The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-05-03
ARE PUBLIC SCHOOLS FREE /?
The Question Partially Solved in
Jersey City.


the Board Of Education-Ege's DeAni.
ton Of "Unruly"-Ths State Law
asWen - the Rules Violated.
Since the HERALD exposed an extraordinary ease
OF attempted proseytism in o Jersey City public
school, not many days ago. the Catholics Of that
city have been greatly agitated on the subject.
They relied on the Board OF Education for Justice in
the case, and it win now be shown in what manner
the Board fulfilled public expectation. The term
for which this Board was elected VIII expire to-
morrow night, and the public can judge for them
selves whether the last meeting Of the Board con-
formed to the good old maxim Of great statesman
that It was most meet and becoming In a
Christian ruler to inaugurate his executive career
BY an act OF clemency and terminate It by an act
OF justice.
superintendent Dickinson, to whom the case o.
the boy Whelan was referred for investigation,
presented the following reports
GKNrLExRN-At the last meeting of this Board the fol-
lowing resolution with the accompanying directions was
any Exercises either vocal or other
e ne
erosion Of The rules Of the Board I'm this particular have
Inc rules established By tho Board es E4ses
shall
the Scrptares without % not. or ny and ccrs
s r % BE Ar auns
State law forbds all religious except reading
s q
n sna ~
,Rs.sncss pupils! have desired absent
sss sss IS sire nj
daeaion Of the shiaren IN
vocal music a No music books are provided in q the
s arc
% S y
psap .hsa n
soass have been snns as an smSsement, ana in
school sxercisss-never as religious exercisss.
oha rhss sfa sssss %
ar ssss nHs 1'Sa s aas
e 2 e my sas
me
T.
The report was received and entered in full on
the minutes. AS no mention was made Of the act
OF Mr.. Wakeman In sending the boy home from
school, nor OF Miss Burt for striking his head
against the desk because he refused to adopt the
non Cathoc practice OF bowling his head at the
Lords prayer, Mr.. Norton arose and asked the Su.
perintendent If he knew anything about the boy
who was expelled from No. School, and II SO,
whether the boy was reinstated. Mr. Dickinson
replied that although no report Of the case had
been made to him, he had visited the boys par
ents and given him written permission to return
to school The boy however, had not thus ., far
said that the boys father was willing to make on
AFFIDAVIT that IT,. his son was put out Of the
refused to join In singing hymn. He (Mr. Nor
toni told the father to bring back the boy and he
without letter from the superintendent or some
member OF the Board Of Education II was one of
s Il the he w sss
to the Superintendent. He (Mr. norton, there
the q the boy Whsn
Mr.. Dickinson replied that no report OF the case
had been made to him. Here Mr. Pangborn, ind
interposed and called for the question on the re-
csption Of the report and the question was car.
ried.
Mr.. Norton was resolved, however, to have the
sense OF the Board in this matter placed on rec
fered resolution, providing that teachers SHAH
cOnflnc themselves exclusively to the text books,
BY the and set forth in the rules o.
the Board OF Education OF Jersey city. This reso-
sge paa a
to his feet. He asked II the ton was IN
tended to apply to the Bible. Mr.; Norton replied
teacher, at least, had Violated the the rule rule
that was designed to cover this point. Mr..
here came to the rescue p"' He Manifested
great Indignation That the resolution should be
an unruly and disobcdlent boy CAS- he said this ne
turned half round to Pangbsrn, who smiled and
nOuueu HSSeut.) tie therefore moved TO lay Inc
resolution on the table, ana the vote on this re.
suited IS f0llOws:-
Y.cs.-Messrs Douglass, Ege HITLER, George Miller,
Pangborn Thomas g.. -.
Norton, Thies-3.
This ended the case as far as the outgoing Board
Of Education Is concerned. Had Edward i.
Murphy, the colleague or Mr.. Laverty, from the
SECOND nd district been present, fanaticIsm would
constituents are Catholics, and this makes MS alb.
sence all the more inexplicabie. Yet there is
Ann RI fpry Vhan In tf1apnh tSNot
three Of the five In the mnorty-Potter, Miller and
Thies-are not Catholics, but they esp0used the
cause OF freedom OF conscience
In the expulsion OF the boy Whalen the following
rules OF the BOARD OF Education were violated:-
Rule !, "The Principal shall have power to suspend
pupil, notifying the parent or guardian Of the
child and the superintendent Immediately of such
suspension ana the cause thereof and he may only
inhict corporal punishment Rule 10 provides
that mo teacher shall be permitted to be occupied
In any other than the legitimate business OF the
school during school hours" Yet collection OF
hymns compiled by enemies or the Catholic Church
Is used In No. School at least. The singing OF re-
ligious hymns Is interdicted by the State law
which provides that no religious exercises what.
ever shall be allowed in schools receiving aid from
the State, except reading the Bible and
the power OF expulsion In the superintendent only.
Rule 20 sets forth that the principals OF the several
departments shall open their schools every morn.
ing at nine o'clock by readirg portion Of the
scriptures, without note or comment No alIusion
is made to the Lords Prayer or to hymns. And IN
rule 30 1t is expressly laid down that no studies,
lectures or instruction or new text books of any
kind shall be introduced without the authority Of
the Board. In the catalogue authorized Dy the
Board "collection or hymns Is nowhere to be
feund Rule Al makes 1t obligatory on teachers to
report to the Superintendent forthwith whenever
apupil Is suspended from school. This Wholesale
violation OF rules and OF law without one word Of
reputation Of Jersey City for justice or freedom Of
conscience. ..