Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-05-02
cause the people really make ~.
school.
Citizens Indignant
at, Removal of
Principal West

Friday in protest against the remor
al of Louis J. West as PRINCIPAL =.
the High school by the board :.
education, which was done M ~
regular meeting Friday eyenina
crystallized into a meeting whit
was held in the Elmwood hotel Srn
day afternoon, which was attendo.
by between IS and 100 people All
interested in the subject of the NH
lie schools.
The meeting was held in the mi
vate dining room and lasted ovo.
two hours. Herbert l.. Emery cauas
the meeting to order Mayor p
Finnimore was elected chairman an,
Jefferson c. Smith. secretary. rha
meeting was non-political in char,
acter and seemed a unanimous a,
preston of the citizens to know
facts in regard to the case.
Arthur A. Head was called in 70
represent the minority on the schooI
board on the question of Mr.. Wes,s
removal and Harold Dubord. chair,
man of the board of education. Was
called to represent the majority
Herbert L. Emery, who visited Mr.
Dubord on Saturday and tool
stenographer with him repeatod
parts of that interview from notes
and asked Mr.. Dubord questions in
regard to the same. One of tbaso
questions was whether the scbooI
board depended wholly on Mr. pa,
ten, to which Mr.. Dubord answered
that it practically did do So The
question Of the accommodates
which Superintendent w. Fl. Pattor
wrote for Mr.. West was brought NV
and Mr.. Emery asked if he thoupb,
it was right to recommend man CO
fully when that same man was in
fair way to be dismissed. Mr. Du.
bord stated that he did not see anv
harm in giving man a good recon.
mendation. He also allowed that !,
they wanted a fight they could have
it.
In his remarks. Mr. Emery said
that the action of the school board
was serious blow against the nuh
lie school system and thew wanted
to investigate the matter. IF tho
board was right they would he
backed up, if wrong there would be
the biggest row anyone ever saw
Mrs. Paul Julien, a former teach.
er in the High school told of the
condition the school was in as 70.
CARDS discipline before Mr. Was,
came and what reforms he had in
stituted. She emphasized the state.
ment that she had never criticised
Mr.. West to Mr.. Dubord. when Mr.
Dubord quickly retaliated bv ask.
ing Mrs. Julien if she did not coma
at the head of a committee to the
board in opposition to Mr.. West
Mrs. Julien stated that she did not
and Mrs. Grace Bartlett. rose and
stated that she stood beside Mrs
julien when she made the talk and
every word she had said was true
Mrs. Julien took up the question ~
supervised study, which she said Mr.
west is introducing at the High
school and which she also stated Mr.
Patten was opposing and showed the
workings of that idea.
Mrs. Julien was emphatic in her en-.
dorsement of Mr.. West and said that
it would be calamity to lose him.
Fremont Thompson. senior in high
school and president of his class. was
called on in regard to the sentiment
of the students, and he said that he
believed that if a vote were taken in
the high school among the students
that everyone would vote for Mi West
tostay. He. too. spoke about the I'M.
provement in discipline and gave one
or two examples to emphasize his
statement. He ended by saying III
anybody at the high school thinks he
can put anything over IN Louis he
wants to try it and see how he comes
out"
The matter of favoritism or die
elimination among the students, Of
which Mr.. West has been accused, was
brought up and proved to be in the
case of Russell Squire, who was out
sick with the measles and was al
ready having five hours day work
He went to Mr.. West and stated that
he could not make up his work in the
time usually allowed, as he had so
much to do every day. and it was then
that Mr.. West said that the boy must
make, up the work but he would ask
the teachers to be easy wi1 him. The
other case was that of Leona Marquis,
who has been in poor health for two
years, and it is claimed that Mr.. West
directed the teachers to be firm with
her and require her to make up her
work in the allotted time.
Mr.. Dubord took the position that
the board of education had elected Mr.
Vests successor and there was re-
dress to be had.
Wilbert "A. Squire asked Mr. Du-
bord If the board of education could
be convinced that the sentimcn. of the
citizens and parents of the pupils in
favor of retaining Mr.. West, they
would not take some action, and Mr.
Dubord admitted that If the majority
of the parent swanted Mr., West he
would be in favor of reconsider!ng.
During the discussion it came eut
that there was no refutation OF the
assertion that Mr.. Vests work was
good and that he had not even been
asked to resign. Towards the end OF
the meeting Mr.. Dubord said some
thing to the effect that the people
were not so anxious to retain MI
West than they were to get rid Of MI
Patten, at which the company ap-
plauded. and Herbert Emery saia
Have you Just found that out?"
A committee consisting of Frank