The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1923-11-01

! tendent and ali be satisfied, and l did
not mention my arrangements with
Dr.. Cook to those men at that time
but thought it all would be attended
to at the proper time. The matter
went along until about the first of
I May, when l saw in the Baltimore
Sun the appointments to the various
| Offices made by the Governor and
among the rest Mr. Robert L. Wilson
was appointed county school commits
sioner. | drove across the county the
next day to Kitzmiller and saw Mr.
Wilson and told him about the ar
engagements l had with DR.. Cook and
We thought we should have a meeting
with Dr.. Cook and called him by tele-
| phone and arranged a meeting with
| him in Baltimore. A few days later
| met Mr.. Wilson in Cumberland and
we went to Baltimore together and
met DR.. Cook at the appointed time
in his Office and took up with him
CliS az SSiilSlt we lltiu d. JIle IGSlSId-
ture. At first he seemed to to have
forgotten this agreement. | brought
Il to his attention forcibly and then
he said so much time had elapsed and
the vacancies had all been filled and
he had no other place for Mr.. Rath-
bun. l told him could not help that;
Garrett county did not want him. DR..
Cook further said that Mr.. Rathbun
was the only fitted man he knew Of
for that position in the State I
asked him how many people we have
in our State and he said about one
million, five hundred thousand. / re-
piled by saying: III MIR. Rathbun is
a lone star, God pity the people of the
State, but this is a position that
can be filed from any State in the
Union"
l argued with him for a matter of
two hours and saw that he had com
! pletely changed his methods. l want
to say right here that an agreement
like we had at the legislature should
not be lightly forgotten by a man of
so high intellectual and educational
qualities and who holds so high an
office as State superintendent of
Schools, and if they are forgotten
with other motives in view, l feel
that it is only fair that the people
should know them and let blame and
censure go where blame and censure
belong.
After this meeting I went back to
the Rennert Hotel with Mr. Wilson
and talked the matter over with him
at some length. He said, 81 feel that
l should be guided by what Dr. Cook
says. I am not familiar with the new
school system and I need all the sup
port | can get" | said, "You go home
and they will call you in few days
to Oakland to swear you in office, and
| don't you allow them at that meeting
TO appoint Mr.. Rathbun Superinten-
dent, but put it off for two weeks and
publish an article in both the county
papers that on certain day your
| board will sit for the purpose of Sc
lecting a County Superintendent and
that you want as many applications
that are eligible for the position as
| possible who are interested in the
schools"
Mr.. Wilson agreed with me this
would be a good thing to do. l said
to him, "You do this and if the peo-
pie want Mr.. Rathbun, have no COM
plant to offer"
| heard in about ten days they had
a meeting the day before and swore
Mr.. Wilson into office and at the same
meeting, without adjournment, Mr..
Rathbun was appointed School Super
intendent. | am satisfied this appoint
ment was made at the first opportun-
ity by the influence of DR.. Cook and
Mr.. Rathbun, who knew the situation
and did not want to hear the citizens
opinion on the question.
| was invited to Oakland shortly
after this appointment was made to a
meeting of citizens and it was agreed
at this meeting that Hon. G. S. Ham
i'll, Mr.. w. Miller and l should have
a meeting with Governor Richie
The meeting was held in Baltimore in
due time by appointment. We start
ed to explain to the Governor about
the condition of affairs and he said he
did not know about the conditions and
asked to have DR.. Cook come to oul
meeting, which was very agreeable tc
us. When DR.. Cook came in we be-
gan to explain the situation in his
presence and his main argument was
that Mr.. Rathbun had his contract
signed, sealed and delivered, and there
was no way we could get rid Of hin
only by preferred charges, and We
could not produce them, and when {
statement like that Came from Dr.
Cook | felt it my duty 70 say to him
81 feel that you have been unfair tt