The New York herald., 1875-09-21
PUBLIC SCHOOL SCANDALS.

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UPRISING OF THE PEOPLE IN JERSEY cITY-A
MASS MEETING CAILED-MR. HoLLINs STATE
MENr TO THE HERAID-ACTIoN OF THE BOARD
OF EDUCATION.
The excitement in regard to tie management of the
public schools in Jersey City increasing The grave
charges OF hr Hons have aroused the people in every
quarter of the city Letters pouring in TO Mr. Hol
Inns assuring him Of the support Of the people in laying
bare the scandaous Irregularities that have
dsgraced the Board of Education. II is melancholy
reflection that not a single member of the Board has
offered to take stand with him. but the other hand
they have combined in an effort to crush him. Threats
against his life have been made by the adherents of the
members charged with fraud and extravaganza. At the
meeting on Friday night he narrowly escaped being
beaten and thrown down the stairs. In the Railways
and the lobby mutterngs of vengeance were
dstincrg audible In the midst of all this commoton
Mr. Hollins remained wonderfully calm. He told the
Board he had no faith in any investigating committee
it might appoint; that he would substantiate the
charges before mass Meeting of his fellow citizens and
before the Grand Jury, and that If he failed do so
the aggrieved members could obtain
FULL THE COURTS
He objected most decidedly to investigation in
which ex-Judge Randolph would be concerned as that
gentlemen without hearing the slightest evidence had
SAPiNs9Su
in the matter.
large number of prominent citizens waited on Mr..
Hollins after the meeting and pledged themselves to
aid him by every means in their power Among these
were Jonathan Durant, James Fleming W. d. Hart
Henry Wild James Carey and s. Hoffman.
committee was organized and a mass
meeting called for this evening at the Arcade in
Newark avenue where Mr.. Holins will repeat his
charges and ask for the appointment Of committee of
citizens by that meeting to investigate them. He will
also go before the Grand Jury to-day Mr. Lewis Cor
poration Counsel sustans Mr. Holns in the view that
the schools must be closed before the 1s of December
as the appropriation will not last till that
Time He also holds that when the appropriation is
hausted any expenditure in anticipation OF the /
years tax levy will be illegal Eleven thousand chill
dren will thus be thrown the streets through the
FRAUDS AND ExTRAvAGAScE
of the present Board.
HERALD representative called upon Mr. Hollns yes
terday to obtain further particulars in the and he
gave the following satement-"Our appropriation for
this year. till the LIST of December has been exhausted
except the sum of $4,000 This will fall short of the
amount required by $50 600 and the consequence
will be that the schools must be closed The appropri
alton was amply sufficient had it been honestly ex-
pended The tabular financial statement presented by
the Chairman of the Finance Committee at the meeting
before the last was inaccurate that called attention
to it That statement set forth that the expenditures
for the year amounted to $262,000. l pointed
out that there was large number OF bills
then in possession of the Board which not in
cuded in that report and therefore, l, a member
of the Finance Committee refused to sign it, for
Sldered the report intended to mSlead the
payers and make pretended show OF economy
offered minority report, but ruled out of order
by the President That the avorite mode of treat
ing whenever tried to check extravaganza and
pose fraud You will see by this printed copy of the
minutes that, far back the Sth of February pre-
sented report warning the Board that if it persisted
in its course of extravaganza the appropriation
would fall short by $30 000 II turns out that my
prediction Is being fulfilled. With regard to some of
the other charges investigation will reveal why Mr.
Haslitt, most excellent janitor, was discharged while
Others who are most incompetent and Objectionable,
are retained Miss Gregory the principal of school No
49, in Wayne street. has frequently complained of the
antress in her school for ncompetency but she could
never succeed in having the case investigated Then
comes the case Of Mr. Hale who receives a salary of
$4,000 year as vice principal of the High School,
but who is so incompetent that when the principal
sick we
HAD TO EMPLOY PROFESSOR
to take his place at the expense of the city The late
Professor Murphy, principal of school No g. was wor-
red and dsheartened failure place his teachers
under proper discipline They openly encouraged
in their INSTRUMENTATION by least member of the
Board Our schools never had efficient con-
sclentious teacher than Mr. Murphy, will appear by
the resolutions passed by the Board the 22d of Feb
ruary The disrespect shown him by members of the
Board cannot fail to the deepest Indignation
when the facts made known. In another school the
children had to ~ sent away in the depth of winter for
two days, through the neglect OF the anitor to light
the fires, yet he is still retained 1t will be shown
that teachers who are notoriousy incompetent
taned through favoritism on the part of the members
and against the protest of the principals that anitors
have been ntimdated from exposing irregularities and
frauds in the matter of supplies that the coal furnished
in many instances, the merest rubbish, and that
repairs have been charged for where they were not
needed 1t is in such matters these that the public
money has been wasted and t is for the people
say whether or not such system shall be continued
MEETING OF THE BOARD
meeting of the Board of Education held last
evening to give MT HolIns opportunity to "purge
himself Of his contempt or be expelled The tables
had been turned however, against the Board in tho
meantime by the Supreme Court, and Mr. Hoins en-
tered the Board room smiling Not word uttered
during the proceedings as TO the purpose for which
the meeting was called, that Mr.. Holhns
did not purge himself A resolution offered
by Mr. Mercein adopted that the investiga-
ton extend all Irregularities whether charged
in Mr. Holns report not Mr.. Hollins said that he
in that resolution attempt to throw mpedmcns
in the way of thorough investigation. He demanded
that the inquiry be conducted in straightforward way
and not be hampered by unnecessary delay He would
give his time and energy TO the work. in which he would
have 70 contend against all the other members OF the
Board, they had recorded their votes against him
Mr. McGrath said that he a statement in the
NEW YORK HERALD that the would be taken be-
fore the Grand Jury As for himself he challenged in.
vestgaon before the Board of Citizens the courts
When vote was being taken the payment of sundry
bills Mr.. Holins said he would refuse to for the
payment OF any bills except the salaries of teachers
the appropriation almost exhausted The subject
then dropped, and Mr.. Sanborn and submitted a
plan in the appointment Of teachers by which saving
of 81, 500 year would be effected TO the city.