The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1945-06-22

So the People May Know
The school Helena school district No l. has
of Violet Eastman who has been
teacher the Helena high school staff for the past
years No re-employ Miss Eastman
have been given by the board The superintendent and prn
cpa of the high school have offered criticism of Miss
Easmans work teacher and members of the board have
admitted that their action taken
of either of the heads of the teaching staff OF the high school,
has stated before the of the Helena
district with the possible exception of few ntmates
of of the leaders in the school board know nothing about
for the actions of the majority of the board The
fact that Miss Eastman has been active member of the
local the high school, has been suggested
possible for the boards action the assumption
majority of the board do not favor organizations of
labor Another plausible for the action suggested
being the fact that Miss Eastman strong candidate
last year. Democratic ticket the office of State Su
perntendent of Public Instruction. polling 90OOO votes
and majority of the members of the school board are known
be reaconary and ardent supporters of the Republican
party Failure by the board to make public other possible
the people justified in assuming that these must
be the influences back of the boards action
Helena labor organizations retained Attorney Lester
Lobe who filed an decaratory judgment against
board requiring them reemploy Miss Eastman
or establish in the court sufficient reasons for
do So board countered with reply that Miss Eastman
had been discharged but again failed to state reason for
its action.
Miss Easmans contract but admits her competence
as a teacher in the following statement:
there is at the present time great demand for
competent and qualified teachers in the schools of
cities throughout the state of Montana and in
MANI can secure employment ELSEWHERE upon request d.
remuneration equal to greater than that she has here
ofore received from the defendant (Helena) schoof
district - =
Having admitted the above in their answer theassump
that their action prompted by prejaee the part
of the board and by consideration OF the
public's interest is completely justified
Records Altered
Mr. Loble in an to the board charges that the
of meeting held by the board April 18th have
been altered to make the arbitrary action taken by the
appear taken after consideration in meeting of
which the public had been apprsed that interested citizens
might attend.
The Helena labor organizations having heard of
prejudice nhe part of members of the board had deega
ton at the meeting of the board April 49, when
renewal contracts for high school teachers including
Miss Eastman scheduled to be discussed.
During this meeting according to Mr.. Lobles to
board and statements of the labor delegation
motion made seconded and carried without dissent
vote that special meeting be called for the purpose OF
discussing the high school, but that the record
this motion been expunged from the minutes of the
meeting and formally adjourned without action
high school matters.
In the answer school filed by Mr.. Lobe,
Eastman charges that Eat the special meeting of
April 3D. 1945 there discussion of the junior high
schools that alleged meeting of six members of the
board after adjournment outside the scope of the
meeting official act of the board and such
action appeared in said minutes thereof but that the
have been altered and changed recite the
alleged meeting of said six members of the board after
adjournment and that the minutes of said board have
been changed and altered to attempt to make
appear that said special meeting called for the
pose considering the plaintiff herein where
truth fact said meeting called for said
alleges That meeting
held the third Saturday of April 1915,
required by law 7
Alteration records of meetings by public body made
subsequent meeting and made for the OF justify
ing legazng subsequent actions serious thing viewed
angle of moral obligations of representatives of the
public And aside from that is ratty cowardy act 1t
the clear inference that this DONE the members
board knew that their action would not stand under
the weight of public opinion and making every effort
patch the record of official transactions to meet all
technical legal requirements without consideration OF
morality, fairness to the public to Miss Eastman.
If the board members who voted to not re-employ Miss
were also responsible for alteration Of official records
justly be entitled to question their personal integrity
Will the people continue to feel that the Western Life lnsur
Company where Floyd the chairman of the board
employed will protect the interests of its patrons
Will the confidence of the people the Union Bank
Company where John Carlson employed be dis
it shown that he approved the alteration of official
records? Will the patrons of the Montana Meat Company of
which Walter Larson the begin to question the
honesty of weights and represented qualities of the products
it SELLS if is shown that he participant in alteration
official records? Will the people of the state begin to