The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-01-19

make very nice collection of ncte paper from
the same source. AT the present price OF paper
tdis last Is quite an item, and we comments the
idea 70 those who suffer in this way.
InmOraSttics I'm Our Public Schools
Only Q few days ago we were shocked by
the revelations Of gross immortality and dis
graceful mismsnagenient in tho Boston House
Of Refuge Mem and women. boys and girls
were compelled 10 strip and battle in the same
room; and the females were horribly beaten
and half-starved by . brutal Superintendent.
But in our disgust at the uncivilized conduct Of
the Boston authorities we must not overlook
that Of some Of our own officials At the meet
ing Of the Board Of Education Of this city on
Wednesday evening last communication was
received from the Thirteenth ward school officers
showing that the representative Of that ward
had been requested to resign his position In
the Board of Education. and urging that, as the
member had not resigned, he should be igno-
miniously dismissed. No doubt there must be
very serious facts to justify such an unusual
and important communication, and the whole
matter ought to be at once investigated, par
ticularly as reports are current concerning
some OF our school officers which prove New
York to be no further behind Boston in i'm
morality than in anything else.
1t appears, from these recently published re-
ports, that rumors were in circulation some
time ago in regard to an improper intimacy
between school officer and one of the lady
teachers in his ward These rumors were
so plausibly stated that the school officers
appointed a committee Of investigation. The
committee proceeded to a little place on Long
Island called Wavcrley. and there took testi-
mony and collected evidence. Several persons
deposed that the school officer and member Of
the Board Of Education referred to had come to
Waverley with one of the lady teachers, passed
her off as his wife, slept in the same room and
bed with her, INDUCED in milk punches and
fornication, and otherwise disgraced himself
and the Board to which he belonged. Upon
this evidence, which seemed to be considered
indisputable, the school officers passed reso-
luton requesting their associate TO resign
and Diminishing the lady teacher. Their asso-
ciate refused to hand in his resigna-
ton and persisted in participating in tho
proceedings Of the Board. The school officers
then appealed to the Board Of Education, and
the Board appointed . special committee Of
investigation. for whose report We must wait
before further action Is taken.
But, as Is usually the case, this scandal has
brought out others, which have long been
whispered about, but have not been publicly
stated 1t is said that some Of the school
officers abuse their privileges by securing the
appointment Of kept mistresses and other
women Of bad character as teachers. 1t is
said that some school officers endeavor to
seduce the teachers in their schools, and make
vice the price of promotion and advanced
salaries. 1t is said that some school officers take
every occasion to insult the teachers in the
schools under their charge, and, by improper
proposals, threats of removal and invitations to
ride, continually torment and annoy the ladies
who are there employed. Whether or not
such rumors can be substantiatcd by COM
petent witnesses we do not propose to
say. It is sufficient for us to know that
such rumors are in circulation, and have been
for long time past. This knowledge justifes
US in demanding and insisting upon an imme.
date and thorough investigation. Whitewash-
ing committees will not do; the subject must
be probed to the bottom, and the facts, what
ever they may be, must be officially given to
the public in a succinct and comprehensive
form, so that no one can possibly misunder
stand them. The public schools are the most
important institutions in the country. He who
hampers with them and corrupts them aims
most cruel blow at the liberties and the pros
perity of the nation through all future genera
tions =
But we do not wish to lose this opportunity
of saying, as we have often said before, that the
people of this city are themselves very much to
blame in this matter. Year after year, at every
election for school officers, we have called upon
the voters to select their candidates iudiciousy,
and to care nothing for politics and everything
for character in choosing men for these
positions. We trust that our appeals
will be more generally regarded here
after. If the people put bad man in the
School Board, and that man appoints his mis-
tress as teacher, and such teacher comes
cry to educate and vitiate the young daughters
Of the voters, it really seems as IL this result
were a sort Of Nemesis, OF which the people
cannot justly complain. The evil begins with
them, and they suffer, through their children,
from its effects. The dreadful faint of politics
and party has ruined most of the institutions Of
this country and imperilled the existence Of the
nation, and it is the duty Of every good citizen
to see that our public schools ere secured
against its influence If the citizen sends his
children to suoh a school he ia directly and
personally interested II be is rich enough to
send his children to private school, or is un-
fortunate enough to have no children to edu.
cato, then be lie almost equally interested as
citizen and patriot; for other peoples chill
drnn In AIolr inir,rinn nd