The New York herald., 1875-11-10
AN INSOLyENT SCHOOL.

CLOSING OF GERMAN KINDERGARTEN AND
DISAPPEARANCE OF THE PRINCIPAL.
Theodore Thrum lately managed in West Twenty ninth
street, Ninth avenue, educational establish
ment known as the German American kindergarten
training school The annual charges for tuition
varied from $50 to $780, payable in advance On
Saturday Sunday last Thrum disappeared, and it
was intimatcd in some of the evening papers yester-
day that he had vctimized the public out OF about
SO, ooo The facts in the these.
Nearly four years ago Messrs Sigismund Kaufman,
orNo 80 Nassau street. Boopke and Others believing
Thrum TO be honest and competent teacher raised
$4,000 which enabled him to buy out n
certain DR.. Gerke, who until then had
directed tho school, but who was, through
love of gambling, it is said, obliged to sell
out The establishment, thus burdened with debt
from the time of Yhruins taking charge of II has
never since been in paying condition Last year Mrs
school, taking as security chattel mortgage TO the
amount OF $4,000 1t was thought that this would
bo sufficient to put the school on q solid basis
financially II appears, however, that the anticipation
not realized, and last fall well during the
past spring. became necessary for Mr. Kaufman and
his friends to raise another voluntary contribution or
$500 TO pay of small outstanding liabilities Still the
school did not pay although Us income is estimated at
a glance when u Is stated that in 1874
40 pupils Of all creeds and classes at
tended the school from different parts of the city and
country, while in 1876 but seventy on the
books. Add to this habitual bad management on the
part OF ThrLm, and there of affairs that
would ruin any enterprise AT times, when but fifteen
sixteen pupils the rolls ten twelve tutors
would be engaged 10 teach them Mrs. Plodterel was
teacher with Dr. Gcrke and remained with Thrum
She went TO Germany two months ago. Mr. Kaufman
states in his opinion and judging from what he
learn, Thrum was steady moral man, not at all given
tofas living. Mr. Kaufmann attorney for Mrs Piod-
terrell has put marshal in charge, and taken posses
sion Of the schoo, furniture, books and other movable
property The entire amount Of Indebtedness of the
school to oil parties far be ascerained VIII
reach $l5 600 The assets are OF course but nominal
The only thing that thus far appears against the sup
posed integrity of the absent principal is that he has
failed to account for about $3.50 OF teachers salaries Mr.
Kaufman received and banked moneys collected from
the pupils When salaries were to be paid he usually
gave Thrum separate check for the amount due TO
each teacher IL is ascertaned that at least por
ton OF these checks he deposited in bank TO his
credit and aterward drew against them Mr. Kaufmann-
believes that this was temporary expedient employed
to raise money, and not done with fraudulent intcn-
tion. on Friday last the missing principal issued
cuar announcing the closing Of his school, and stating
that arrangements had been made with Mr. Muller or
Twenty ninth street. to take his schoars without any
additional charges for the bme up which they had
paid Up till late hour last night nothing had been
heard Of Thrum.