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CITY OF DUBOIS Page 139
In relating this incident the member of the Board said
that someone of the Board said "Mr. Luther, did you get that in
writing from Dr. Higby," and Mr. Luther immediately replied, "Would
you expect me to doubt Dr. Higby's word and ask him to put it in
writing?" That settled the question and was no doubt the cause of
the enthusiastic adoption of the resolution.
Apparently the School Board started some kind of an
investigation, for we find this in the minutes of the 13th of
August, 1883:
"Mr. Luther being present, the President stated to him
that the Board had determined to abolish the office of
Superintendent. "He refused to acquiesce, stating that he would test
the matter. "On motion the secretary was instructed to communicate
with State Superintendent Higby, acquainting him of the fact that
the Board proposed to abolish the office named and requested him to
revoke Luther's commission."
When the School Board elected Mr. Luther the Board
couldn't have certified this election to the State Superintendent
who would have issued to Mr. Luther a commission for that office
authorizing him to hold examinations for teachers, etc., but no one
seemed to know that this should be done and therefore the resolution
notifying the State Superintendent that the office of Borough
Superintendent was abolished received no reply. At a later date Dr.
Higby came to DuBois to assist in the dedication of the Reformed
Church and when approached about the matter he informed a member of
the School Board that his department had no knowledge of a Borough
Superintendent being elected.
On August 30, 1883, W. N. Bole was chosen Principal of
the Schools for one year, and on September 3, 1883, the following
resolution with reference to the City Superintendent was passed:
"Resolved, that W. S. Luther shall no longer be
recognized as official head of the schools; that they be placed
under the jurisdiction of the County Superintendent and that a copy
of this resolution be sent out to each, State Superintendent Higby,
County Superintendent McQuown, and W. S. Luther."
Thus ended the first attempt to elect a Borough
Superintendent of Public Instruction in the Borough of DuBois.
The Borough succeeded in getting along very well for
several years. On inquiry to the Department of Education that
department states that the first
person who reported as Superintendent of Schools was Mr. C. P.
Garrison in 1894-1895 who "sent in an annual report of the several
schools of DuBois and signed his name as Superintendent." This was
done on several successive years, and no record is found of any
commission issued to W. S. Luther.
The building of the central High School was still in
question and finally the plans were worked out and bids were
submitted for the
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