Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1919-07-17
DAVIS DEFEATED CARTER
Fight Between These Two Men
Was the Only Good Contest
that Developed.

Monday evenings annual schoo
meeting was the best attended
M the history of the local schools
and before the evening was over, a
regular pitched battle had beer
staged over the election of a candi-
date TO succeed A. !. Archer Who
had resigned, and it was only after
a dazzling, bewldering. flow Of ora
tory that ". @. Davis was elected
for the short term. Fred Slater and
William Medler We're reelected al-
most without opposition.
When the meeting was called to or
der soon after eight o'clock every
seat in the high school auditorium
was filled, and chairs had been in
stalled, which were also taken and a
number of people were left standing
at the rear of the large room. II was
estimated that well over four hun
dred people were present at the
meeting, in which a big interest had
been created during the past two
weeks.
Following the reading of the re-
ports Of the secretary and the treas
urer, both of which were approved.
the budget for the ensuing school
year as determined at the last board
meeting, was read. This called for
$4,000 for the incidental fund.
S3S,000 for the teachers wages fund.
$1,000 for the general fund and
81 500 for the building sites and re
pair fund, making total of $75, 800
TO be raised by taxes. On a yea and
nay ballot it was voted to raise this
sum by taxes in the district for the
schools this coming year.
A motion was then made and sup
ported that the lots 149, $50, l5l and
152 in Elmwood subdivision be pur-
chased and added TO the Republic
school site A discussion as to the
advisability Of acquiring more room
for the school ground was indulged in
after which the motion was put TO a
vote and carried by "A big majority
a motion was then made that the
coming school year consist of forty
weeks, which was passed by large
vote, after it had been explained that
this had been the customary school
year here in the past.
The election of the three members
of the school board was the next or
der of business to come before the
meeting. Following a motion that
the chair appoint four tellers, Otto
Sanderhof, president Of the board
selected p. NJ Smith, +. d. Hughes.
Charles Ogle and A. A. Chick
On the first ballot for candidate
70 succeed William Medler, whose
te4 expired William Medler re- !
ceived 232 votes, G.. V. Wright % and
W. G. Davis II votes, and Mr. Medler
was declared elected.
Fred Slater was elected to succeed
himself ON the first ballot Of the next
voting, receiving 25S votes. j. NJ.
Monticel received ~ and G. V
Wright lG
Previous to the balloting to elect
"a candidate TO succeed a. j Archer.
resigned, the name of W G.. Davis
was placed in nomination by +. u.
Hughes, VINO made a plea for a mem
ber Of the school board from the
eastern part of the city. r. f.
Downer followed promptly with =
short talk laudng Mr. Davis, after
which T. W Creaser also asked that
the east side be given recognition on
the board. Mayor Charles r. Muir
ply then placed in nomination the
name Of II. c. Carter of the Republic,
telling of the finer points of this
man in his nominating address.
James +. Mitchell and c. f. Brown
made short addresses telling of the
need Of such men on the board as !
Mr.. Carter r. d. Hughes again ,
gained the floor. and caused such a !
shock in the minds of the supporters Z
Of Mr. Carter that they did not re-
cover until after the matter went to
a vote. 1t was stated by Mr.. Hughes
that II. C. Carter had agreed to with !
draw from the race, IN case Mr.. 7
Downer withdrew in favor Of Mr..
Davis. Mr. Carter was not present {
10 make answer. and his friends knew (
not what to say, following the ex- G
plosion Of the verbal bomb On I
the ballot 355 votes were cast, of
which w 6. Davis received lS1 and :
II. c. Carter l54 /
On the final proposition to be voted I
upon, that of Act l66 Of the Public 9
Acts of 1917. the vote went against I
he measure ll6 TO 9. Z
Wednesday Mr. Carter issued \
statement in regard to the claims c
made at the meeting, which follows. '
Alma, Mich, July Is. 1919. t
friends:
War is all that Sherman claimed it
the innocent by-stander is
hot as usual. a
One really does not wonder that n
Kaiser Bill tried to whip the world, n
IS that is nothing to compare with a a
orty-eight hour high explosive local Il
for a public duty" job, q
where all assume the right to call a