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ii Published every Thursday by the Franklin Press
At Franklin, North Carolina
VOL. LX1I Number eighteen
WEIMAR JONES Editor -Publisher
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05
We CAN Have Good Schools Now
AT. its meeting -last week, the Macon County
. board of education: ? -
Vetoed the proposal to make the office of county
superintendent a full-time position.
Chose a superintendent from a list of 10 appli
cants.
Declined to request the superintendent to visit
the schools.
Approved ? with virtually no discussion ? the
election of a new principal for the Franklin school
district, and the reelection of the principals in the
Highlands and Nantahala districts.
And discussed a number of other school prom
lems.
All of this business was transacted in a period of
less than two hours.
* * *
Members of the county board of education prob
ably would be the first to agree that they have the
responsibility for the upbuilding of the public
schools of Macon County, and that their most im
portant function is the election of a county superin
tendent. And the board members could hardly fail
to agree that it is their solemn duty to seek out
and elect as county superintendent the best man
available.
How did a majority of the members of the board
of education meet that responsibility?
The board had before it one oral and nine writ
ten applications. There was one way, and one way
only, by which the board could determine which of
those 10 men Was best qualified for the office of
superintendent ? by a careful consideration of each
one of the 10 applicants.
It was the first time most board members knew
what the written applications contained, or even
who the applicants were. Yet these nine written ap
plications received no consideration whatever, be
yond a perfunctory reading by the chairman.
It is quite possible, of course, that the man the
board elected is the best of the 10; but if so, it was
by pure chance. The board doesn't know, and it
never will know, whether it chose the man who was
the best fitted for the job, for the simple reason
that a majority of the board members refused to
make any effort to find out.
"Actions speak louder than words." And by their
actions, a majority of the board members plainly
said :
"We are satisfied with the situation. No great
improvement is needed or could reasonably be ex
pected. All's well with the schools."
All is not well with the schools. And about the
only persons who do not know it are some of the
members of the Macon County board of education.
The school situation is poor in most places through
out the United States. It is worse in Macon County.
And if members of the board of education doubt
that statement, all they have to do to become con
vinced is to visit the schools in other Western
North Carolina counties, provided, of course, they
go with, open minds.
In this connection, it is worth noting ? in case
some board members haven't read the law ? that
the law provides that the board may authorize per
diem and traveling expenses for such school busi
ness.
* * *
Members of the board of education probably
would agree that it is their responsibility to set an
example of law-abiding citizenship for the school
children of Macon County. And the board made
considerable show, at an earlier meeting, of com
plying with the law that requies that 15 days' pub
lic notice be given that a superintendent is to be
elected.
But a majority of the board members, at last
week's meeting, chose to ignore a second school
law and to flout a third.
By torturing the language of the law regarding
the duties of a county superintendent of schools, it
is possible to raise a question as to the literal mean
ing of the law when it says a superintendent shall
devote his full time to the duties of his office ; but
nobody who has read the law can honestly doubt
what the spirit of the law is.
A majority of the board, however, didn't even
bother to torture the language; they decided just
to ignore the law. (And ignore, at the same time,
ordinary common sense and sound business judg
ment ; for what private business in Macon County
would pay a man $4,100 a year, and permit him to
devote only part time to his job?)
There is another law that is not subject to ques-.
tion. It says in plain language:
"The County Superintendent shall be required to
visit each public school in his county at least twice
while the schools are in session". (General Statutes
of North Carolina, 1943, Section 115, Sub-section
115.)
". . . shall be required".
Shall be required by whom?
Obviously, by the countv board of education.
But a majority of the board, in executive session,
according to Chairman Moore, turned down even
the mild suggestion that the county superintendent
be requested to visit the schools .
By their actions, a majority of the board mem
bers plainly said :
"We are above the law".
* * *
Members of the board of education probably |
would agree that, in a democratic country, public
officials have the responsibility for acting "with a
decent respect to the opinions" of the citizenship.
Yet a majority of the members of the board, de
spite widespread public opinion on the question of
a full-time superintendent and of school visiting by
the superintendent, chose to use its own good judg
ment ? and to give the public no explanation what
ever for its decisions.
Furthermore, the board had before it a petition
signed by hundreds of citizens. If the board so
much as read it, much less studied the list of sign
ers or considered their petition, there is no record
of the fact.
By their actions, a majority of the board mem
bers plainly said :
"The public be damned".
* * *
Thoughts like these have been passing through
many minds during the past week, and it is well to
express them and be done with it.
The fact remains, however, that the five men who
make up our board of education are the m^n who
were appointed according to law. They were nomi
nated in the 1946 Democratic primary, and were ap
pointed by the general assembly ; and a majority of
them now have elected a superintendent.
This board and this superintendent are the tools
we have to work with during the next two years in
attempting to make at least a start toward build
ing a decent public school system in Macon County.
It makes sense for us to make the best use possible
of the tools we have.
It is true that our school officials have given little
indication that they want or will accept the cooper
ation and support of the general public. They
should have it, nevertheless. It need not, pf course,
Re a ?upine acceptance of everything they do as
right. We can, and should, continue to criticize and
demand actiftn ; but that need not keep us from
applauding wise decisions, and backing the board
and the superintendent when we think they are
right. And it is the duty of good, citizens to offer
constructive suggestions ? and to keep on offering
them !
That kind of support our school officials should
have. Not because they necessarily have done any
thing to deserve it, but because our schools are big
ger than any individual or any group, and because
our children's rights to educational opportunity,
during the next two years, are far more important
than any mere personal likes or dislikes, or even any
resentment of stubborn and high-handed official ac
tions ? because better schools is the issue, and what
officials we get them through is incidental.
The school board and the county superintendent,
whether they know it or not, cannot go far with
out the public behind them. And they will find that
they w il V jn* '??'-a surprising amount of public co
operat acl'ijt only encourage it.
If a majority of the members of the board of edu
cation will start thinking of the schools in terms of
the children instead of petty politics or self-justifi
cation ; if they will start baling their actions upon
honest thought instead of prejudice and whim ; and
if they will assert themselves and insist upon wag
ging the dog's tail instead of being wagged by it . . .
And if the county superintendent will recognize
that he holds no deed in fee simple to the public
schools of Macon County, but that they belong to
the people, and that the people ? whether politic
ally influential or not ? have a right to a respectful
hearing; if he will acknowledge to himself that his
chief responsibility is not to a board of five men,
but to the children of Macon County ; and if he will
substitute work for talk, and results for alibis . . .
If these things come about, our school officials
will find their hands quickly loosed from the bonds
of public apathy and distrust and resentment that
now bind them.
* * *
One year from now school board members will
be nominated again. When that time comes, the
present administration should be weighed, not upon
a basis of personalities, but strictly upon results ? *
as to whether there has been a notable improve
ment in our schools. (And that should mean schools,
not buildings ; for, when we get new build
ings, they will not have been built by any school
board or superintendent, but by the people of the
county who made them possible by voting bonds
and who will pay for them in taxes.)
If our present officials are weighed on that basis,
and found wanting, the solution is simple.
But in the meantime, it should be the fervent
hope of everyone of us that, one year from now, we
can honestly say that our school officials have done
a good job.
The children ?f Macon County are entitled to
good schools now. And to hope that our present
officials will provide them is the least we can do
for the 4,000 boys and girls who look to our school
officials, and to us, for a fair chance in life.
It's Up To Us
Frequently we voters are inclined to be lazy.
We say :
"There's no choice between parties and candi
dates. Nobody much is running. Just the same old
gang. Why should I vote ?"
This year the people in Franklin and Highlands
can't say that, and be honest about it. For in each
town exactly three times as many candidates filed
as there are offices to fill. And the candidates rep
resent many shades of thought and a wide variety
of experience and background.
In Franklin and Highlands next Tuesday we
shall elect the men who will direct Our town gov-,
eminent during the next two years. Who those men
are to be, we shall determine. If we choose wisely,
we shall have good government ; if we choose fool
ishly, our reward probably will be just such as we
might expect.
And if we don't vote at all ? well, in that case,
we shall have no honest grounds for complaint, no
matter what kind of town government we get.
LEGAL ADVERTISING
ADMINISTRATRIX NOTICE
Having qualified as adminis
tratrix of Wm. G. Culbertson,
deceased, late of Macon County,
N. C., this is to notify all per
sons having claims against the
estate of said deceased to ex
hibit them to the undersigned
at Highlands, N. C., on or be
fore the 16th day of April, 1948
or this notice will be plead in
bar of their recovery. All per
sons indebted to said estate will
please make immediate settle
ment. '
This 16th day of April, 1947.
MARIAN A. NORTON,
Administratrix.
A24 ? 6tp ? May29
EXECUTRIX NOTICE
Having qualified as executrix
of Annie Slagle, deceased, late
of Macon County, N. C., this is
to notify all persons having
claims against the estate of said
deceased to exhibit them to the
undersigned at 200 Grandin
Road, Charlotte, N. C., on or be
fore the 16th day of April, 1948
or this notice will be plead in
bar of their recovery. All per
sons Indebted to said estate will
please make immediate settle
ment.
This 16th day of April, 1947.
KATHERINE SILER ZACHARY
Execurtix.
A24 ? 6tp? May29
NOTICE OF SUMMONS
IN THE SUPERIOR COURT
NORTH CAROLINA
MACON COUNTY
Grace Owenby Queen
Plaintiff
VS.
Ralph Wayne Queen
Defendant
The defendant above named,
Ralph Wayne Queen, will take
notice that an action entitled
as above has been commenced
In the Superior Court of Macon
County, North Carolina by the
plaintiff to obtain a divorce
from bed and board on the
ground of wrongful abandon
ment, for custody of their chil
dren, and support for herself
and said children, and other
relief; and the said defendant
will further take notice that he
is required to appear before the
Clerk of Superior Court in Ma
con County at his office In the
Courthouse In Franklin, North
Carolina, on or before the 16th
day of June, 1947 and answer
or demur to the complaint In
said action, or the plaintiff will
apply to the Court for the re
lief demanded In the complaint.
This the 22nd day of April,
1947.
J. CLINTON BROOKSHIRE,
Clerk Superior Court.
A24 ? 4tc ? May IS
EXECUTOR'S NOTICE
Having qualified as executor
of the estate of Dr. John H.
? JOIN ?
Bryant Mutual
Burial Association
Oldest and Strongest
la Um County
Fouts, deceased, late of Macon
county, N. C., this is to notify
all persons having claims
against the estate of said de
ceased to exhibit them to the
undersigned on or before the
11th day of March, 1948, or this
notice will be plead in bar of
their recovery. All persons in
debted to said estate will please
make immediate settlement..
This 11th day of March, 1947.
DOVER R. FOUTS,
Executor.
Burnsville, N.- C.
M27? 6tp? May 1
ADMINISTRATOR'S NOTICE
Having qualified as adminis
trator of Mrs. W. T. McDonald,
deceased, late of Macon County,
N. C., this is to notify all per
sons having claims against the
estate of said deceased to ex
hibit them to the undersigned
on or before the 23rd day of
April, 1948, or this notice will
be plead In bar of their recov
ery. All persons indebted to said
estate will please make imme
diate settlement.
This 23rd day of April, 1947.
R. H. HOLDEN,
Administrator
A24 ? 6tp ? May29
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