The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-04-24
THE SCHOOL TEACHERS AND TIE CHARTER.

The Entire List OF Public school Teach-
in New York City Wiped Out by
the New Charter-Ag itatiOn Among tho
Mentors.
Section go article OF the new charter after pro-
viding for the appointment and removal Of the
heads OF various bureaus under the city government
it is to be composed by virtue of the new charter
says
existing departments except those the and
Of the Police and Fire and thos
BY this act provided expire the LIST day July, 1874
Considerable apprehension exists among the
1000 public school teachers of the city, male AMIR
female to the effect which this section may havel
upon them. variety Of opinions exist. Some Of
them think that though the text of the clause does
virtually remove them from Office, the presence Of
such provision in the charter was unintentlonal,.
one of those apses Of the law which all unframed
law-makng assemblies liable to, and therefore
not likely to be enforced Others venture to main.
tain that it does not affect them at ALL because Of
the general State law the subject, Some OF the
lady teachers venture to advance the opinions
that they are not included, because they
cannot be ranked as public officers the higher law
opinion Of the community, il not of the wrttem
statutes, being opposed to lady office -holders; butt
they were depressed and agitated when shown thatt
the clause does not say public officers, but per-
sons employed The opinion was general, how
ever that if the charter does actually compel
them to yacate, equity and common sense will rule
to retain them.
Besides" said one teacher "they cannot find
people capable OF teaching in the New York public
schools every day. doubt IL they ever fully
replace the people they propose to dismiss except
by reappOinting them. The children Of New York
are shrewd, observant set OF youngsters and they
are not to be imposed upon by ignoramuses. A
man must keep well up beyond the rudments To
teach them He's got to serve an apprenticeship
his graduation at college to know the business OF
teaching these boys ~
number who feel secure In their places think that
1t viii present an excellent opportunity for getting
rid of incompetent teachers but all of them are
1t Is probable that the dry logic OF O statute has
never before received such close study the hands
OIL these teachers OF the young as this section
TIC astronomy, rhetoric, botany are ali as naught
compared to the thrilling interest conveyed in that
one section, and few OF those studies have been so
thoroughly scanned.
:, Mr. Henry Kiddle, the City Superintendent OF
Public Schools says that he can Interpret the Sec
ton INTO no other meaning than that the schOo9
teachers places are to be vacated. The new clausa
not appearing at all I'm the charter as originaiiS
passed by the Assembly. The term "persons en-
poyed IN the existing departments certainly In
cludes the scho0l teachers as persons employed In
the Department OF Public Instruction and this in
depreciation is cllnched by the clause specially
excepting "the officers and men of the POI
lice and Fire Departments and those by
this act expressly retained" There Is no othez
preted into expressly retaining the school tcachersJ
What the effect will be Of dsplacing the present.
teachers is something that Mr.. Riddle is doubtful
about. lie hopes they may all be reappointed, for2
he does not think their places could be 80 weu
hled by any new appointees; but as there ARD
thirty Commissioners OF Public Instruction to be
elected, instead OF twelve, as the Department ia
now composed he thinks 1t quite likely that neW9
appointments may be insisted upon. school
commissioners newly come into ONCE feed
the natural desire, as well as other mortals In =
similar NIX, TO give some friend good thing, and
as there are 10 be eighteen new Commisaioners
even ,ae Ola Board Is reelectedhere is almosa
oil men may be made Commissioners under the norS
system o. cumulative voting is matter upon which,
tne supect Oh the new appointments mainly hinged
Suhu ian voting Is so far an expermentl
~. -, .ne uougers, repeaters and false Counter
" tne oid regime are doubtless already discnasn1
anu means OF defeating its Intentions and ~
.n @ Jay wiz doubtless have succeeded In fittinS
the Old means to the new end or Of invent,nr na,S
uevlces for the discontinue OF honest votars nhV
oncse means the election falls into the hands OF tha
groggery politicians, and crOp-haired ana broken1
nVsea scnool commissioners are chosen. the atya
once may easily be imagined. 'A'A