The New York herald., 1876-10-13

strictly the discipline Of tho schools The life OF
teacher IA a laborious one and few women would en-
brace u without necessity so hat the dangers dreaded
Married ladies had proved to be excellent teachers and
he did not believe was either or fair to begin TO
iegisate against them, taking Tor text the contin
eences incidental to the married condition in life,
pecialy II such legislation had the aintest tinge OF
gong farther than necessary 10 preserve due de-
IN the class and that delicxcy which
would be most noticenbly missed II found wanting In
the instructors OF children and grown up girls
VIEWS BERNARD sMyTH.
Mr. Bernard Smyth, ex-Presdent of tho Board Of
Education, was visited AT Lis Office Pine street. and
his opinion elected Ar Smyth has been identified
with the public schools OF the city twenty years
past and Is thoroughly familiar with their working.
lie was twice fresident of the Board oil Education,
and Tor number OF years the leading member
of the Board Of Trustees in the Seventh
ward. His opinion is therefore OF importance
in connection with tho question OF having married
female teachers IN the schools That opinion he gave
freely, and said that body thoroughly conversant
with school system could not for . enter
tain any other than that married women, as a
rule should be excluded from teaching IN the schools
The reasons were numerous and did not need TO be re-
peated, even III IL werc Juuicious 10 do In former
times IL was well understood that lady teachers
should not hope to retain their positions
after marriage. and that married lady
could hope Tor appointment TO teachorshp.
Tho sentiment of the school trustees adverse to
such appointments and this settled the difficulty, even
though there was no law OF the Board on the subject
In the seventh ward the oppos Of the trustees TO
appointing married female teachers was practically
law In his opinion there exceptions 10 The gen.
cral rule that ought TO be adopted. For instance
widow lady or lady separated from her husband
could mot be objected 10, but there was a
danger in legsstng to provide for particular cases,
and there ought 10 be a bylaw passed by the Board
making the exclusion general and leaving TO some
thority the power 10 make The exccptions There
doubt about the fact that when female teacher got
married she should AZ oncc cease TO be teacher
under the Board; that should be determined
upon beyond all cavil. When he was resld-
ing in the Seventh ward he was sometimes
called on by citizens who complained that
female teachers were married. No aclion was taken
IN these cases because there was no proof that such
the fact You see there Is danger la inqnring too
closely in matter SO delicate AS this. lie believed
that when tho LADY teachers got married thoy should
retire 10 domestic ilc which then their proper
sphere, for no other reason than that thcro wore
scores OF girls Who had been trained IN the Normal
College waiting and competent to fill the vacancies;
and II was only far considering the abundant
reasons there why married lady should
teach, that there should be a rule preventing them
irom occupying positions IN which certainly they
causing moro less Inconvenience the
schools. These ladies' themselves should be willing TO
give the girls waiting for positions chance to earn
retain them for liie lie knew that very many of tho
young ladies' who graduated in the Normal school
to help IN bringing them through lhcr at the
college, and these girls If they chance TO become
toachers as they have righ. to expect would be OF
considerable assistance to their faniies The Board
OF Education did not contemp plate giving females posi-
tons Tor lc and adapting the discpne OF the schools
to tho natural consequences of this marriage OF female
teachers. II would to be fairer and moro
just to think that the Board Of Education
accepted the services Of young ladies' as
unmarried, but that when they assumed responsible
ties evidently Incompatible with public duty they
should retire and allow those girls, trained Tor that
purpose by the Board ITSELF to get tho chance they
themselves had got when they needed it, The truth
was that the marriage Of the female teachers wns in
creasing year alter year, and IN his opinion this
a growing OWL He spoke oil the gen
cral rule which should govern the schools and not
OF exceptional cases, In which tho Board might act
with lcnency, and in acting only do what would be
right and Just under particular circumstances. In a
word, the rule should be that married women should
not be teachers the exceptions TO the rule should be
lett 10 the wisdom Of the school trustees the trus
tees and tho Board combined. The subject deli
cate but the reasons Tor excluding married teachers
from the scnoos under general rule, Mr.. Smyth
thought, wero or ought TO be apparent
COMMISSIONING WILKINS
Commissioner Morris ilkins was found at his office,
No. Pine street, and when asked for his views said
he had been busy lately that no bad not given the
he would say that. in his Judgment the most pru-
dent course to pursue was not 10 leeislate
the matter at all, to leave II
just where Il was and 10 deal with married female
teachers teachers, and not married women. The
Board OF Education had nothing 10 do with the mar
see that the children in tho schools were provided
with good teachers and we're taught Now, anything
that intcrfcred with the instruction OF the
children should be remedied at once If
schools aud intericrsd with discipline md
proper teaching then they ought to be removed
and other teachers put in their places II the married
female teachers performed their duties fairly and there
no cause Ior complaint against them, thcn they
should be retained teachers appointed to positions
married. Ii would not take very long to ascertain
the extent to which n school ght be
and in the objections suggested about married teachers
the ordinary course might be safely followed.