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MRS MORNINGS DISMISSAL it Sounds Like Russia To Me Parents Comment On Board As reported in our issue of last week Mrs P Morning was informed by registered letter dated April 26 that her services as a teacher at the Aurora public school would not be required for the school year because of a charge levelled against her by the board I The complete contents of the letter of dismissal are as follows April 26 Mrs M Morning St Aurora Dear Mrs Morning The con tract between the Aurora Pub lic school board and yourself Mrs Morning will not be renewed for the school year because of active en mity towards Aurora public school board and its members Yours truly Clark Secre tary Astonishing procedure The procedure followed in the foregoing letter is astonishing to the degree of incredibility The board has indicated no evidence of any proof of the charge on which it has issued its letter of dismissal Since there exists no proof of the reality of such a charge which in character is clearly libellous if baseless the hoard has exposed itself to a le gal process- While presumably the board did not appreciate the content and possible consequences of the charge made against Mrs Morn ing it cannot be excused on the grounds of ignorance of Use seri ous stigma the charge made against Mrs Morning has im posed on her The inhumanity in all the cir cumstances of the boards letter is serious enough but the is that she took part In the municipal elections to the extent of canvassing for certain nom inees Assuming the accuracy of this assumption in the absence of any supportable proof avail able by the board for their ac tion the dismissal issued by Dr Henderson and his colleagues is illegal Outstanding Teacher Inspectors reports of very re cent date and over a number of years confirm that Mrs Morning is a teacher of outstanding effi ciency She has served in her capacity as a public school teacher in Aurora for the past eight years An old resident of Aurora a homeowner and taxpayer and mother of two children her character and standing as a citi zen are beyond reproach She is recognized as a woman of very considerable mental ability and strong force of character The most convincing proof of all these claims is that Mrs Morning received an appoint- as teacher at a private school of worldwide renown im mediately her severance from the Aurora public school became known Serious State of Affairs While Mrs Mornings appoint ment provides an immediate hu miliating rebuff for Dr of the charge removes it board the apparent into another category There is no foundation in fact for the hoards charge of active enmity against it and its members The charge is insupportable and irre sponsible Old Some once ring Since there are no other grounds which might suggest the reason for the charge contained in the boards letter it is pre sumed that the chairman of the board Dr J Henderson and his board colleagues proceeded to charge active enmity against Mrs Morning because of some electioneering which she carried out at the last municipal elec tions There is no restriction instanc ed in- teachers contracts forbid ding such an activity as election eering on the part of school teachers A teacher is a citizen enjoying the rights of citizen ship In the case of Mrs Morn ing she is a homeowner and taxpayer and is entitled to the fulfilment of such a status with out reference to the school board which has employed her For a school board to charge her with active enmity against itself because she chose to ex ercise those rights after school hours and to dismiss her from her position as a teacher for so doing is equivalent to denying the rights of citizenship to a reputable citizen In other words the course of action taken by Dr Henderson and his school colleagues in relation to Mis Morning is unnatural to a democracy such as that of Canada hut natural to a totalitarian state such as that of Illegal We understand is generally accepted that a teacher may be dismissed only for proven inef ficiency or immorality The Pub lic Schools Act protects the rights of citizenship to the extent that the personal attitude of the teacher to members of the school board does not provide a reason for the dismissal of a teacher by the board In other words any member of the teaching staff of the Au rora public school is quite free within the rulings of the Public Schools Act to electioneer against any I member of the Aurora school board without legal reprisals on the part of any member of the board The only explanation for the action on the part of the Aurora public school board for dismissing Mrs Morn serious situation at the public school is a for parents With a number of teachers re signing the board plunges head long into further difficulties by firing one of its oldest and most competent teachers Parents want continuity of teaching methods for their child ren is extremely bad for the morals of the public school that teachers should be coming and going like marionettes in a show It is claimed that in the last few years as many as teachers have folded their tents and de parted One asks what sort of a board is this over which Dr Hender son appears to preside in the manner of a dictator board takes its hearings from the alti tude of its chairman This news paper is aware from its own ex perience that Chairman Hender son is averse from liking pub licity for the meetings over winch he presides Regarding Mrs Mornings dis missal a parent of a pupil at the public school asks this question of this newspaper What sort of place is Aurora where this sort of thing is countenanced Is it a progressive and enlightened town I would he ashamed if I were a member of the hoard and had not by now resigned 1 would he ashamed to look any one in he face Fate Of Others If the hoard gets away with their insupportable dismissal of Mrs Morning what might lie the fate of others who could willy- nilly he charged with active enmity The manner of her sounds like Russia to me and would to most people said the above parent In view of the fluid at the public school it is pertin ent to ask what if any creden tials the chairman of the hoard has to show as an educationist If submitted to an examination could he fair show any curriculum for the teach ing as board chair man he is on to hire He may be good at drawing and repairing teeth Hut is he conversant with the basic data of elementary education A chair man should give guidance to col leagues over whom he presides On that assumption it is clear that Chairman Henderson has given a guidance in the present instance which has placed his colleagues and the teaching staff of the Aurora public school in a lamentable mess a Social News J Hi 1 enter- Miss Lily Bradbury has re st college turned from York County hos firs- isomers wives at and is making a satisfactory P Morning who I recovery from her fall to the cot Mr Don Stephenson has been stall transferred from St Thomas to at miscellaneous Mr William Willis Toronto Mat halU visited his parents Mr and Mrs will place J- Willis over the weekend tin Sim- Mr and Mi- Mr left last week for his summer home on Clear left for their summer cot- Lake li Lake The many friends of Mrs Mr gave a George Fatten- will be glad for Mr J and Mr A I to hear that she has fully mi the eve of their from her recent illness and departure England and Eur is home again While Mr George Mr- Underbill Mrs weltknown in lawn bowling Bowman and Mrs P is still confined to bed at a kit- he is making as much improve chert shower in honor of Miss meat as can be expected Itolly Jaeger whose marriage to Miss Susanne and Mr Mr Larry will take Stephen Mills have been select- place on May at Newmarket as members of Eatons Junior Mr and Lambert Council to represent Aurora spent the weekend with Mr and high school Jean and Mrs Don Stephenson at William Case Jr represented the school in News J SINCLAIR Editor HALL AURORA TELEPHONE PA PAGE NINE THURSDAY THE THIRTEENTH DAY OF MAY NINETEEN HUNDRED AND FIFTYFOUR EDITORIALS A BRUTAL 5l After eight years of faithful and competent service and held in high personal regard Mrs Pi Morning has had farther of employment refused as a teacher at the Aurora pQbgylfeJiiderson and his board colleagues They charge active enmity against the board and its members as the basis for the dismissal They provide a charge hut no proof in support of it One parent of a pupil at the public school says it suggests Russia to him A charge without supporting evidence followed by concomitant is foreign to a democratic country such as Canada In the slave state of Russia such procedure is common In Canada a person is presumed innocent until proved guilty Was Mrs Morning guilty of treason towards Hen derson and his hoard because in some elec tioneering at the last election Ih exercising her normal rights as a voter she was not offending against the conditions of her contract as a public school teacher Because she is a public school teacher must she sur render her franchise Unlike Canadian democratic laws do not permit the liquidation of a citizen who engages elec tioneering But some employers overcome this civilized restriction by applying methods of their own to an offending subject Where such power is open to them they fire the offender from his or her job That is their way of closing the mouths of publicspirited citi zens With five teachers resigning and two others re ported leaving one might think that Henderson and his board would have tried to retain the services of a teacher whose character and qualifications gained for her a more important teaching appointment than the one she held within hours after her dismissal from it In law her dismissal appears Insupportable In ethics it looks like a brutal climax to faithful service Most people we think will share our view that it is Hen derson and those who supported the dismissal who should be fired Among the duties of teachers as defined by the Public Schools Act the following pi must be taught to the students respect for religion and the principles of Christian morality and the highest regard for truth justice loyalty love of country humanity ft A benevolence The Ontario Teachers Federation emphasizes that the teacher shall maintain a true democra tic way of life in his community lite should consider it his duty to inculcate pupils an appreciation of the principles of democracy How many marks does the reader estimate that chairman Henderson and his board would obtain in any examination on the foregoing as related to their letter of dismissal of Mrs COUNCILLOR OBJECTS COUNCIL SIDELIGHTS Gordon Timbers Must Wait Pleasure Of Planning Board Hardly a ripple of controversy disturbed the almost morbid atmosphere which hung like a Scotch mist over the House of Assembly which met at the on Monday night May Come to think was more like vestry meeting town- council in session A HARD CASE Mrs Alice Flickers Claim Gets No Action At Council The case of Mrs Alice Flicker Ave is one that we feel is deserving of much more attention than it received at the last meeting of council There it was dismissed in a few minutes The only voice heard in its defence was that of Councillor Bill Davidson Mrs Flicker has lived in An- has paid town taxes since since She has been a During all of that time she has widow for almost years- She been working to support herself For years she worked at the Yet contentious subject did arise but nobody seemed to try a ftSijghi A baptismal- ceremony could hardly been quieter when Councillor Corbett adjourn Mr Mayor members rose before- the clock struck ten public school As a former school trustee she said X hate to see property being ruined through neglect- Thai is happening at the old bakery Until Febru ary lU last she continued to go out to work These facts Aurora News Page has obtained from Mrs Flicker herself On February as she public school where the water was returning from work at runs down the walls because the in the evening she fell on the pipes have broken loose Wish slippery sidewalk on youd draw attention to this AH Ave and was picked up by Mr that is needed is the fixing of Horry Bird and Mr Kenny the pipes Forsyth both residents on Ma- We have met the re- Ave quest Will it do any good Fractured Wrist Chess Club An examination showed that There are many organizations hart fractured her wrist in and clubs in Aurora But is lwo Pces Since the time of her injuries she has been unable report and survey would be to council at its hist to enable council to- make by Mr Cousins for errlK the report was not te hand and the for compensation but has receiv- municipal offices he would none like to hear from inter- A large sum of money is paid nothing could be done is Councilor always There was to be a change of of town to Mr to move Mr cation for the emcken plant At Underbill to cover Mayor It is usually a i special meeting held Davidson who m bulldog fa- on Monday April a request f is reluctant lb let go of J lor a goahead foe ike chicken to who brought with him a copy of the Echo containing news of Mfe Harry plant was made It I rented that an immediate here The Echo states that Aid- rich is to retire torn service of the bank at the the his bone contention Subdivision Delays Some weeks Mr Gordon be made as offers of a site subdivision for residential build- other towns which he to develop But the request for an his property east of the railway I decision was not acceded to track Council thought it was was decided to hold a further good plan But council was meeting Wednesday in a position to give him the go- Ail At that meeting it ahead That Was up to the was pointed out by Reeve planning board who presided that Mr Cousins get that subdivision going I decision by the Mr Timbers Will have to wait lo until such mo as Hie Official At two hours of debate Plan is amended At present half of the limo being la- fi reached was that an engineers W- insurance premiums This insurance cov ers the town against claims by such people as Mrs Flicker who fall and injure themselves on town property If a claimant goes court ami wins a case against the own the insurance company pays on of the town people as Mrs Plicin cannot engage in expensive for the obvious reason preset He is bemg re- lhal are usually too high for their Should they go to court am mined until the new branch the Bank of Montreal Vis opened at Mr thought the many old friends of would be interested in this news and- we thank for as one for industrial will he lucky if his plan can be carried out by the year 1963 when Aurora will celebrate its centennial incorporation as a vil lage If it happened that Mr Timbers expected a long delay dont think he will be tooso take the- dandelions which come up each the dogs on the loose lose their cases the results mean lifedisaster So they choose the course of appeal ing to the town council on passionate grounds Nothing Mrs FHefer made a claim fife feut got nothing except a payment from the in- meeting ended without a ffetWng case against the being reached and so it propose new locator company for medical ex- when he appeared th newspaper is council by Mr that the amount offered MtiKeirr is a Toronto lived and district There willhave to be a lotOt rod tape Unravelled before the plan for building homes can be carried out rate things owner are done Aurora Mr Timbers to build on one location can he transfer the permit to build on another One would hardly think so But that is what Mr Cousins proposed to do in with the interests be for the plant J Murray pointed this to council say ing lint so far Kir Cousins had nt applied or a per mi J to build on was again debated by councillors as Claim For a seasonal juicy An question mayor gave evidence asked by in on a city in the west where dogs connection with claim for dam are allowed only on the leash ages from the town by Mrs lie thought it was worthy of Alice Flicker of Avenue some thought who on the icy in The suggestion was not too February and suffered injuries received One mem- The insurance company agreed St Andrew college In the of opined thai it to pay costs of expenses days wo have heard just too bad if ones dog could incurred by Mrs Flicker paid to Mrs not run by ones side as its mas- IDatfidson then asked if this 1 Morning as a public school several We fe keenly as a- taxpayer lit Wvft matters Ho was known only a few people when- he ran- tor the office of hydro conimisi3lonep at the elections in of this handicap he polled near ly voles at bis hope he will contest some office at the next elections offices need rrten Mr Kerr know ledge last Not Least but mot least we wish to offer nut congratulations to P Morning on her ap pointment to the teaching by the company AjKe medical cost only member of Council iup for Mrs Flicked argued that the very company pay constituted an towns responsibility the matter He receive port- from any col The mayor said that in yie- medical were moderate It was not the fault Flicker that the ley had not been sanded The the dangerous was the towns lesponsibility not Got walked along the street Quite a poetical idea little dog gie affectionately at the expenses did not constitute lia- side of its musters pants as he by the town for injuries strolled along the by Mrs flicker on town When someone became bitter property by the loachor by parents wh have had company in regard to medical children taught by her We were not surprised to re that so fine a teacher will be warmly welcomed to St ATE- where her appointment If Councillor had lior way the which to the toWrtCottttcitil Wednesday April to oppose the chicken plant would not have Ste Moffats iection to hearing the on the claim that it was a special ever on a show pi No one can say Councillor Moffat a this despite the 0SPQ SJIfeVJBtsroae of who our W ffiir She attitude by on iliVggtl 1 1 vo kind to her i Having regard for Mrs Moffat should have with trim of as to to deny a large may have been her press their dissent on a ma tier directly affecting Ihcl personal interests Councillor Moffats attempt to stifle free expres sion of opinion on the evening in question appeared to be based on the assumption that a meeting of council was somehow or a assembly in which only one subject was relevant for discussion If this were so thou her objections founded on fallacy a special meeting of council is no more ami no less than an extra meeting culled to deal with a surplus of business happened to hear that a matter in which they were vitally interested was to he brought up that evening That being they were present at the right place and at the right time After all memliers council are elected to carry out the will of the electors To interpret that will the voices of electors must be heard We rather fear that Councillor Moffats intention that they should not be heard on the evening of Wed nesday April will take the shine off the odd votes secured at the last election and the polite should he in- point was that although KS great satisfaction to issue fines insurance payment might New Page wishes her all suddenly voeal meet medical costs there was no Kood fortune Youve git to catch the dog and compensation for time lost by j hold him in order to prove its Mrs Flicker and the disability ownership declared Mr arising from the injuries Hut catch and holding Councillor a dog isnt always sure way of the point of the towns liability proving ownership What about hut no further action was taken the dog that dont carry Mien- Council achieved its shortest cants of an ordinary meeting by The Chicken Plant adjourning some minutes before It was anticipated that an en- pm Have till mid tor been by he Public school board stuff at the school This and other it questions and teaching sta with hi our next f WHAT THEY ARE SAYING More Than SurfacePolish Needed To Beautify Town There has been a lot of talk Koine about that elusive business of town lint just what is town The up of leaves and oilier winter rubble and doing a bit of painting is just ordinary cleanliness Most citizens are conscious of such needs without needled by busybodies young or old Croc i Featured on the March mas- this dress of goes deep er than surface polish to do with the welfare and happi ness of its most unassuming citi zens Such case for instance as that of Mrs Alice Flicker whose predicament wo have drawn attention to jit other col umns in this issue Heal town beaut if Ration is spiritual and economic in char acter As John Husk In wrote many years ago in relation to the nut lily of a community See he wrote what manner of men art here not what man- of stones and monuments Mrs- Flicker is a woman who has paid her luxes I his staff employ to the town Quite a number of conditions that make for persons who cut a in town happy relationships reflected mi icy sidewalk The publication of such an ef fort to help a needy citizen would have done much to beau tify the name of Aurora VicePresident Duckworth We congratulate Mr Gordon Duckworth on his recent election to the vicepresidency of the Automotive Machine and Parts Association of Ontario at a meet ing held in Toronto on May a Certainly Mr Duckworth does his to add to the economic beauty of Aurora by promoting excellent management ami em ployee relations He is known to and think they are Somebody havent so good a record to their names We suggest that the town council could have helped to beautify Aurora by taking stock of Mrs Flickers economic situation and regardless of her legal rights if any proceeded to ease it by making a grant to cover her losses caused by in juries suffered on a dangerous their continuity of service We wish him good fortune in the honor he has received in record time Irate Citizen We had a call from a lady thai other day who has held import- j ant civic positions and strongly protested the lack of attention concerned with the down pipes from the at the old A j j j j j j j I j j I