Stories from the past

50 years ago

A portion of the Brawley Union High School bandsmen, some accompanied by parents, gathered outside the door of the high school board room Monday to protest the “forced” resignation of James Morter, band director and instrumental music instructor.

The group sought to make its protests before the BUHS district board of directors, but District Superintendent-Principal Edward F. van Dam, who spoke to them outside the door, explained no request had been received to place them on the agenda as a “delegation” and that such a request must be made in advance.

During a lengthy session during which Van Dam spoke to the group and answered questions, “politics” and “railroading” were charged.

“You know only one side of the story,” the educator replied. In answer to demands to know for what reasons Morter’s resignation was requested, the superintendent explained he could not “ethically” or “legally” give them this information.

Morter, in his first year of teaching at BUHS, is a “probationary” teacher, and trustees may refuse to authorize renewal of his contract at the end of the year if, in their opinion, there is good reason for doing so.

A teacher does not hold tenure until he has been on the staff three years.

Van Dam pointed out the only way reasons for which the decision not to re-employ Morter were made could be publicly disclosed is to hold a public hearing, which must be requested by the teacher himself.

Van Dam denied a report circulating that he called Morter Friday and demanded he resign that night or be fired. He said he asked Mrs. Morter what action her husband planned to take and she told him he was resigning.

Despite a persistent demand from several protestors to give Morter “another chance,” Van Dam explained he could not change the evaluation made of the instructor and so could not “in honesty” advise his retention.

He said the evaluation had been made over a sixmonth period.

40 years ago

SALTON SEA — Residents of communities all around the sea are finding it a little difficult to “love thy neighbor” today.

“You see all those people crying about their flooding on Palm Springs TV,” Helen Burns, Salton Sea Beach, said. But we’re getting all their water.”

The sea is raising relentlessly as a result of the heavy weekend rains west of here. Bombay Beach and North Shore, as well as Salton Sea Beach are all flooding.

Principal offender, according to seaside residents, is Whitewater Wash, which drains a large area to the west and enters the northend of the sea.

“It’s coming in all directions, however, according to Mrs. Burns, owner of Helen’s Beach House. “All the culverts are flowing fast.”

She said that no rain fell in the immediate area Sunday night, “but it did in Palm Springs and Indio. We escape the rain, but we sure got the water.”

The dike broke Sunday night and six pumps are operating Mrs. Burns said.

30 years ago

El Centro-area school districts and the city should plan for future growth by setting aside land for construction of schools before new areas of the city are opened to development, school officials said Thursday night.

The suggestion was made during a meeting of El Centro city and school officials, who met to brief one another on their operations and goals for the future.

It was the first of several meetings to come between the City Council, Planning Commission, El Centro Elementary School District and McCabe Elementary School District, said Mayor Jack Dunnam.

City and school district staff members agreed to meet and draw up a list of concerns that need to be addressed. Following this, elected officials plan to hold meetings on individual topics.

The major concern school officials addressed Thursday was the need to set aside land for schools before developers begin to develop an area.

“The more we can put our heads together and decide what pieces of property would be most appropriate for schools and let developers know ahead of time that these are areas we are looking at for schools, the better the planning is going to be,” said Superintendent Jack Hill of the El Centro Elementary School District.

Hill said future school sites should be mapped out 10 to 15 years ahead of time.