SCHOOL ELECTIONS By Jess Wilson I don't know why I awoke this morning thinking about School Elections. With as many more pleasant things to think about I had to remember the school elections law that was passed by an unthinking legislature during the 1930's, the era of the Great Depression. There are not many of "my readers" that are old enough to remember this time of hunger, hunger for food, hunger for decent clothing, hunger for jobs, meaningful employment. One source of job for young people was school teaching at the many one and two teacher schools. The KY law at that time provided for the election of a trustee, a local person to supervise the operation of the local school And most important hire the teacher, Importance, hiring of These trustees were elected by the local patron of the school's district. Such elections caused much discord between neighbors. At one school a quarrel became a shooting and a cousin was killed. At our school the reaction was not as violent. One year my father stood for election with the intention of hiring one of his nieces. A local man asked him to stand down so that he would be elected. He promised Dad that he would hire the niece the first year. Against the advice of cousin of the other man, who said that the fellow would not hire his niece, Dad agree to stand down. The man was elected. Sure enough the cousin was right. As soon as the election was over the man went to town and came home late that afternoon leading a milk cow. I have always felt ashamed of the events that followed when school began. It was not the teacher's fault that her father was minus a milk cow so that she could have a job. I may have had a spat with her, I don't remember. It may have been that I just took a notion to go to the other school. I don't know what followed after I left but soon all my brothers and my sister joined me in the longer walk to the other school. Soon we were joined by all our cousins. Soon the legislature placed the responsibility for hiring of teachers with the county board of education. Things quieted down but I suppose that as long as anyone involved lives so will the hate and strife linger on. BY:jswlsn@prtcnet.org JESS WILSON of CLAY County