The New York herald., 1876-09-30
MARRIED FEMALE TEACHERS.

MAAuAEO LIN LIZ 4bAOA0nOs
xHE MoorRD QUESTION IN THE BOARD OF ED
UcArIoH-MEErna OF THE COMMITTEE
HAVING rHE MATTER IN cHARGE-vIEws OF
soME OF THE COMMISSIONER
The Committee on Bylaws OF tho Board OF Educa-
ton. consisting OF Messrs West Bcardsee Walker
Baker and HAzsitne, with President Wood ez cDicio
present, held a meeting yesterday afternoon at tho
hail. OF Eln and Grand Streets for the purpose
OF hearing arguments for against the retaining OF
married female teachers In the public schools There
comparatively few married women in tho schools
teachcrs but Commissioner Fuller believes that tho
number Is Increasing rapidly, and at the last reg
ular meeting OF the Board no moved for considera
ton OF tho question now under discussion.
Mr. Fuller yesterday appeared before the committee
and stated in opposition TO having married
female teachers the schools The main objections OF
Mr. Fuller based upon the inconvenienccs arising
from the maternal duties Of the married teachers. Ha
calculates that lady teacher might be
ably expected 10 be absent from her school about three
months in year, and Subsequent maternal duties
would involve serious inconvenienccs In the class
rooms Ho further thinks that the tendency would
be to have the schools filed with married females,
whom eventually the Board could not we'll get rid Of.
This would be unjust TO the numbers OF young ladies
constantly fitting themselves Tor the position OF teacher
and. ho thinks would be detrimental to the working Of
the common school system He believes that young
lady teacher should marry some one able 10 support
hor or not marry al AL.
Comniissio fraud, who happened TO be in tho
Board Of Education rooms was asked for his views and
replied:-"As long as the Board OF Education takes
females teachers any why married
women should be excluded IL would be unfair 90 de-
prve ladies who teach = school the right marry,
and to my mind the system would work better II II
were distinctly understood that female teachers CA
thou hahn hv tna ROn1
OF Education. IL Is true that nconvenences might
arise in school, but none that the trustees OF The
different wards could not vory easily arrange for and
protect the discipline OF the schools. The children
under tho charge OF the female teachers are all
very young, and there Is nothing 10 oppose
the presence OF married female teacher than
TO be met with outside Of school In evory domestic
circle. am OF opinion however, that there are alto
Rcher too many female teachers there being 1000,
while there only 800 male teachers l know
number oi married lady teachers and have iound
the discipline OF their schools to be excellent, and
am not that the slightest
CURED IN the schools IRON their being married. In
ac II the subject were lot alone there would be noh-
ing al all 10 cause any controversy, and tho
schools IN which married ladies teach would
excite comment whatever. The order OF
be easily preserved by judicous action the part
OF the The subject would settle itself with
easily provided for that they would bo scarcely worthy
Of the notice OF the Board II would be altogether
wrong To maxe II a rule that because lady earns
living by teaching In school she should get
rcd DO teacher after her marriage. understand
thoroughly all tho objections that be urged against
having married teachers IN tho schools, but think
experience has shown that there are valid reasons
why married women as wo are likely TO have them
our schools. should be excluded"
Commissioner G0ulding, who attended the meeting
OF the conmtce, being requested to state hts views
the subject said -"I believe 1t would be better II
the allowed to their Judgment
IN this matter see why a married lady
should be excluded from the privilege OF teaching in
teaching who superior Teachers both principals
and class teachers. Il Is very wrong to make young
ladies understand that II they become teachers thcy
therefore lust abandon nl thought OF marriage Such
q conviction in the minds Of young ladies would be
most perncious and 1t seems 10 me II would be alto
gether unworthy OF the Board OF Education 10
pronounce judgment which would place 2 500 young
women In such false position Under ordinary crouin
stances young ladies' who get married are not com
PEELED to earn their own living, and Is only in
cases In which after marriage tho lady teachers
find II necessary to continue in the profession. know
resume to continue teaching the circumstances
have been peculiar and tho Board OF Education would
r.siy. We're tho Board OF Eaucation to PASS = law
orbiddng its female teachers to get married. believe
that such law would have the very worst effect IL
would be foolish sentence to pass upon 60 many
young women aud Il would perhaps, do moro than
1eicat the purpose which 1t intended The Board
OF Education very properly has left nothing undone
10 prepare girls for the profession OF teaching as the
Normal College. Tor instance bears Witness but surely
the Board docs not mean TO ask young ladies' to spend
long time IN study to 1T themselves to be teach
and then 10 debar them Just when their proficiency
10 At ITS best from continuing 10 teach merely because
may be said that 10 hold out inducement to young
lady teachers 70 get married would be almost offering
these women positions for . number OF years. thereby
excluding young ladies who would be waiting
chance to teach, but there is Offering OF such In
ducemeut In the fact OF not establishing prohib
tory law. There Is the same likelihood that young lady
would be supported BY their husbands there
10 that all other young ladies would be supported and
hence the married female teacher would be- The excep
ton TO tho rule; bu: contend that 1t would be wrong
for this Board to say that because lady happens 10
get married while she s teacher she should, there
fore, DO disqualified" (" at seems to me-" Commits
sioner Gouding repeated. 'that this ~hole matter
should be placed In the hands OF the trustees who
would be best able to decide the particular that
mght arise The Board should not bring the matter
up for discussion"
The committee have not arrived at any conclusion
regard to the question, and will PROBABLY hold another
the subject bsoro preparing report to be submitted
In thO Hard