The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-10-04

yGSbeIQAy 3ICeTnOOQ. The DO3fQ QlO not change its stand on the closed Pond Hill and Millville schools, and
 the large group of residents of those
 sections who attended the session
 returned home disappointed and disgruntled.
 All the arguments offered by the protesting group could not make the majority of the board alter their stands. The hectic meeting was cli- maxed by an argument about the "hill-billy" remark which Albert Mai, chairman of the committee representing the proteSters, had said he heard Dr. Charles Kennedy make after the previous meeting of the board.
 Mrs. Prank Anderson of Millville asked, why were we called hill- billies? We pay taxes in town. I think there should be an apology for that. We have tried to be de- cent and we have not been sarcas- tic"
 Dr. Kennedy said he had been told the remark was attributed to him and asked who said he had made it. MT. Mai said, T heard you say it." Dr. Kennedy asked, Did you ever hear me make a remark that the people of Millville were hill-billies?"
 MT. Mai said Dr. Kennedy did not mention Millville residents but said, Wait until those hill-billies hear about this" and Mai inferred the alleged remark was meant to ap- ply to Millville people, he said. When Dr. Kennedy asked him yes- terday who had been with the doc tor when the remark was made, MT. Mai said Mrs. Valesca Downes, board member was near him.
 Denies Hearing Remark
 pr. Kennedy then asked Mrs. DowneS if he ever made the remark to her, and she said she did not re- cs,u ever hearing Dr. Kennedy say ing this or anything like it.
 Dr. Kennedy thcIi denied he ever made the remark. He said if he had he would apologize but. stressed he did not make it.
 3N4oA dAASAA ACRAlCAi, O0ACAJ I wouldn't put myslef before the pub- lie as an, idiot by saying Dr. Ken, n5dy said such a thing if he had net." He said Dr. Kennedy did not know he was standing outside the door at the time the alleged remark was made.
 Chairman Emil Mannweiler said he knew of no good reason why anbody should make such remark and said there was certainly noth- ing at the previous meeting to war; rant it.
 Asks About Interest
 Dr. Kennedy then asked MT. Mai Do you really have the Interests q the children of Millville at heart of is it because of the $10,5O0 in salary that your family has drawn from the school department?" (Mr. Mai's mother has been janitor of the Mill vile. school for number of years)
 Dr. Kennedy indicated the Mai family has also benefited by sale of some supplies such as wood to the Schcool department in ..le past.
 MT. Mai, aroused by this question, said, T have the interests of the people and children of Millyille at heart" He said his parents worked hard for what they made and gave generously of any supplies.
 MT. Alderson of Millville said that MT. Mai was chosen by the protest group to head the committee, he did not seek the post and did not want it.
 Raps Secret Meetings
 John J. Daly, of Millville, Water bury newSpaperman, charged that in conducting secret meetings, such as the board held on August 29 be- fore it opened its official session, is l not setting a good example to the people or the children of the town.
 He asked Chairman Mannweiler | why the board met secretly. MT. said he does not know | of any organization that does not | meet informally at times. He said it Is done by industrial firms. MT. | Daly asked is directors keep secrets from stockholders. MT. Mannweiler | said stockholders elect directors beA cause they trust them, and if they | are not satisfied, they have the | right to vote them out.
 Referring to the secret meetings | of the board, MT. Daly said, Tt isn't the American way, is it?" Mann weller said, T don't know just what | you mean" MT. Daly replied, Sure you know. what I mean" He said that meetings on the closing of the Rockville school in Waterbury were conducted in public.
 ~The board should pull aside the curtains and come out in the open" he said. MT. Mannweiler said that the members like to discuss things when something comes up and find put each others opinions on 1t.
 MT. Daly said he understood two members of the board had opposed closing the school, and said he would like to know why they chang sd their opinions. He said he knows some members of the board are sin- :ere but feels the protesting groups are entitled to know just how each member stands on it.
 Member Takes Stand
 Mrs. Downes then gave her req ipns for favoring closing the school, ,aying she had not changed her ;tand since the discussion was start- sd. She said that the arguments of ,oth groups were good but those of he group favoring closing the | ichool were better. She said she is iot so much interested in the fi- lancial savings that would result ,ut Is more Interested in children. 5he feels one grade should be In one pom, instead of having three or five |rades In one room. MT. Daly thanked her, saying, You are tho first member of the loard 10 be 50 considerate as to give V your oplnion." He said he dis greed with her entirely however, acling individual attention the chil- lren arc now getting is less than hoy formerly cot in the clesed chools. Ii Before the moefsns sdded all Of |4.[.M