New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1921-11-11
MRS. RUTH MILLER DIRECTS
LETTER TO SUPERINTENDENT
IN REGARD TO RESIGNATION

Mr.. John Y. Conway,
State Superintendent OF Public
Instruction,
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Dear Mr.. Conway -
/ am prompted to write you this
letter because OF the published re-
port in the newspapers to the effect
that the State Board of Education
had requested me to resign as State
Director OF Vocational Education,
and that you had stated that if |
did not resign pursuant to the request
of the State Board that you would
remove me. Mr.. Earl Douglass came
to me Saturday and stated that he
came at the request of the State
Board to ask for my resignation and
that if it were forthcoming. no re-
solution on the subject would be pas
sed by the State Board | inform
ed Mr. Douglass that would take
the matter under advisement. By
this letter, ! want to make plain to
you the reason for my refusal to re-
sign when asked to do so by the
State Board.
You, as State Superintendent of
Public Instruction. appointed me to
the office of State Director OF In
dustrial Education which appointment
by virtue of the State Plans, approved
by the Federal Board for Vocational
Education, carries with it the ap-
pointment OF State Director OF No-
cational Education.
First, the State Board OF Educa-
ton, under the law creating it, has
no jurisdiction nor control over the
appointment or the removal of the
State Director OF Industrial Educa-
ton The general powers of the State
Board OF Education are defined in
Sec. 1900, Code 1915.
The State board of education shall
have power to grant renew and re-
woke teachers certificates, to adopt
a series OF text books and uniform
course of study for the various pub
lie schools OF the State, to exercise
general control over teachers insti-
tutes, and to perform such other du
ties pertaining to matters of educa-
tion as may be provided by law"
II it has, in fact. any control over
the State Director OF Industrial Edu
cation and the right to remove me,
of course, shall gladly acquiesee in
its decision in the premises.
My appointment was made by you
under the provision of Section 4Sl9,
Code 1915. which reads as follows:
THAT the State Superintendent OF
Public Instruction is hereby empower
ed and directed to appoint State
Director OF Industrial Education, who
shall be proficient in the several
branches OF such education, and who
shall, under the direction and super
vision Of the State Superintendent,
have the general charge Of the in
troducion and keeping of industrial
education In such OF its branches and
in such OF the public schools of the
state as shall be deemed advisable
by the State Superintendent and the
said Director of Industrial Education,
and the said Director shall perform
such other duties as may be pres
cribed by the State Superintendent
Under this section, ! grant that
YOU have the power to remove me
from office with or without cause
and il | am requested to resign by
YOU. of course. will do so. But
in this connection. ! desire to say
that it would only be fair to me,
should you desire my resignation or
purpose to remove me, that you
should state wherein | have been
remiss in the discharge OF my duties
under the commission which you
gave me. have held my present
position continuously for almost five
wears under appointment first by Mr..
Wagner and then your appointment
last January. During the first four
years OF my incumbency in this po-
sition, | worked by your side almost
daily and you had every opportunity
OF ascertaining whether ! was the
proper person to discharge the du
ties OF this office and I presumed
that when you appointed me in
January. last, that YOU were salts
fled with my administration of the
office. II since that time | have been
remiss in my duties. | feel that you
owe il to me and to the public to say
wherein I have failed or upon what
ground you base your proposed ao-
ton.
The State Board OF Education. or
al least three members, proposed to
remove me from office without anv
statement whatever as 20 the reasons
prompting the action. Of course
this Board. as 7 have pointed out.
had no jurisdiction in the matter
whatever. and no more right to re
quest me to resign than they had
to request the Governor OF the State
OF New Mexico to resign. But If Il
had the power, certainly an appre
citation of fair plav would have
prompted them to have given me
notice of any charges they might
have against me and an opportunity
to be heard.
II YOU purpose 10 remove me or
request nv resignation. ] beg OF yo'f
in Justice to my good name and nv
standing with the people of the sta'e
of New Mexico. that YOU state n
formal charges the grounds upon
which YOU purpose to base YOUR ac-
tion and that YOU give me an or
Dortrnitv to be heard as ~ the tru'h
~ the MATTERS charged II vow do
this and 7 am not able 70 convince
,or Of the absence of anv wron~
doing or derelictior Of duty on ny
nat 7 shall cheerfullv resign.
Nerv -espectfuIlv vours
RUTH {. MIL Err.
STATE Director ~ T-ir---ial nd