The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1921-03-20
MAKE FURTHER
DEMANDS FOR
RESERVATIONS
MASS MEETING OF CITIZENS
REVIEWS DEMAND FOR
RESIGNATION
OF THREE TRUSTEES
Resolutions Adopted Rejecting
Sentiment of Meeting and
Answering Statement
of Trustees.

A mass meeting of citizens, called
by the three Patron-Teacher AS
sociations of the city, was held Tues
day at the High School auditorium,
and the action of the meeting consti-
tuted a further vigorous protest
against the action of the majority of
the Board of Education in the sum-
mary dismissal of Superintendent
Meadows of the city schools Mrs. H
M. Pratt president of the S. ID. Lee
High School Patron Teacher Associa-
ton, presided setting forth the pur-
pose of the meeting, namely, to have
the people hear the report of the
mems committee appointed BY the last
mass meeting, and to take further
action relating to the action of the
majority members of the Board in the
election Of Mr.. Meadows from the
Superintendency.
Mrs. Pratt then read the report of
the Committee, which recited the fulfil
ity of the Committees effort to get
any interview with the dissenting Di-
rectors, and hence the failure to get
any statement from them as to the
reasons which actuated them in their
action. Mr.. G. Y. Banks, explained
however, that subsequent to the writ
ing of the Committees report the di-
rectors had issued statement to the
local press purporting to give reasons
for their action. At his request Mrs
Pratt read the statement of Directors
Wood, Stanley and Carson. as pub;
lished. Mr. William g. Burgin was
then recognized, and read to the aud.
fence carefully prepared reply t.
the statement of the directors, which
reply was received with enthusiasm
and applause from the assembly.
Mr.. Banks made a motion, seconded
by Mr.. l. |. Kaufman, that the recon-.
mendations and facts as set forth by
MIR. Burgin, be adopted as represent
ing the sentiment of all those present
The motion was then open for dis
cussion, and Mr. Burgin, Hon. j. !
Sturdivant and Reverend j. H. Bel
were heard from the floor upon tn,
various phases of the school issue
The question was called for, and the
recommendations and resolutions
adopted by an almost unanimous vote
The number present at the meeting
was considerably greater than at the
last citizens meeting, and may bt
conservatively estimated at 800. The
statement adopted sets forth pertinent
facts in the school question, and de
mands the immediate resignation o.
the dissenting directors, Messrs
Wood and Carson, making an except
ion of County Superintendent of Edu
cation E. A. Stanley. TIE statement
follows in full:
The very flimsy and almost puerilC
statement submitted by the honorabl,
directors and containing their so
called reasons for the dismissal O.
Superintendent Meadows, is hardl!
worthy of reply by this body, and We
we would be recreant in our duty t
the schools of our city, did we, as citi
zens, supinely acquiesce in the direct
ors' position, and voice no furthe
protest to their action. The reason
which they assign for the election o
Superintendent Meadows are unfair
both to himself and to the people o
this community, and they do not d
Justice to the facts in the case.
The Directors signing the state
ment, Messrs. Wood, Stanley, an
Carson, lay great stress upon wha
they see fit to call Superintendent
Meadows discrimination agains
home teachers. The records whic
they cite do not bear them out j
their statement. The records shoN
an increase of 300 per cent in the EN-
ployment of out-of-town teachers on
year prior to Mr.. Meadows assumin
the Superintendency, and in no sir
gle year since has there been an In
crease of over 80 per cent in tn
employment of out-of-town teacher
Moreover, the statement recites tha
there were six out-of-town teacher
employed in the schools the year Nj
Meadows came, and that there are q
present twenty-three. This latte
figure is not correct, as, according