The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1919-05-24

Andrew Smith undoubtedly nears
the end of twenty-eight years serv-
Ice with the board of education. For
twenty-six of those years, he served
as store-keeper and custodian of the
book room. At the April meeting,
Supt. Hoke recommended that An
drew Smith be showed out of his po-
sition and that some one else be in
stalled in the place.
1t is understood that Clarence o.
son will succeed Mr.. Smith. Mr.. Oh
\ son formerly worked for auditor Hal
>den. He has been employed more re-
Gently at the plant of the Minnesota
Steel Co. The departure OF Smith and
the arrival of Olson will happen on
or about June 1.
At the last meeting of the board
of education, held Friday evening,
May 9, a letter, dated April 20 and
signed by Andrew Nelson, a promi-
nent Duluth lawyer and former
member of the board, was read, VIZ:
Mr.. Andrew Smith who, during
the past twenty-five years or more
had been in charge of the book room
ana OTSEOOIl dI IuS SOhIi Oh AA-o -
school, has requested me to write tnls
letter in his behalf.
have before me Mr.. Harwood's
letter of April Fl, notifying Mr.. Smith
that, after May 80, 1919, he is to be
transferred from the storeroom to
some other service.
This request has astonlshed Mr..
Smith not a little, for the reason
L L ,&.,4o ~ wit
board to serve in said position until
August 1, 1919. Moreover, no
charges of any kind have been filed
or preferred against him. The I'M
derstanding always has been that Mr..
Smith has performed his service to
the entire satisfaction Of everybody
concerned. Mr.. Smith also felt quite
aggrieved to learn for the first time
/ of the proposed change when he read
kthe morning paper after a recent
meeting of your board.
4 After going over the matter care
fully with him, I have reached the
conclusion that Mr.. Smith has not
been treated quite fairly in this mat
ter or with the consideration that is
due him after so long and satisfac-
tory. with a term of service.
Mr.. Smith wishes me to state in
addition that he will not accept any
other position than the one he now
holds and that if he is relieved from
his present duties, he will hold the
heard responsible for his wages dur
ing the balance Of his term. More
over, he asks an early review and
reconsideration of his case by your
honorable board in order that the
matter may receive the consideration
which 1t merits.
Long discussion followed. Director
Foster started it by speaking highly
of Andrew Smith as citizen and as
an employe of the school board. He
declared that, unless Andrew had
weakened greatly and very recently,
1t was a mistake to displace him from
his position.
Director Foster then declared that
the board of education should be
considerate of such faithful en-
ploye as Andrew Smith. He told how
the custodian Of the bookroom had
put In long hours, and, at times,
gone beyond his strength. The di-
rector with many years of success
full educational work also maintained
that Andrew Smith was accurate and
competent for the position.
Director LeDuc took opportunity
to talk at length. He told how his
job with the Oliver Iron Mining Co.
once got too big for him, therefore
the best talent obtainable was en-
ployed to work out modern and
scientific office system.
Later, during the discussion, d.
rector LeDuc declared that he failed
to distinguish between public and
private business, therefore sentiment
should not cut much of a figure in
Smiths case. He declared that Smith
lacked intellect, as he expressed it,
and had no business there. He also
declared that a man who had served
as long as Andrew Smith had and
then failed to work out a modern
system, was not Of proper calibre.
Mr.. LeDuc, however, did not ex-
plain why he himself failed to work
out system for the Oliver Iron
Mining Co. or why he called in an
expert, but denied that consideration
for Andrew Smith. Director LeDuc
also did not remind himself and as
sociates of the fact that men quail
lied to work out scientific office SyS-
TENS are not secured for the modest
wage paid Andrew Smith for a quar-
ter of century.
Mr.. Foster again expressed sur
prise that his old friend and faith
1ul public servant had fallen down
SO suddenly and completely. He felt
that he, himself, was competent to
Judge as to Smiths abilities and he
considered them of high order. He
stated that he had visited the book
room many times and that a recent
visit showed him that Smith had the
business at his fingers ends. Di-
rector Foster, in short, stood firmly
Tor Smith.
A. Director Firoved declared that
mere was nothing to show that
smith could not do the work under
the proposed new system. He de-