New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1919-04-25
NJ M'MAHON ANXIOUS
TO PROBE BOARD
Wants Spotlight Of Inquiry Dr.
>reCted at Members
CHARGES BIG OYERDRAFT
President of Taxpayers Association
Asserts That School Board Has
OvcrtiI1l,yn its Account to Consider


?. S. McMahon, president of the
New Britain Taxpayers association, in
commenting upon the action of the
school board in special session yester-
day, said: ST welcome this investi-
cation. I'm mighty glad it has come
and is asked for on the part Of the
school board itself But, now that
there is to be an investi cation, let it
be a real one and one which will pen
citrate deeply into the covered action
Of the school board itself. In my opin-
ion it is the most disgraceful thing
that has happened in the city, for it
brings us back to the olden day when
the boss tells the workman how to
vote and discharges him if he doesn't
do accordingly.
>AssaiIs S. III. Holmes
IF [ understand the situation
thoroughly. the school board proposes
to quiz all the teachers who had any
thing to do in spreading anti-school
administration propaganda. This, as
| understand it, includes. those who
did not favor the 25 mill tax which
was voted upon at city meeting some
time ago I would like to ask what
right Stanley H. Holmes had to call
the teachers of the city together and
tell them to advocate the passage of
the 20 mill tax, telling them that thew
would not receive their increases in
salary unless the tax was adopted.
Furthermore the day has gone by
when people are to be told what their
mind is. 1t is especially wrong to try
and set the mind of persons whose
duties in life are to train the minds
of our children. If the teachers. are
a "a
and thought then how can the chill
dren under their tutorage imbibe the
real meaning of freedom Of speech
and democratic thought? That is
what the children are to be taught
and in order that they be taught cor
rectly their teachers must have those
free minds
BlamcS One Man.
''To my mind the whole situation
reverts back to the displeasure caused
one man at the head of the schools
because some of the teachers dared
oppose him. spoke their own minds
freely and did not advocate the things
their master wanted them to. AS
a result Of that the teachers are now
to be quizzed regarding the entire af-
fair and those found lacking will be
discharged for the good of the citys
educational system. [ would like to
ask any self willed and self minded
person if that is justice, if it speaks
for the freedom which our soldiers
fought for. if it is the democracy
which our schools are supposed to be
teaching. And if it is viewed with an
unbiased mind the answer will be
that it is in opposition to everything
American, it is making an autocrat
IL, III
his command.
Mentions Holmes Bill.
'F'urthermore, may I ask why STAN
ley Fl. Holmes is so interested in a
bill to be passed by the legislature
changing the entire status of the
schools of the state and turning them
over to the care of a state superin-
tendent to be known by the more con-
genial name of commissioner of edu-
cation? And then he went further
and drafted a bill himself which also
met with defeat. And he did not
cease then. but still was active in in
terest of the state control of schools
do not find fault with him for
wanting a bill passed to have the
, state bear part of the expenses of
! teachers salaries. That part of it
| was all right, but there were numer-
! Gus other dangerous clauses in the
! original bills which were killed. The
| city of New Britain never hired Mr.
| Holmes to go to Hartford and draft
| or support certain bills. He was hired
as superintendent of the schools of
! the city of New Britain which to nv
mind has no connection with propos-
| ing state legislation or trips to Hart
! ford supporting certain legislation.
Wants Real Probe.
| And now that they are going to
have an investigation and quiz the
| school teachers, let it be q real in