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it ft lv u- t view Of Major Points School Affairs of the first and also one of the major errors committed by the present chairman of the Public school board was his failure to invite the press to attend board meetings The answer to those who assert that the press has a legal right to attend such meetings can be ifound in the recent experience of a reporter who tried to do so The press has a Segal right to attend meetings of the Public school board providing the press can find the location where such meetings are held and the time and date of such meetings In the instance of the Aurora Pub lic school board it has been shown by the experience of a reporter that none of the above conditions is easy to fulfil A reasonable deduction from the experience of the reporter who made several efforts to de termine the location and time of a recent board meeting is that the press was not wanted Why the presence of the press was not desired by the board Is any bodys guess On whom should the blame for such procedure be placed Chairman At Fault The person most responsible for the direction of the policy of a board is of course its chairman We are suggesting that in the present instance the blame for the absence of the press at board meetings must be placed square where it obviously belongs Had chairman Henderson de sired the attendance of the press all he had to do was to instruct the secretary to the board to ad vise newspaper reporters of the place and time of the board meetings Because this was not done in our own case and difficulties were placed in the way of the reporter referred to above the evidence suggests that Hender son was averse from the pres ence of an impartial press that would have reported proceedings at board meetings without fear or favor An evasive policy that appears to have as its objective the out witting of reporters concerned with the reporting of affairs of public interest is As has already been pointed out it is the duty of a Public school board in the fulfilment of its functions to fix regular meet ing dates and all such meetings are open to the public and the press As a correspondent to this newspaper has pointed out the minutes of all Public school board meetings must be made available to taxpayers on appli cation to the town clerk Suffered SelfDefeat Through its failure to give a general invitation to the press to attend its meetings the chair- man and members of the board have brought upon themselves a severe case of selfdefeat Had the press been invited to its meetings there would have leaching staff as has a continuous series of re- at the Aurora Public ports which would have kept the is to adversely informed on what was of the womens teachers federa tion were sympathetic to the boards action in dismissing Mrs Morning The strength of the implications contained in the statement leaves the reader no alternative but to accept such a conclusion Completely Misleading In so far as the implications are concerned the statement is com pletely misleading for the school inspector has subsequent ly stated that his position was strictly neutral In other words the school inspector took no part whatever in the dismis sal of Mrs Morning In the Evening Telegram of May Mrs Helen Ward execu tive secretary of the federation of the women teachers associa tions of Ontario is reported as stating that We encourage our members to take an active part in the community because a wo man is a teacher her democratic rights should not be curtailed In view of such disclaimers what is the Henderson statement worth Having regard to all the circumstances the implications in the Henderson statement could prove extremely damaging to Mrs Morning and the state- should be retracted in fair ness to her Reviewing Major Points A review of the many major points that have emerged from the disclosures following Mrs Mornings dismissal of contract contained in the boards letter of April 26 shows failure on the part of Henderson and his board to measure up to their re sponsibilities The dismissal of a teacher of high qualifications and lengthy service was an outstanding blun der The dismissal was based on a charge described as active enmity towards the board al though no proof in support of It was presented It is assumed in the absence of proof that the active enmity charge arose from Mrs Mornings engage ment in municipal elections Letters from teachers which this newspaper has published re veal an incredible degree of in ability to approach their prob lems with common courtesy as for example when the chairman of the board remarked to two teachers that he would like to sec them out digging ditches The teachers concerned had used only authorized procedure in requesting a meeting with the board concerning the question of salaries Disruption Of Staff So considerable a disruption going on at the school But such democratic procedure was ignor ed and In the end an eruption of unwholesome publicity re sulted One outcome of this publicity is that parents are probably more schoolconscious at this present time than ever before The Signatories The form of duress under which the teaching staff at the Public school had been laboring for a considerable period was revealed in the signed by no less than of their number This charge was contained in the following words ifS Principal was Instructed to Inform the Staff that under no circumstances were the teachers of the Aurora Public School to say anything critical about the School Board or their actions or proper action would be taken The fact that in this day and generation a school hoard should y editor make itself responsible for such an situation is al most incredible But on the au thority of responsible signa tories such a situation did exist at the Autora Public school un der the chairmanship of J Henderson The Henderson Statement Following the rejection of a future contract of service to Mrs Morning the chairman of the board released a statement to the Aurora Banner which was published on its front page in its issue of May After pointing out that the decision not to reengage Mrs P Morning as a teacher at the Aurora Public school on the expiration of her present tract is one that has not been arrived at hastily the state ment proceeded to state that prior to the final decision not to reengage Mrs Morning said Dr the Public School Inspector for the district had been consulted on a number of occasions In addition a rep resentative of the womens divi sion of the teachers federation with which Mrs Morning is con nected had visited Aurora and the matter had been discussed between her and the full Public School Board he asserted this done prior to the Boards decision hot to reengage Mrs appear inevitable the foregoing feet morale for a considerable time Much of this disruption could clearly have been avoided had more responsible methods been employed by the chairman and his board The morale of pupils is favor ably influenced by staff con tinuity where the teaching ser vice is of a high standard and that standard has not been ques tioned at the Public school The inability of the present board to maintain that continuity is re flected in the present situation at the school Our Readers Write Aurora News Page J SINCLAIR Editor OFFICE DOAN HALL AURORA TELEPHONE PA Letters to the editor are al ways welcome bat the names of the writers must be known to Editor Aurora News Page Dear Sir May I congratulate you on your courage and sense of public duty in exposing this scandal about the Public school board I notice that though it is a matter of great local import ance the other newspaper con nected with Aurora has hardly mentioned Is there a reason for this Could any of your readers en lighten me It is the duty of all right- minded citizens to keep them selves fully informed at a time like this when you yourself are doing so much to expose this school board scandal It may not be generally known that all taxpayers have a right to inspect the minutes of board meetings on application to the town clerk Could not the citizens of Au rora through the courtesy of your columns call a meeting to do something about this school board scandal I believe the town would by law be obliged to lend the old town Jiall for purpose I am etc Citizen the The writer of the foregoing is a wellknown Aurora citizen and taxpayer and has the best of personal reasons for asking that name be withheld from PAGE ELEVEN THURSDAY THE SEVENTEENTH DAY OF JUNE NINETEEN HUNDRED AND FIFTYFOUR EDITORIALS THE SCHOOL SITUATION Since the situation at the Public school was first exclusively ventilated in Aurora News Page it has been a major topic of local discussion Having done our best to make available the facts as we have learned of them concerning the teachers the pupils and the welfare of the school generally such future action as they may deem advisable is now a matter for the citizens of Aurora themselves THE CASE OF MR COUSINS COUNCIL SIDELIGHTS Question Recreation Costs Perfume For Disposal Plant The mayor was absent from the last council meet ing and the officeholder nearest to the throne occupied the presidential seat He was Reeve Cook Usually the reeve makes a good chairman but not this time many respects it was a nodding meeting and it was after 11 pm when council adjourned doing all that j Bill who he said had As we have previously pointed out we have noth ing on Mr Lome Cousins with whom acquainted What we are concerned with are the relative merits of like discrimination in varying instances Last December there was a bylaw gassed with the hearty concurrence of Councillor who seconded the motion for third reading If our understanding of this most recent bylaw is correct it meant that thenceforward all had to undertake subdivision That would include sewers water and all necessary services The was designed to protect the tax- services which strictly the concern of subdividers entering into per enterprise If understanding is correct then Mr Lome Cousins application has bylaw to the extent of getting consent of council for the Service his property at a surveys pay for the trunk sewer and immediately it is installed as and when Squired the value of Cousins land will automatically rise in Mrs Moffat was an ardent advocate for the sufe dividers bylaw which she told council was supported by Aljhpflglv whafe lie asked for at a closed special of council our Murray was the appli cation At member of council proved consistency of his convictions m m Of MS TRENT m A m stated OS8k ton St is the acres of land which is held in a form of bondage because of the restrictions imposed on property Aurora- planning board She land pays her but she is not the properly She can not as much as Slighter to build a home on a small portion In order that might build home on her mothers property Mrs would have to open up at least a telfcaere subdivision On the face of it it looks ridiculous But there is no getting past the Official liraifby the Wise Men of the Aurora planning town council duly registered Trent is snared in the planning board cannot get out of it wherje is the commonsense setup In the instance of one taxpayer a costly service is voted to his property by council In this second in stance a taxpayer is forbidden at the risk of a heavy penalty to use a small portion land family use only Where is the sense or the justice or reason in it Despite all the trouble and friction arising out of the existence of the Aurora planning hoard not to mention the thousands of dollars spent by it members of council urged that a special meeting be called to hurry forward the zoning bylaw Apparently not con tent with the present shackling of Aurora they would shackle it some more We heard of one member of council who when offered a copy of the draft zoning bylaw handed it back because he hadnt time to read it What he really meant was that if he did try to read it he would never understand it Where ignorance is bliss tis folly to be wise RECREATION COSTS Several members of the town council as shown by reports last week were concerned about the increas ing costs of recreation in Aurora The recent financial statement Issued by the recreation commission shows that their transactions for the year ending December represented a sum of money considerably in excess of Many people including the DeputyReeve J Murray are of the opinion that there is not enough work for a director and an assistant director of recreation especially in the summertime Salaries and leadership alone cost the commission for the past year with a further for administration expenses Added to the problem of costs is the existing feel ing that the hardworking and popular Bill ought to have been given a chance of promotion when the opportunity occurred He has the youth of the town behind him said Councillor Davidson at council and was supported in his remarks by the deputyreeve It appears that a majority of the sports people in town feel that way about Bill WHAT THEY ARE SAYING Ballet Recital Horse Show Outstanding Aurora Events Threatening weather conditions somewhat dam pened the attendance at the annual Aurora Horse Show last weekend but despite this handicap more than adults a d for admission besides an attendance of about children who were admitted free Outstanding features included exhibition of John Bowsers famous herd of Aberdeen Angus cattle and Mr Gibsons herd of Miss Shirley Thomas of Ottawa had a showing of no less than five of her famous jumpers Mr Bowser offered a prize for the guessing of the weight of a oneyear old Airs King succeed ed in naming the correct weight of pounds and won an auto matic electric percolator Mr Gibson also offered a prize for the guessing of the weight of his 2yearold bull and Mr Hopkins of Mount Albert came time We think the chairman was too lenient in his allowance of sideline talk Councillor Cor- called out Move we adjourn mister chairman but Council lor Moffat called out just a moment and wcntSo talking Mr thereupon sank back info his former condition of si lence Since to council he seems to be bored by it to put through and there were also a few good subjects of debate The first of these concerned the absence of proper toilet accom modation at the bowling greens and tennis courts a subject which we have brought up from time to Delegation Wins The by Mr H Corner won its appeal for toilet accommodation being in stalled in the face of opposition from Reeve Cook and Councillor Jones The reeve apparently still hankers after a the south end of the town and sug gested that if this came to bowlers and tennis players would transfer themselves there to Councillor Jones took the view that as he wasnt a lawn bowler he should be asked as a tax- to pay for a sport for other people DeputyReeve Murray made the sensible remark that since it had taken years for the bowl ers and tennis players to put their grounds in fine condition it was hardly likely that they would move to another spot to start all again He said the lack of toilet facilities was an intolerable situation and said carried the main load of the work done Councillor Bill Davidson said he agreed with Mr Murray and said that the appointment of di rector should have gone to Mr who he said had the youth of the town behind him He was a home town boy said Mr Davidson Jones claimed that they had to show confidence in the boards responsible for the recommendation of the appoint ment of the new director the reeve stating that he must go along with Mr Jones on that deputyreeve said in view of objections raised the boards should be asked to look further into the matter of appointing a new director at the salary of 3500 Council finally how ever approved the appointment by majority Subdividers DeputyReeve Murray raised the question of the responsibility of subdividers to the community stating that it was unfair that the midway which was under the sponsorship of the Aurora Lions club Ballet Recital The Ballet recital given at the High school auditorium under the brilliant direction of Miss Jody on Friday night was a very great success which was enjoyed by a large attend ance m The scenery for the occasion which was so much admired was painted by Williams son of Dr Williams Piano accompaniments by Mrs of Lake Wilcox greatly assisted towards the sue- closest with a guess of IS production Miss pounds the actual weight being contributed two piano 2025 pounds All in all the show was de clared a success although the solos to the program which were much appreciated Miss is wellknown storm and heavy rainfall in the in Aurora as the director of a evening proved a washout for school for students of the ballet WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES Extracts From Town Accounts To enable taxpayers to learn people who in Aurora at their lives and had helped to build up the town should have to help the costs in matter of services Mr Murray finalized his argu ments in Ihe form of a motion to the effect that should fee required to support a school fund in the case of every property sold on a residential lot The motion was seconded by Davidson but it was lost vote being taken Bad Smell Councillor Davis said thesmcll from the itisposaJpIavget- where some of their money goes Aurora News Page publishes each month the major items of expenditure as shown in town council minutes The under mentioned taken front June minutes Aurora Banner printing and advertising 55 Aurora Building disposal plant sewer system and works Aurora street lights posal plant Canadian Nat Rlys flasher maintenance 7098 Bell Tele phone disposal plant police and fire 13940 County of York indigent pa tients P Davis sewer system Delahey Motors police and waterworks Davis Garage fire and town truck Can Inc mowing machine and repairs to tractor Village of Bros fuel for town hall J E TuHoch fire Wilkinson assessors convention Workmens Compensation James Wilson sew- 568 Wilson tins aftl that it was time Mr intolerable situation and said that it was time Mr council should take action at got to work with once solution prepared for ffMS said bad smelly said cost of installing the facilities GdUncUagrecavblUK hat been budgeted for and when he moved a motion thai the magic preparation designed work be done and it was see- fences by the deputyreeve Other council then gave its approval it- from the Director Lords Day Alliance pointing out There was some sharp discus sion on the question of the ap pointment of a new recreation director confirmation of whose appointment was asked for from council Emphasis was laid on the rising cost of recreation in Aurora some members saying that cost was out of propor tion to a town of the size of Au rora and that value had not been received for the money spent Murray sug gested that there was not enough work for both a director and an assistant director in the sum mertime and expressed the view that too much money was being spent He praised the work of fire expense 50 Stiver property water- streets Co Paving ose Bros aulage Frank bulldozing park ing lot Western Exca vators trucking Waterworks Aurora Hydro Elect 22578 and Mc- Cullough impeller Bas- sett Supply Co supplies to be recharged to Drummond McCall and Co supplies National Iron Corp supplies Taylor Electric electrical work James Wilson ex cavating relief account News Mrs 3 Gar- was a weekend guest of Miss urora on Sriaay for their sum- in England Mfe Roy rover the weekend were Sir and Mrs Charles Toronto Mrs Toronto was the the possible infringement of its special guest speaker at the statutes by A on Thursday arenas bit Sundays and noon last at the Aurora United it was ordered to be- filed church and chose the Victor Mis- Murray for Girls as the subject of steps that had teen taken at her address She was introduced the waterworks resulting a by Mrs George Fish Music fiaaai4BAnara4aain8ft supplied by the club penSes CUi tiuarteue Councilor feK Oak Ridges course of session to eraa the zoning questions Oh concerning two Carol Fish Rev and Mrs will be given a farewell sendoff at the Aurora United church today Mr and Mrs J Gar- and daughter will attend wedding of Mrs niece Miss Hazel Thompson in Wiltshire England this month Miss Thompson recently left Au rora after a sojourn in Canada for several months Mr and Mrs spent the weekend with Mr and Mrs Woods Toronto at their cottage at Mr and Mrs Is lington spent the weekend with Mrs Charles Webster cutting of the grass R1 cet3SgiUon ii TS parks and the other concerning signs on Maple and Ste votc Council adjourned at vote on ZONING BYLAW Council Should Decide Aurora Affairs Not The HigherUps Through its representatives council heard again of the anxiety of the planning board to have the notori ous zoning bylaw proceeded with This urge on the part of the planning board was voiced by Councillor Moffat Mrs Moffat said the planning board was being pushed by higherups to have the zoning bylaw further discussed with a view to passing It When coun cil last heard of it our under standing is that it was then in its second reading Year by year with the per sistence of ragweed it has come before council Yet nobody fully understands it We recall a de bate on it when Councillor Jones declared that nobody under stood it Yet Councillor Jones now takes the view that another special meeting be held further to consider it No use our bucking the planning board said the redoubtable Mr Jones Vote Of The People DeputyReeve J Murray said theirs was the fourth that would be handling the deferred zoning bylaw Are we any wiser he asked than councils that have gone before Arguing his case Mr Murray said that the people should be asked to vote on whether or not they wanted the zoning bylaw That was not Reeve Cooks view He said they were elected to do the peoples business and the zoning bylaw was not a matte lot the people to vote measure in which they hot taken a complete It would not be in order if two members of a jury who had been the first half of a case was being considered were asked to pass judgment Councillors and are in similar situation They were not in on the first half of the zoning by law deliberations so they can not be expected in such circum stances to pass judgment on the whole of it That is assuming that one can deliberate on something which Councillor Jones himself said nobody The And who are referred to by Councillor Moffat who are pushing the Aurora planning board to get the zoning by- law passed into law Are the higherups the department of Town Planning and govern ment Whoever the higherups are it is time the Aurora town coun cil told them to mind their own business and leave Aurora to look after its own affairs If a vote were taken on whether or not the people of Aurora want a zoning bylaw the answer would he a decisive No Au rora has had more than enough of planning board and its bagful of vetos on He added that the towns that are going ahead are those that have planning Has Reeve Cook ever heard of the town of Newmarket Thats the town which has the county seat but has no planning board It is also the town where several new subdivisions are in course of opening up We sug gest that Reeve Cook should look up his map of Ontario and find out where Newmarket is located study progressive con ditions there and advise Au rora planning board accordingly Not In Order If we heard Councillor Jones correctly he is so often very difficult to hear he said some thing about the zoning bylaw being in its halfway stage of progress I If what we heard is correct our comment is this There are two new members of council who have not been in on all I planning board debates They j are Councillors Corbett who was out of council for a year and Councillor who has never been in on the debates Our suggestion is that in these the present coun cil will have to start from USE ERA AMD EXPRESS CLASSIFIEDS uncus ton no ma cash Perimeter Healing We specialize in Perimeter Heating Every job is tailor made to convert your present Gravity 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