The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-01-31
EARMAN'S SCHOOL
OF OPPORTUNITY

In his own unique style, Joe Ear
man, municipal Judge of West Palm
Beach, tells how he founded the
School of Opportunity" for the way
ward boys and girls of his town:
Two months ago, boy eighteen
years old was presented for trial in
my court, charged with stealing
bicycle.
During the trial, it developed that
he could not read or write, and if he
saw his name in print, would not
know it, but he knew how to paint
the wheel and change the tires.
The unseen hand gave me gentle
touch on the shoulder during that
trial.
That boy was given a fine of one
hundred dollars and sixty days in Jail.
The punishment was temporarily
suspended, and he was instructed to
report to the chief of police every
Monday night at o'clock until the
court made further disposition of his
case.
l said nothing to anyone, and when
court adjourned, phoned Miss Agnes
Ballard, superintendent of public in
struction, asking her when the school
board would meet again.
She informed me that they were in
session at that very minute.
went before them and told them of
this boy, and asked them to create a
school of opportunity, pay for teach
er and appoint the city manager, chief
Of police and municipal judge as trus-
| Gees of said school,
The unseen hand touched them and
without discussion they unanimously
approved and instructed their secre.
tary to hire the teacher.
Permit me to divert again for one
second.
| Be it known and remembered that
Palk Beach county has most excel
lent school board and superintendent
of public instruction.
At times, they remind me of typi
cal kilkenny cats. They differ ant
fight like fury.
But, remember, my friends, differ
ences are most healthy for any board
and these differences cause them t.
function properly, whereby the chill
dren of Palm Beach county reap grea
benefits.
The matter of a teacher for tn
school of opportunity had grave con
sideration.
Upon the teacher depends the sue
cess or failure of this constructiv
proposition.
With this in mind, Miss Cler
Hampton, chairman of the state boar
of school examiners, who has been m
personal friend for many years, wa
called upon.
She located and recommended Pro
fessor R. L. Turner of Bristol, Libert
county, Florida.
wanted a man teacher of the oil
time type, who wears half-moon spec
tacles on the end of his nose whereof
: he can look at the book and over tn
: school room at the same time, or
5 woman of large proportions VIII
: skinned her hair back from her fac
!, and twisted it in tight knot at tn
D nape of her neck.
5 Miss Hampton wrote me that Prt
e fessor Turner would qualify as tn
= man teacher wanted, also that he wa
2 a competent man, holding a frs
t grade certificate, had been the super
: intendent of public instruction of Lii
). erty county for eight years and had
:, heart full of sympathy.
: Prof Turner teaches the girls frol
I. 8 to in the afternoon, or three houl
5, each school day afternoon, and Il
n boys for the same length of time
|, night.
e His work is not to teach so mar
e hours each day and then knock off.
ei Every morning he has a fftet
Y minutes conference with the truste
of this school and the balance of Il
forenoon he visits the mothers al
*lfathers of his pupils, attempting