The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1919-06-28
SCHOOL BOARD In HENRY FORD'S HOME TOWN
THINKS DOCTOR IS NOT QUALIFIED.
Startling Story Of Futile Attempt to Find Soft Place to Fall
Indefinite Doctor Dominant Issue in Coming School
Election Harmony Impossible While Madam Davis
Protege Remains Of Rise From Obscurity-
Commoners Slated to SignaDy Defeat Autocrats

lily. When his vote was needed, he
broke all his principles and pledges by
going over to the autocrats, body and
soul. Since then, he has added to his
infamy by making himself Hoke g
mentor, friend and protector. Neither
Benedict Arnold nor Judas Iscariot
exceeded Schaibly in his treason and
his brazen actions afterwards. In just
what form his thirty pieces of silver
were paid and received, affiant at this
time sayeth not.
Last year, the commoners under
took to meet the autocrats on common
ground, in the interests Of harmony
and efficiency, by supporting Frank
Crassweller. While that gentleman does
not think so, it is not impossible that
an opposition candidate would have
beaten him. He has not been often
sively autocratic but, many times, has
lodged question by saving that he
was new on the board and not fully
informed, thereby laying foundation
for voting with the autocrats.
There never will be harmony, salts
faction and proper results so long as
Supt. Hoke remains at the head of the
public schools. All the past year he
had majority support of the board
and money was poured out like water
to surround him with a huge staff
of assistants, advisers and supervisors.
He has failed to strike the divine spark
with the teachers. Many highly eff
cient teachers have quit and gone else
where. Others have been frozen out
because Supt. Hoke and some of the
autocrats feared their independent
spirit. Many who remain have every
appearance of toilers bearing unduly
heavy burdens on their backs and flag
ging because words of encouragement,
inspiration and appreciation have not
been heard.
How and why Hoke was brought to
Duluth remains a mystery to many.
He was third assistant superintendent
of the Richmond, Va, public schools.
His salary was only $1,000 a year and
his work was confined chiefly to super
vision of the night schools. As near
as can be learned, Hoke was a Penn
sylvanian who became a Virginian by
residence and marriage. He eventually
acquired degree Of Doctor of Phil
osophy at Columbia university and, if
a teacher wishes to spoil her popu-
larity, she merely has to omit that be-
loved title of "Doctah' when address
ing him.
Any card that will take a trick IS
willingly played by the autocrats and
their weak protege.
Late last year, Supt. Hoke privately
announced that he was going away to
do "wa'h wo'hk." He represented
that he had applied for his passport
and would leave as soon as all for
malities had been observed. For some
reason he never went away to do
"wa n wo'hk." Many have been in
clined to call him Stacker on that
account but others believe his abilities
were not up to the government stand
ard.
But to get back to how and why
Kremer J. Hoke was taken from OBJ
scurity as third assistant superintend-
ent in the Richmond schools, at $500
year, and brought to Duluth as
superintendent at $4,000 a year, with
an increase to $4,000 this year, there
is some information at least.
When a bunch of Duluthians, promi-
nent and powerful in Duluth's social
and financial circles, put the boot to
former superintendent DenfeId, sue
eessor was imperative.
On the board at that time were such
consistent autocrats as Brewer, Nc.
Giffert and Madam Davis, tri-
umvirate, holding weaker and more
obscure members in the hollow of their
hands.
Madam Davis is credited with hav-
ing come from the South. In some
way, at some time, she is supposed to
have tried to induce the superintend-
ent of the Richmond, Va, schools to
take the superintendency at Duluth.
His name slips the writer 3 mind but
he was man Of some ability and
reputation. He positively refused to
come to Duluth.
In her extremity and disappoint-
ment, Madam Davis then impulsively
asked the educator if he could not
recommend some one for the position.
There was Kremer ]. Hoke, third
assistant superintendent, in charge Of
night schools. Perhaps his superior
was tired of enduring the Hokian
limitations; possibly he knew his need
of boost and better salary. Any
way, be all that as it may, the super
intendent of the Richmond schools
cyro Cf a1 nn1 T.