The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-11-03
Politics Enter Annual Gather
ing of Educators.
Miss L. E. Wooster Is Chief
Topic for Discussion.
She HAS BIG FOLLOWING
Fred A. Seaman VIII Play
Prominent Part.
Much High Wire Work in Evil
dence This Year.
BY A. L. sHULTZ.

POLITICS IS IllJlnS llSGil 4AilO LAAS
teachers convention like a knitting
needle at the ladies' aid society. In
fact, there was a whole key of home
grown, carefully aged and well tested
politics on tap for the ladies and gem
tIenen of the school room when they
arrived. To be sure, it all concerns
itself with the old question of a new
state superintendent. But the 'dea is
being considered just as earnestly and
discussed just as warmly as tho some
one had first thought of it night
before last.
JUST the things which are to be
done to and for Miss Lorraine Il;
Wooster is receiving prayerful-and
in some quarters-rather pro1ane
consideration. There is decided ana
positive rank element of the teach-
ers' convention which will greet MISS
Wooster with violent evidences OF con-
tempt Just as soon as she presents
herself for public expression. On the
other hand Miss Wooster's friends are
out to capitalize her stand with Lucy
CASTOR against the cigaret. She mas
following which applauds her De
nunciation of the rouge box and the
powder puff. Her panied and shocked
expression when she learned that
sornetines a goddess of the school
room rolled her. own, will be good for
certain votes in certain precincts.
Miss Wooster in Limclight.
It doesn't make much difference
what happens at the four teachers
conventions this week, there is little
chance that Miss wooster VIII pc
dropped from discussion There ism
a thin dimes worth of chance to take
her out of the picture. Likewise II Is
brick building against postage
stamp that she will be out and run
organization dropped her from the
programs. But the organization might
as well have tried to change the
weather forecast by whistIlng thru
drain pipe. Miss Wooster's eyes are
sot on a third term Whether the team
er5 like it or not
PLAYING the game of politics-and
SEINE of the teachers do that very
thing to considerable eXeehIT II
isn't wise to fool ones own self. Miss
wooster didn't come INTO the game u
pelftics yesterday. She knows thing
Of two about the tricks of the primary
and it has SO many tricks That the
cid convention plan looks like a KIN
dergarten studying high school texts.
Miss Wooster was in the front row
watching the convention operations
and she has been in the primary up
I'd her ewes. She has a wide acqua1n-
lance, is resourceful and isn't q bit
afraid to take chance.
d
many months ago there was chance
that a school person might get cabl-
net place by virtue of prospective
act of congress. Miss Wooster wanted
it. In those days she poohed at
third term It was such an idle thing
in her busy young life that she tossed
it aside. shrugged her shoulders and
kicked at it.
Fred A Seaman in Race.
In those days when dreams seemed
big and real and tangible Fred a. Sea
man of Topeka was winking at the
superintendent's job from a distance.
Seaman was then in Miss wooster
department. He read her pubhc an
neuncement one day that she wouldn't
run again. Then he asked her about
it Both the printed and personal IN
terview tailed.
Seaman got in. He had taught in
the rural schools and knew the low
down in the farmer districts from A
to n He had studied law, had Served
two terms as county attorney of Wa
baunsee county. He had been city
superintendent and county superin-
tendent and as an assistant state su-
perintendent had helped organize the
Kansas high schools. Looking at the
thing by and large and thru half
dozen key holes, Seaman began to
measure up for the job like a regular
full grown he man-plus the extras
which come to one via the school
room route.
For some months the grand lodge
of the teaching profession which is af-
fectionately known as the School-
masters Club had searched the
woods and blown their whistles in
search of some one who could and
would walk bravely out and nail Miss
Wooster's scalp on nearest district
flag pole. They called loudly in 1920.
But the patriots answered not. Miss
Wooster went back for a second term
against a scattered and disorga nized
opposition. Shawnee county. which is
as consistently Republican as Iceland
is chilly, gave majority against Miss
Wooster. But there is only one Shaw
nee county in Kansas and out in the
coal oil lamp communities Miss WOos-
ter's cries for reform were gospel
preachin'.
Seaman's candidacy slipped along so
nicely and easily for a time that it
looked as tho it would merely be
necessary for him to stay at home and
wait until he received an election GER
tificate. Then Miss Wooster-with
the born right of her sex-changed
her mind. She recalled a lot of unfin-
ished business that would need her
time and attention at least until 1925.
The Good Government club endorsed
her-r,ght in the face of the record of
the vote delivered to Miss Wooster
here last year. Now Mss Wooster is
seemingly back and in the running
just as big and gay as the announce
ment of three ring circus.
Right here Miss Wooster's knowl-
edge of the science of the game is
coming into evidence. Against an in
dividual candidate her chance of sue
cess looks slim. But a carefully Sc
lected opposition of three or four can
didates doesn't cost Miss Wooster
much and causes an awful disturbance
in the ranks of the opposition. Under
such a condition she ought to win
handily.
High Wire Work.
Now there is evidence that too much
high wire work has made the school
masters club a bit dizzy. Miss Woo
ster's possible opposition includes J.
". Miley of the Third district and