Moundsville Echo
MRS. JAMESON FINALLY WINS FAMOUS SUIT
May 14, 1914
By a judgement of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia, just handed down at Charleston, Mrs. Hallie Janes Jameson is winner of her famous suit against the Union district board of education for salary as teacher of music in the schools at Benwood.
The case is one that has attracted more than statewide interest. The plaintiff, then Miss Hallie Janes, served one year as teacher of music in the schools of Benwood and McMechen. She was requested to apply for the position again. She went to the president of the Union district board of education, according to evidence introduced in the trials of the case in this county, and applied for the position, and was assured by him that she would be reappointed.
She went away for the summer vacation, and while away was married to J. F. Jameson, who was then superintendent of the public schools at Cameron.
She sent her husband to the president of the Union district board to inform him that she would fill her engagement as teacher even tho she had married, but the school board denied her the right to teach and requested that she resign. This she declined to do, and she was discharged by the board.
Upon advice of her attorney, Mrs. Jameson reported for duty at the opening of School and continued to do so for two months, at the end of which time she brought suit before Squire W. M. Riggs of this city for $150, salary for the two months. Squire Riggs found for Mrs. Jameson, and awarded her judgement for the two month's salary.
The school board appealed to the circuit court. In the meantime Mrs. Jameson continued to report for duty until an injunction restraining her from doing so was granted by the circuit court. The injunction was later dissolved.
The circuit court jury which tried the appeal suit sustained the judgement of the court and found for Mrs. Jameson, but Judge Nesbitt set aside the verdict.
Then counsel for Mrs. Jameson appealed to the supreme court and that tribunal has reversed the judgment of the circuit court, reinstated the verdict which favored Mrs. Jameson, and entered judgement in her favor against the Union district school board.
While the suit just won by Mrs. Jameson was for only two months salery [sic] the supreme court's finding in her favor, it is said, settles the question of salary for the entire term and the school board will have to pay her for the entire term.