The labor world., 1920-07-17
THE SCHOOL ELECTION,

-D-
THE SCHOOL ELECTION.
The annual school election will be
held today. Organized labor has not
officially endorsed any candidate at
, this election for school director, al
| though at least two men before the
voters are members of trades unions.
They are r. J. Coole Of the Machinists' ,
union and Charles J. Firoved of the
BARRIERS union, both candidates to sue
ceed themselves.
| Mr.. Firoved was treasurer Of the
Federated Trades assembly a number
Of years ago. He resigned to go into
business for himself, and since his elec-
| tion to the school board three years
ago, sold out his barber shop, again
became member Of the union and
represents it as a delegate to the as
sembly. AS school director he has
consistently voted on the side Of labor
every time such an issue came before
the board.
r. j. Coole is a veteran member Of
his union, served several terms as pres
ident of the Federated Trades assembly,
attended number Of conventions Of
the Minnesota State Federation Of La
Dor, and is highly regarded as a con-
! sistent, level-headed and conservative
union man and citizen without the
slightest taint of Bolshevism in his
system.
! AS member Of the board of educa.
tion Mr.. Coole has won the confidence
and esteem of his official associates
and of the people generally. The po-
sition pays no salary and yet he has
found time to give more than usual
attention to school matters, frequently
visiting the schools and becoming thor
oughly familiar with their wants and
needs. His hours Of duty at the ma
chine shop in which he is employed,
which are from midnight till O'Clock
in the morning, give him opportunity
to devote considerable Of his spare time
! to the work Of the board of education
It is generally admitted that labor
should have representation on the
school board. Mr. Coole is labor man
Of the very best type, careful, consid~
crate, practical, sane and capable. He
is big enough to see all sides of every
question confronting the board, and
such an one in the end makes the best
representative of labor as we'll as Of
all the people.
An attempt is being made to weaken
Mr.. Coole among working people be-
cause of his vote against bonus for
teachers. 1t is understood by all who
were familiar with the situation at the
time that the directors were advised by
counsel that bonus could not legally
be paid by the board. Be that as it
may, he would have been justified in
voting against a bonus in lieu Of higher
salaries on any and every occasion.
Such gratuity has been opposed by
American labor unions for years.
\ But when the time came to pass upon
the salary question Mr.. Coole voted
with the teachers and for a substantial
increase, for whichShe was officially
} thanked by the Duluth Teachers 'asso-
, citation. AS acting chairman Of the
, committee on schools he recommended
a liberal increase in salaries for JAM.
J tors and engineers. The employees Of
} the school board look upon him as a
, co-worker and friend and do not hesi.
tate to call on him from time to time
to defend and protect their interests
That ought to be sufficient endorse
ment for any man as q representative
of labor.
It is as an ardent worker for voca,
tional training in the schools that Mr.
Coole has performed his greatest ser
I vice for labor and the community. He
took an active and leading part II
bringing the Duluth schools to tn.
standard set by the Smith Hughes act
law promoted by the American Fed
GRAFTON Of Labor and passed by Con
gress through its influence, for the pur
2 pose Of giving federal aid to suct
: schools in America as will raise thei1
: vocational education standards to con
J form with its provisions, Ill Of which
J protect the boys the mechanics and