The people's voice., 1958-04-25

soula Co. High School Board member
to appear later before one of the same
service clubs in rebuttal. This MEA
committee sought successfully to bring
an NEA Investigation Committee to
assist in solving the conflict which by
now had assumed major proportions
| These activities were carried on under
the public scrutiny and naturally made
Robert Watt a marked man.
On March II, 1858 the regular meet
ing of the MCHS School Board was held
with six members present and Mr.. H. r.
! Dix, Missoula Co. High School Board
member, and Mr.. d. H. Beary principal
absent. About 40 citizens were present
Mrs. Adeline Bartron, Missoula Co. Su-
perintendent of Schools and ex officio
secretary of MCHS Board; read the
communications which were concerned
with the usual business matters rela-
tive to running a SCHOOL, included with
| these was a letter from Dean of Girls,
| MiSsoula Co. High School, Della Wee
Carr to D. II. Beary stating that from
time to time she had to make decisions
which were difficult and about which
she felt he needed to be informed. She
| then related the fact that % high school
| girl had come to her for advice about
her being adopted by Mr.. Robert Watt,
who wished to help her on through
| school. The girl had lost both parents,
and this offer of a home might have
| solved many problems for her; but Miss
Carr stated that she did not feel that
such an arrangement would be advis-
able from the standpoint of MIR. Watts
being a teacher land that she had ad-
vised the girl that they would help her
to make other arrangements.
Those interested citizens present at
this Board meeting were puzzled by the
inclusion of a personal letter to Mr..
Beary in the business correspondence
of the Board, but not until the special
meeting of the Board on March 20, were
the reasons for such an unusual pro-
cedure clarified.
Meanwhile, Mr.. Watt, sensing that
some sort of personal attack on him
was being set in motion, was advised
to write to one of the girls who had
lived in his home while working for
board and room.
This girl had been recommended to
him by Della Wee Carr who had
known her when Miss Carr was teach
ing i'm EaIispeII where the girl had
lived before coming to MissOuIa. She
had applied to MIR. Watt in writing,
saying that she was doing so upon
Miss Carr's recommendation that she
apply for the chance to work for her
board and room i'm his home.
1t appears that this girl was a prob
lem to her parents and she became a
problem to Robert Watt. She was un-
stable, erratic, did not do her share
of the work in the home, and was un-
cooperative in all matters of regula-
tions Mr.. Watts letter to her was
written in a tone which he meant to
be rather casual and even humorous;
knowing the problems of her person
ality as he did, he felt that she would
be more likely to reply to rather
lightly toned letter than to % seriously
Cd n hT~in a nfn To-
asked her to send him a statement of
the facts concerning the months she had
lived in his home. Unfortunately in this
letter he did use some wording which
could be interpreted as threatening to
reveal unfavorable incidents about the
girl if she did not answer favorable.
His intention was to state what could
happen, however, not what would hap
pen, if he were attacked by the girls
letters.
On March 81, 1858 Mr.. Watt attended
the MEA Delegate Assembly in Helena
as an elected delegate from the MCHS
Local MEA. On the 2Sth of March he
received long distance telephone call
from Principal D. H. Beary telling him
to return to Missoula to appear before
the Teacher Committee of the Board.
Mr. Watt explained to Mr.. Beary that
he was representa- the MEA in Helena
and that he could not be in Missoula
until late IN the dIleTIOOH on y,
March 30. They then agreed that Mr..
Watt would meet with the Board
Teacher Committee at pm. on the
29th. Without counsel, and alone, Mr.. |
Watt met with the committee. The |
interview opened with Mr.. Harold F. |
Gains (Missoula Co. High School Board |
reading to MIR. Watt a state |
ment that his services would not be |
required for the coming year. The dis |
cussion was of necessity brief, since |
the committee had reached it's decision
before meeting with Mr.. Watt; also |
the group wanted to recess for supper
prior to the 1880 special meeting of the
Board, called for consideration of |
teacher contracts and budget. However, |
they agreed that Mr.. Watt could come |
to an executive session of the Board |
during the evening
At $40 on this same evening of |
March 29 after approving the Finance
report, the entire Board |
went into an executive session with Mr.. |
Watt he again alone and without coun-
sci. AT this time the Board revealed |
to Mr.. Watt that a copy of his letter |
to the above mentioned girl had come |
into their possession through the girls |
reply to Miss Carr, in which she had |
MIR. Watts letter.
MIR. Boone stated that Mr.. Watts let |
ter was in the nature of a threat-that |
he had said that he would reveal GER !