The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-04-24
DEMAND REMOVAL
SCHOOL TRUSTEES
Suit for Removal of r. p. Wilder and
j. p. Grice Cause of Bitter
Controversy.

Grice as trustees OF special school Tax
district No. s. James NJ. Tate Smith
Hughes Agricultural School at Gonzalez
Roberts was instituted yesterday.
The hearing was held in the circuit
! court room. arguments being made before
the school board, Judge z. ID. Beggs
| chairman, John II. Pace and c. E. Ora
ham. The plaintiff was represented by
NHon. w. II. Watson and the defense by
X. Pope Reese. Testimony was heard
until late in the afternoon when adjourn
ment was taken until next Saturday
morning at 3 o'clock.
The two trustees are charged with mis-
I appropriation of district funds and of ex-
ercising undue officiousness in exerting
their authority in the conduct of the
school.
1t is claimed that the trustees request
| ed and received money from the school
board to be taken from the district funds
/ for the purchase of moving picture ma
chine for the school when they already
\ had in their possession money from the
Gonzalez Civic Improvement Association
! for the purchase OF the machine, that nc
mention was made 10 the association of
having received the money from the
board. or to the board of the money re-
ceived from the association, that only by
accident was 1t learned that draft had
been issued by the board; that no salts
1 factory explanation was given by the
l trustees of their action. 1t is understood
/ that only after the charges were made
and steps taken for their removal aid
the trustees offer to return T. the school
board the amount of the draft received.
| 1t was also charged that the trustees
were unduly officious in the affairs of
the school. and assumed dictatorial at
| titude toward the principal, Professor ].
! c. Phelps; that their interference and
the resulting disturbance in the school
4 tended TO result in the Smith Hughes
| Agricultural support being withdrawn
from the school and moved to more peace
able quarters in the county.
The hearing occupied all of yesterday,
only about half of the witnesses being
examined. Many citizens from Roberts
Gonzalez were present among them be-
ing Professor James Nj. Tate, for whom
the school was named.
The testimony given yesterday brought
out that the Gonzalez Civic Improvement
Association organized Mr.. Wilder said
at his suggestion contributed the sum
of sls5 to be used for school Improvement
as the board Of directors of the associa-
ton might direct or agree to. That il
was decided TO use 1925 of this amount
for the purchase of a stereopticon ma
chine, and $40 as an initial payment for
a series OF slides; that check for the
total amount, slB5. was issued by the
secretary of the association, p. ID. Daw-
kins. to r. p Wilder as chairman of the
board of trustees, late in December. The
check was shown to have been cashed by
Mr.. Wilder and properly returned from
the bank. The first part of January a
draft on the district funds was issued by
the school board by request of the trustees
to Mr.. Wilder for the amount of S125 tcl
be used for the purchase of the machine
but was held for a time at the instance
of Judge Beggs. In the meantime some
discussion had arisen among the trustees
as to which funds should be used for the
PURCHASE of the machine. because OF the
Improvement Association desiring bene-
fit Of film pictures to be given for the
school and a suggestion made by Pro
lessor Phelps that the machine be used
in the school work in connection with the
teaching of farmers classes, free slides tc
be used. The school board was not ac-
Quainted with the fact that a sum had
been given by the association for the pur
chase OF the machine at any time.
Several alternate decisions were made
BY the trustees as to which funds the
purchase price of the machine should
come from They first decided to use the
district funds. but claiming that they
ton from the faculty in the use of the
machine. as had been indicated If those
funds were used, IL was decided TO use
the association funds.
Tho machine was ordered by Mr.. Will
der as directed by the trustees and after
It's arrival lay for some time at the Can
torment express office. Wishing TO USE
the machine. in connection with his night
farmer classes. Prof Phelps made in
quiries concerning IL and was told by
Mr.. Wilder. he said, to see IL he could
not get the draft from Judge Beggs tel
get il out as he. Mr.. Wilder, had tried
and been unsuccessful. Prof. Phelps, It
Is claimed, received the draft from Judge
Bcggs about two weeks after its issuance
by the board and it was used to pay for
the machine. He was told by Mr.. Wilder
he said, in requesting the draft to say
nothing of the associations check tel
Judge Beggs. He followed Mr.. Wilder's
suggestion.
The machine was gotten and used. The
association thought its money had been
used in it's purchase and the school board
thought the draft had been used. Wheni
by accident the association learned that
a draft had been drawn on the district
funds for the purchase of the machine. a
statement was requested OF the trustees
It Is claimed that when no satisfactory
explanation of their action was given and
that following much undue offciousness
in the exercise of their authority as trus-
tees in the school. creating great dissen
ton. their resignation was requested A
G. Hudson gave his resignation but the
other two members refused to resign. The |
legal action followed.
Witnesses called for the defense are
Miss Salle Herring, Avery-st and 18TH
ave, city; Mrs. A. G. Hudson, Gonzalez: /
Mrs. j. q. Grice. Cantonment: Miss
Maude Baggett. Gonzalez; Miss Juliette |
Hamilton, Gonzalez; Prof. Whitehead I
Cottage Hill; Miss Gennie ]. Malone /
Bombay; Miss Ruby DawlSins, Kiondyke I
For PLAINTIFF l.. T. Carter. p. C. Daw- I
kins. t. l.. Barrineau. II. l.. Davidson. ]. /
c. Phelps and J. Lee Smith. county
agent.
Members OF the Gonzalez Civic I'm
proyement Association contributing the /
fund OF s1s5 for their school Improvement
were: NJ. o. Baggett, S25; T. l.. Barri- I
neau. 20: p. C. Dawkins, SIS; L. T. Car
ter. s25. II i Davidson $40 and tha