Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1921-05-27
LA FLEUR REPLIES
TO MRS. COLLINS

you would publish the following in this
weeks issue of your paper
In your issue of last week under the
head lines, Graded School Real Fire
Trap, you published a communica-
ton from Ruth Colby Collins wherein
she asked. "Why are not the fire.
escapes made use Off" and criticses
adversely the non-usance OF said es-
capes in fire drills, and laments the
fact that there is not a door between
rooms V and VI in the graded school
building. The motive for said article
in manifest to all who understand the
local school situation. 1t was not writ
ten because the Graded School build
ing is a veritable fire trap; for such
is not a fact. The spirit and motive
which prompted said article is most
apparent and a person does not have
to read between the lines.
That the public may better under
stand and judge for themselves as to
the motive for said article, let it be
know that the writer thereof who
signed her name as Ruth Colby Col
Inns, is no less, than Mrs. Collins, wife
of Prof E. D. Collins, Acting Presi-
dent of Middlebury College. She is the
lady who, while visiting the schools a
few months ago, assumed to know
more than the teachers in charge OF
certain rooms, and after listening to
instructions given by a certain teacher
to her pupils had the effrontery, to the
establishment of the teacher, to advance
her own views and ideas which were
in contradiction of what the teacher had
explained. Whether the teacher was
right or wrong is not the question, she
was in authority When the matter
was called to the attention of our
School Superintendent, A. W. Eddy
and the members of the school board
the teachers were instructed not to al
low any interference from outsiders
in the discharge of their duties during
school periods.
A great display of nervousness was
shown by certain ladies, OF which the
writer of said article was one, when the
Prudential Committee followed the
wishes of a certain teacher last year
and did not re-engage her. They even
went so far as to circulate a petition for
signatures asking the committee to re-
engage said teacher What was the
object and purpose of same? What
motive prompted said course? Not
satisfied with steps already taken, only
a few months ago, those same estim
able ladies, tried to resurrect the ole
question, but for once displayed excel
lent judgment and dropped the matter
Another significant fact: DR., E. ID
Collins, husband of the writer OF salt
article, is the Chairman of the JOINT
School Committee. While he and hi
associates, representing the Addison
County Grammer School Corporation
are entitled to an equal voice with
members of the Prudential Committee
as to terms OF admission, curriculum
and the engagement of teachers in The
High School, their aid, judgment anC
advice are constantly sought by the
members of the Prudential Committee
DO YOU not believe that if such condl.
tons existed as stated in said article
that Mrs Collins would have called II
to the attention of her husband? Hac
she so done and he had believed that
the same was correct, and not the re-
suits OF an imaginative mind, would he
not have placed said facts to the at
tention OF the Prudential Committee
He is a most estimable and broad
minded man. and he certainly has a.
great an interest in the loved ones a,
he writer of said article, and certainly
As deep an interest in eduCationa
matters as any one. Had he only sug-
ce,ted the matter and the facts had
been as stated in said article, the same
would have received immediate con
,deration
The fire escapes have never been used
and sincerely hope that they never
Will. They are for emergency purpose,
onlv, and not for exterior decoration
nor a place for recreation 1t shall be
time enough to use them IN case OF
fire which we trust will never occur
Even in such an event pupils are liable
to sustain serious injuries in the use OF
the fire escapes. Should they be used
for the purpose of monthly drills, the
pupils never knowing but that the
alarm is given for an actual FIRE, some
Of the pupils might be seriously injured
In such a case, where would the liabil-
ity attach? Who would be respon
sible. Were the fire escapes used fol
such drills, and child OF the writer Of
said article be seriously injured by
reason of having been compelled to use
the fire escapes, what criticism woulc
Mrs. Collins then advance? Where
would she place the blame? She az
well as others would be justified in con
demning the course followed in sucf
fire drills.
The use of the fire escapes for drill
purposes was formerly presented a few
months ago to the school board by
committee of ladies of which the writer
was one. Said meeting was called a
the request of Mrs. Collins, the SAINT
as was the fire drill she mentions in hel
said article. At said meeting they
called the attention of the school boarC
TO a number of matters, but not a single
question was presented which the boarC
had not repeatedly considered, and haC
taken such steps relative thereto a
their best judgment directed. As ioi
a door between rooms V and VI, it wa
,,1,.,.,d 90 ,lace q door between sail