof directors are
three-fold: Creation, provision and preserva-
ton of the physical elements and conditions,
namely, buildings and all else that enters into
the making of complete working plant
secondly, proper and conservative management
of finances, and lastly, the selection of the
human element necessary to put this plant into
operation.
The general manager and his assistants, or
the principal and his teachers. are in control
of actual operation, subject only, If proper ef-
fort prevail, to general oversight by the direc-
tors, or the board of education. You expect
and should demand the same careful, efficient
management that is required for the success
full prosecution of any business, and which
any one of you would demand in your own
business.
This school business of yours is not self
sustaining, your stock is subject to assess
ment for upkeep and betterment. Like the
scale maker of Binghamton who labeled his
pasklng cases Jones'. he pays the freight
So do you pay the freight and you expect
prompt delivery of the goods. You have
noticed that this year the freight rates have
been increased and there is no Inter State
Commerce Commission to whom you may ap-
ply for relief, consequently, you must demand
better service all around recompense for
the increased outlay.
In the production of the best results, there
enters an element which we have not yet con-
sidered. This element is the keystone of the
whole fabric which you have constructed. That
great and absolutely necessary element, spelled
in big letters is Efficiency" the power to do
Let me ask do you know and do you believe
that element exists in your schools If that
rifce, is in vain, and the looked-for dividend
viii not be declared. If efficiency is non-ex-
stent what can be done toward its establish
ment? Application of these principles defined
as rules of action will create and maintain
efficiency
Cooperation, not antagonism;
Confidence, not suspicion;
Mutual helpfulness, not grudging perform
ance;
just consideration, not arbitrary disregard
of each others rights and feelings;
A fine discipline, based mutual respect
and sympathy and
An earnest desire to serve faithfully and
efficiently.
DIR. Nicholas Murray Butler offers five char
acterstics as evidence of an education-cor-
reetness and precision in the use of the
mother tongue; refined and gentle manners,
which are the expression of fixed habits of
thought and action; the power and habit Of
reflection, the power of growth, and efficiency,
or the power to do.
The chair then asked for nomina-
tion for members of the Board of Edu-
cation and the following were named:
John Lawrence Elberson, John M.
Huff. Ross w. Quicksall and William
III. Mason. John Throckmorton, Jr.,
and Joseph c. Kingdom were chosen
tellers at the box for ballots for mem
bors; George Nj. Sleeper and Christian
J. Krayer for the box in which ballots
for appropriations were cast.
AS a result of the special drive
against Mason number Of his friends
cast ballots with his name alone.
The result was as follows: Huff, POP;
Qufcksall, 1876; Mason, III; Elberson,
1876.
The appropriations were granted with
out opposition, the vote being light.
Several ladies were present and cast
their ballots on this question.