Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1925-10-29

IOF members OF tLne county board o
education, November 3, 1926
Good Schools Committee, Harry
Cook, Sec'y. (Adv. J
LET COMMON SENSE PREVAIL
In an article appearing in botf
county papers, bearing the date u
October Is, rs, and under the title
of THE People VS.. The Machine, y
the writer soiemnly states that Mr.
I Davis and Mr.. Taylor are the head
and front of the Machine.
| The writer, already mentioned, is
| sadly lacking in a saving sense of
humor-or he never would have
made such an absurd statement. For
here are the incontroyertible facts
in the case:
The head of the Machine IF
our school administration may be
called a machines the department
of education at Columbus; Mr.. Davis
and Mr.. Taylor are merely small
cogs in one of the smallest wheels.
The laws of the state require that
every county board of education em-
ploy a county superintendent and
an attendance officer. This is man
datory; there is no lodging tin
this county or any other county. The
county board may employ one or
more assistants to the county su-
perintendent
Mr.. Davis is employed as county
uperintendent; Mr.. Taylor is en-
ployed as attendance officer and as
sistant to the county superintendent
And both are under the control and
direction of the state department of
education at Columbus-with, of
course, the advice, orders and sane
tion of the county board.
Now, who are Mr.. Davis and Mr..
Taylor? Are they fitted, through
natural ability, experience and train
ing, to perform well and honestly
the duties of the offices they hold?
We shall see; we shall consider Mr..
Davis first.
He has had .twenty-three years ex-
perience in school work; six years
as elementary teacher; two years as
high school teacher; four years as
superintendent of high schools; five
years as district superintendent of
schools; six years as county su-
perintendent of schools. He has at
tended college at o. w. u, Della
ware; o. N. u, Ada; o. O., Athens.
He served nine years as county
school examiner; and holds life
high school certificate.
Mr.. Taylor taught six years in the
rural schools; Is years in the gram
mar room, McConnelsville schools;
two years as principal of the Malta
high school; and served two years as
of the Malta schools. !
Beside, he taught six summer nor
up largely of teachers. I
Then he has had five years of town
ship supervision in connection with |
'egular school work; twelve years as
county school examiner; eight years
Is probate judge; and four years as
attendance officer and assistant to i
he county superintendent. He holds
life certificate.
There! Fellow citizens, let's be
onest and candid with ourselves;
nd let's be fair and just with these
wo public servants. Are they fitted
o do the work required of them
r are they not? They started as
oor boys-in Morgan county; they
uilded the ladders by which they
lounted to their present positions
4 Morgan county. They are sons of
ur own soil; and we should be
roud of them. Shouldn't we? If
ot-why not? They have spent
leir lives among us, thus far; and
hey know our needs-and our linn
ations. Can they truthfully be
larged with dishonesty or deceit;
ith lack of spirit or industry in the
ischarge of their duties; with NAL
,asance or misfeasance of office? +
Can they? Don't let your narrow |
rejudices answer-let your honestk
,nvictions answer.
And where could we secure two
stter men for the places? In Nor
In county? Beyond the bounds of
le county? We might find as good
en-, possibly, after long search and | 7
ial; and we might not. But, if we
lould find them, what would we
i've to pay them? Did you ever !
ink of that? Mr.. Davis draws $2.-
10 a year; Mr.. Taylor draws ST.
10 year. But each has to own
Id keep up his own car-and pay
! his own expenses. Could we get
well qualified men to fill their
aces--at the same or smaller sal
les? Citizens of Morgan county, !
,wn In the bottoms Of your hearts |
,u know we could not better our
Ives without paying greatly in
eased salaries: and, perhaps. not
EN-.
Mr.. Davis went to college at Ath-