The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1962-08-16
Defends Action

Il N1OllllIluCu IIOlll GdBc NJilct
and Mrs. Lawrence Faith. | have
no intention of engaging in a pub
| lie hassle with anyone. but as a
! former member of the school board
want to present my views as l
| know them. | do not profess to
know all the reasons for the action
taken by the board but from my
experience on this board | am sure
| the reasons were just and ample.
1t is well known fact that the
name of Lawrence Faith was con-
stantly associated with an under
cover campaign that has now lasted
for full year against the superin-
tendent and school board MEM
berS. His sudden interest in the
/ needs of his department comes as
a surprise to me for during my six
years on the board l don't recall
that he ever presented directly or
through the superintendent any
special requests for his department
Whatever his motives, certainly his
undercoVer methods were sufficient
reason for board action and
wonder why the board was tolerant
so long.
Certainly every teacher in Gar
rett County was waiting to see if
any member of the profession
could get away with such open de-
fiance, lack of cooperation. and dis
loyalty. Loyalty is one of the prime
qualities of any good teacher and
any teacher who is dislOyal and
creates constant undercover dis
senSion should be exposed and dis
ciplined. Tenure should not be
given to any teacher who is dis
loyal to the school system and
school authorities This should be
a first consideration in placing any
teacher on tenure We have a fine
school system in Garrett County,
one that is not to be disrupted by
disgruntled and deceitful teacher
or two, and people who are really
interested in our schools should
fully understand this The superin-
tendent and school board have the
administrative authority to operate
our schools and not an agriculture
teacher who attempted to use the
Farm Bureau and certain politi-
clans to bypass this authority.
When the Farm Bureau failed to
endorse his actions as a group, and
the politician was defeated last
May, Faith now apparently is try
ing to accomplish the same pur-
pose through a So-called Garrett
County Citizens Committee, that
he has been instrumental in organ
iZing. Teachers who can't be loyal
should get moving.
And who now supports Faith?
Why, one to be sure is Ebert Buck
ell, the defeated political hack, who
is now using the Faith case as a
channel of revenge against the man
who defeated him in the primary
for County Senator, Mr.. Maurice
Brookhart, president of the school
board. This spiteful defeated poll
tician served the past four years
only as an obstructiOnist to the
school program in the county. Let
the people start looking behind the
scenes and see who is running the
Faith show of spite and political
revenge, and then bring it to a fast
halt. People have had enough.
For six years | worked closely
with the present superintendent of
schools, Mr. Willard L. Hawkins,
and with two of the present board
members, Mr. Maurice Brookhart,
and Mr. George Edwards And of
course | am well acquainted with
the other fine member, Mrs. Elsie
Brady, from KitZmiller. No county
has finer superintendent or one
that is more dedicated, more loyal
to his teachers, or more interested
in the betterment of schools. 1t is
enough to let his record of
achievement speak for itself-our
schools when he came to Garrett
County-our schools now. a result
of long hours of energetic work.
outstanding ability, integrity and
foresight.
For the school board members of
Garrett County, it would be hard