The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1923-08-16
School Body
Is Behind
Col. Majors
Fight to Gust Peru School
Founder Centers Over
Trimmed Payrolls and
Dismissals.
Teachers Call on Bryan
Special Dispatch to The Omaha Bee.

Special Dispatch to The Omaha Bee.
Lincoln, Aug. 15--The state narmal
board Is standing square-toed behind
Col. Tom MAJORS, its chairman, in the
fight waged on the xeteran founder
OF the Peru State Normal school by
a coteric of democratic politicians
and certain discharged teachers, the
first credited with attempting to get
the OBJ for a democrat in the offing
and the latter charged with seeking
revenge.
> This was CLEANED today In converse.
tIon with persons in close touch with
members of the board. The members
are reported TO be getting impatient
over the constant wrangling between
business factions in Peru and teach.
ing factions In the school together
with the everready willingness of poll
ticians to carry their thoubles to the
ear of partisan governor.
I'm short, Peru with its perpetual
quarreling is going to kill the goose
that lays the golden egg the egg
being the state normal school," a
state officeholder said.
Appraised Reduced Sfaffs.
Investigation revealed that the pres
ent trouble Is the immediate result
of O. meeting of the state normal
board when 1t was discovered that in
order to come within the lower ap-
propriations the Kearney and Peru
staff of teachers, alleged to be larger
in comparison to number of students
than the other two schools at Wayne
and Chadron, must be reduced.
At the time the fact that Colonel
MAJORS had refused to bow to certain
business interests in Peru and certain
members of the faculty in demanding
resignation Of the former president,
A. L. Caviness, was a thorn in the
sides of many.
As consequence, the board, as Is
customary. turned the trimming OF
the payroll over to the local member.
Colonel MAJORS, while Dan Morris did
the trimming for the normal at
Kearney. The teachers suddenly
separated from their-ebs and sought
rsolace from certain townspeople.
Appeal to Governor.
As result, according to report. a
plot was formulated whereby certain
democratic politicians were called In
to go over the head Of tho normal
board and appeal directly to the gov
ernor for the unseating OF Majors.
The charges made by James Auten. a
democratic member of the legislature,
against Majors and other bits OF
scandal always directed against "the
big man Of little town" were pre-
ferred yesterday. Certain Of the dis
charged teachers were In the dele
cation which called on Governor
Bryan demanding discharge OF
Colonel Majors.
The consensus of opinion is that
Governor Bryan is as anxious to re-
move Majors as he was other repub-
licans who have felt the ak since his
advent into office. But whether he
dares weather the storm OF protest
certain TO arise over discharging a
man with the long state service be-
hind him that Majors possesses is
probematical.
A majority believe the governor
doesn't dare call for the resignation
of Majors.
The board, through J. NJ. Matzen,
state superintendent, has offered all
those with complaints against Colonel
Majors an opportunity to be heard
at the next board meeting on Octo
ber s,