The New York herald., 1876-10-08
MARRIED OR SINGLE ?"

circles In regard to the praeticabty, we'll the
propiiety, or female teachers being permitted to
teach ana remain employees Of The Board Of Ecuca-
tion having married, creates the very veiest
interest There about 600 lady teachers In this
city and OF that number It Is said about Eve per
are married, or. having been married, are now
widowhood. The majority Of these two classes
most estmabe ladies' and IN many cases are known TO
be excellent educators Of the youth of both In
some cases owing TO fault the part OF the lady
teachers where they have been unfortunate
TO mako an undcservipg and unworthy choice
OF q husband, tho latter has abandoned his
trust, or II not. he either comDels or
persuaccs his wife TO support him in idcness There
are many who desire eat bread In that way but
general thing local boards Of trustees are decidedly
averse to granting positions to teachers whose hus
bands not virtually abandoned ;hem rs they be-
hove It to bo hagrant encouragement to an idle or
dissoutc husband. HERALD reporter made tour
among several OF tho public schools Of tho city FRI
day and saw many lady well male teachers. with
whom he conversod on this subject, as we'll a. with
several school trustees. With very few exceptions,
in fact thero was but exception tho teachers Of
the gentlcr and weaker wcro eager and anxious
to give their views and part OF tho general sent-
on this question, which they deem to be vital
tar as the schools affected.
OLD SCHOOL.
Mr.. Charles s. Wright, who resides at No 2l0 West
Fourth street. is the Chairman OF tho Board Of Trus-
tees or the Ninth ward, and has been connected with
school affairs officer in his own district since
1850 He was, therefore, deemed In the matter 70 be
competent authority. Nr. Wright asked what he
thought Of the matter, aud ho said
las general thing am not in favor OF appointing
married womch to bc teachers any OF the seven
schools our district. There are four grammar and
three primary schools In this district OF ours and do
not know Of than four Two OF the ladies
are married women whose husbands havo abandoned
or neglected to provide for them, aud the other
two widows who were teachers IN the
schools before marriage. do not see where
or how any reasonable person can object to the
employment Of these four teachers out OF total OF
12o female teachers in the schools Of the Ninth
ward knew a most worthy lady whom saw PIN
ing and fretting and with continual anxiety dur
ing school hours because OF young Guild OF hers tor
WHOM she was not able to care properly during school
last she enabled to provide for tho care OF her
child by nrustng II TO another person during school
hours aud anxiety relieved. But these
arc exceptions l do not believe, however, In
appointing married women to be school teachers
while there many competent single
women who have graduated ana ready and willing
to ill vacancies. And do not favor the appoin tmenl
OF grass widows who leave their schools make :
iooish choice OF husband and then, alter years
OF futile management, back to DO provided for by
The taxpayers for il Is woll known trusm that you
your cake and eat II. No positions that
know OF have been gwen to ladies VINO have married
this ward alter leaving the profession OF teaching,
unless thero has been clear understanding that they
have separated from their husbands | think, how
ever that have not the' power to remove married
teachers have tho Board OF Education either, un
less some special act could be passed, and
! don't see how any lady teacher OF thii
attempt mado their salaries considerably
There have been as many to my knowledge az nifty of
sixty pos " y9uns aSss hsHo wno
been unable to provide them with situations II IS,
therefore, unjust to appoint married women to
positions, in my opinion, as teachers And, by the
way, do not think II wiso 10 have estab.
lishcd Normal College, The pupils OF that n
sttuton study death, II the expression might
be used have noticed that girls from that institu
tlon are physically smaller in stature from too much
men,al labor than girls used their ccrli
70 teach from the schools In tho ward where they
educated Besides, when these graduates Of the
Normal College have received an appointment to teach
and have secured a position in some school, they
know nothing comparatively OF its discipline, aud
have to be broken in by the principals.
THE
"In my day went school the old Post once.
in Nassau street, never turned any other cornol
Of Broadway than that OF Liberty street while lived
up hero in Greenwich village Now IL Is all changed,
and boy feos II q grievance TO have 10 walk more
than three blocks to school, 1t IS certain that where
lady Is allowed to teach when married that there is
a good deal OF talk and disanecton among the unmar-
red for least the first year OF the marriage
And 1t s very that there very little respect
gwen to the husband who permits his wife TO teach.
Tho best schools IN our ward arc the Grove street
anu Greenwich avenue schools. In tho latter there
are three female principals, the lady in the primary
department receiving 81 500 year, and in the junior
and senior departments the lady principals each
ceive 81 year None OF these ladies married,
and l do not think that any lady IN the Greenwich
avenue school Is married There twenty nine
teachers in this school, SO the percentage. think
quite favorable 70 the unmarried women"
WHAT THE LADIES sAY.
At Primary School No 1S, III Waverlcy place, near
Bank street, there are soven lady teachers, ono Of
whom Is married. Tho principal, young lady Of ex:
perence In teaching, said that would be hardly fair,
in her opinion to appoint married ladies teach
tho heads Of those who are unmarried and who are
regularly trained tor tho position II would, she be-
licved, be deemed injustice those who
married. Yet she thought that u would be fair
just to dismiss displacc any lady from hor position
who had been unfortunate her choice OF husband
whose husband did not support her, either prop
erly or not a. all sho saw no inferlority
for discipline might DO considered, her ability
might 20 to teach amer marriage. II was moro than
certain that marriage, as tar as her experience went
and in the that under her observance had
not nterfered with their duties TO the school, The
lady who taught in her school, and who married.,
very excellent teacher, and her marriage did
not interfere in any way with her duties. Ths prnci-
pal also believed that there was no injustice in .
widow lady teaching. The percentage Of such cases
was small and did not altor the general rule to any
definite extent
FAIR PLAY FOR rHs BRIDES.
The lady principal OF the primary department. oi
Grammar School No 10 stated that she did think
that II made perccptible difference in . teachei
whether she married SINGLE and would not like
to give an opinion as to the ACCESSIBILITY Of any new
measures IN the NATTER but she did not see that there
could be any harm permitting those who now
holding teachers positions while being married women
10 connue and TINS lady also thought that II was only
fair that widow ladies VINO had been teachers should
have permission TO their bread In tho way which
they had formerly earned II.
In the primary department Of Grammar School No.
3d. D Thirteenth street, noar sixth avenue, thero ara
twelve ladies' acting as teachers, but one Of whom Is
married. Tho principal OF this depart rment, a young
lady, stated that there feeling whatever against
the married teacher, who capable and efficient
and beloved but she believed that the appointment OF
married teachers should be limited by the discretion
OF the local board. She did not know of her
knowledge OF any falling or IN the standard OF discipline
q nm
say that there was any desire among tho unmarried
ladies 10 interfere in matter before the Board OF
Education, us she thought that they would consider
that such Interference In their proper province
as teachers.
Tho young lady teachers in Grammar School No. 20,
in the First ward, took humorous Of the case
They believed that there but female teacher
In tho school who was married, and she could speak
Tor herself But they thought 1t would not be bad