Tabor City tribune. (Tabor City, N.C.) 1946-1991, 1957-05-08
AN EDITORIAL
People In An Uproar

=
GSchool situation and there is bright solution
over the horizon.
Hundreds of folks repeating rumors,
crltlciZng neighbors and creating confusion.
Many are saying things that they will regret as
long as they live. Mass hysteria has swept the
entire school district
We have made every effort to view this alarm
ing situation effectively, fairly, without prejudice
and to spread all the oil on the troubled waters
What we could. We have tried as perhaps never
before to take only that action that would help
and not hurt Il school system that sways on the
brink of disaster.
We have viewed this mounting tension as a
two-headed monster that could only destroy and
under no circumstances serve constructive pur-
pose. We nave never believed that the argument
was all One-Sided. We have not believed that all
the wrong was on one side and all the right on
:. another.
Like a sandlot baseball game folks have
chosen sides and are out to win at all cost. The
late and future of the school, the children and
the community has appeared to be of little real
concern. Like an athletic contest, folks apparent
ly are Interested only in winning and haze little
regard for the loser.
In this controversy, we have done everything
we Know - =" to print the news as the people
= make 1t. 1t becomes more and more apparent
that the news not what some folks want. SEINE
want u One-SidCd version that makes some look
good and all others look bad Even this we will
PRINT for any ana all II they have the .ouruge 20
sign their names and will keep it free from libel
The columns OF this newspaper have always been
open to everyone, just as they to those of is
who have the chore every week.
We nave chosen the role of peacemaker in
, TINS controversy and nave .iI nti. Il Of
changing from that position We have chosen that
role primarily because We do not
sided argument with a cearcut right and wrong
And we believe if all concerned will do :; little
more thinking and little less talking you will
see that. like all questions, it has two sides.
We have seen school conCroI ersies before. We
nave taken part in them before. We have printed
the facts as the people made them. We have
offered our comments are here today and
perhaps more definite statements when the stu
alton warranted it. But like court cases with the
IDENTICAL charges every is a little different,
often brings different punshments. Such must
De the stand of any respectable newspaper, even
with a crusading nature. This school problem
has some different angles from any we have
witnessed in the past
We will make these observations from what
we know about the issue, and will stick with
them until some one convinces otherwise:
% We believe that the school board should
have given Principal G. H. Primer any
reasons it had for not rehiring him after
ne Withdrew his sworn statement to resign
that was rendered last year. While the
board originally owed this statement to
Plnner alone 1t now owes it to the public
as well.
! (2) We seriously doubt that any replacement
for Mr. Primer can be found who is better
qualified or who will do better job. But
we believe that if his only desire was to
let the public know that politics has
entered the school, he could have found
better way than involving the entire
system and creating the widespread con-
fusion.
(3) Whether Mr.. Primer holds the Job another
year or whether totally new man from
great distance away is elected to fill the
JOB there will be no school peace. 1t
Will be year of turmoil.
(4) Contrary to rumOrs, the school board has
never even thought about hiring any other
man in the county for principal. If Mr..
Pinner is not rehired the boards inten-
ton has been TO get we-qualified man
completely Tree of local associations.
(5) The strike by students served no worthy
purpose. Its perpetrator merely focused
Statewide attention local mess that
will make it difficult for good
teachers to be attained in the future
(6) 1t no longer makes any difference what
action the school board takes - it will
be wrong.
CD Tabor City, as a town, has been done an
injustice. After having very nearly lived
down the unearned reputation for brand
, ishng knives at the drop of a comment
it now now bears the name of a com
munity split down the middle over
school dispute.
And all those now involved in the rumor-
mongering, should not hesitate to say what they
have to say in the presence of those they accuse
Darkroom gosspng do good. And where
selfishness, political and personal grudges are
being used to enflame the public, there should
. also go shame and disgrace. Nothing strikes US
as being quite so lowly.