The Sunday tatler and Jersey City express. (Jersey City, N.J.) 1883-1886, 1885-11-01
H0RoKEN,s SCHOOL WIZ.
An Intelligent Story of the Origin and
Progress of the Row.

Hoboken, dropping In upon one of its best
informed citizens, inquired for news. After
little buzzing upon general politics and
Hudson County matters, it was found that
Intelligent Citizen was strong MsAvoy
man, who was willing TO wager a nice little
stake upon the success of "little Mac >
The reporter inquired if he knew anything
relative to the school troubles in Hoboken,
that was making so much din in some of
the papers, Intelligent Citizen braced him.
self up and said Well, yes he presumed
he knew something about everything going
on in town of public character.
Rep.-Are your public schools in good
condition.
I. C.-Yes, our schools are upon the
whole in good condition. We are little
crowded for room. The Board of Educa-
ton is after our Mayor and Council to
build them another school house. l pre-
sumo it must be done. The Board. ike
the Council, might be improved. We have
been getting too many rather young men
in lately. Our Board, think, is not quite
as strong as it used to be. Although I am
willing to admit that they are faithful, and
their intentions are, as far as I know,
good.
Rep.-What is that Campbell business
that we hear so much about?
| /. C,-Well, now, am afraid you are
beginning to get me into deep water That
Campbell story is long one, and involves
many considerations. There is so much
Of it. l hate to begin to talk about it,
however. 1 will try and briefly say
something to you about it. Campbell came
to Hoboken some twelve years ago. He is
| from some part of Pennsylvania, and,
think, commenced life in Pittsburg in the
grocery business, at which he failed then
he went to school teaching then drifted to
Hoboken, and was employed in one of the
German schools at small salary. Any
how, he was willing to leave it and begin to
teach the first high class for 81 1000 per
year. John Reid was one of the Trustees
at that time, and l think the High School
was one of his pet ideas. Campbell proved
a very good teacher, AS the School De-
partment increased, the High School in
creased until now it consists of four classes.
Rep.-Is Mr.. Campbell still in charge of
the High School?
J. C.-Well, no; there was little
trouble, which arose principally from Mr.
| Campbell's ambition and restless disposi-
ton. After he had taught the High School
some years, School No. was built. The
school filed up at once The High School
was increased by special regulations. All
met III the new building, and after some
sharp diplomacy Mr.. Campbell was INSTALL
ed Principal of both School No. and the
High School. All along during this time
Campbell and the other principals were on
the best of terms. Along during this time,
Deal Old Man Munson-now deceased, was
trustee, and was dead gone on the school
question. He got it somehow into his
honest old head that Campbell was the
greatest man in the universe. He was a
Custom House Officer, located on this side
of the river, he had very little to do, and
spent most of his time doddling around
from one school to another, but
was mostly to be found in Camp
bells school, in the Office. He
burnt SO much incense under Campbell's
nose that the mans head began to swell.
He was all the time threatening to leave, if
something wasn't done to make it an OBJ
ject for him to stay. The good old man in
his innocence really thought he would
leave, and If he did, we might just as well
close up the whole business. Finally a
scheme was Matched up, that the schools
were going to pot, and would continue to
do o, unless Campbell was put in charge
| w Bee tua1 everything WdS 1uA uAllOLAuAt
and correct. He was to be made grade
Superintendent with an advance in salary
of $50 per month. This was virtually a
displacement of VIM. Rue, who was, then
and now, City Superintendent A paper
was secretly gotten up, and was taken
around by influential parties. Between
pleading and wheedling most of the trus.
tees, think, signed 1t. The thing leaked
out. The town got ablaze over it, the
trustees began to think. VIM Rue's friends
began to act. The names were taken of
the paper, until only three remained
When the thing came up in the Board,
there was racket which awoke the echoes
"Tom" O'Brien was then School Trustee
from the Third Ward. He went for Camp
| bell, who sat in the room as white as a
| ghost. I really thought it pity of the
poor fellow. Such an intellectual fagella-
ton I never saw or heard. There was
nothing to break CampbelPs fall He
retired beaten, disappointed, and soured.
From then till now we have had very little
peace in the school department. When
quiet exists, it is only by authority which
no teacher dares to gainsay. will just
here stop to say that during the year in
which John Reid was President. we had
the quietest time in the existence of the
/ department.
John enforced the rules and would stand
no foo.ing, and there was none besides,
he was temperate and just in his decisions,
and administered school affairs with con-
summate ability and frmness. The feeling
which started when Campbell tried to un-
dermine Rue breaks out every once in
awhile, like smoldering fire. / have been
particular to tell you this. as it Is the key
to all the trouble. The other principals
are distrustful of Campbell, since then,
and think he is all the time conspiring to
get the best of them, 1t is the old story of
the burnt child dreading the fire. What
else do you want to know?
Rep II am obliged to you but what
you have just SO graphically told me about
is ancient history, to some extent What
are your recent troubles What is the
present talk about2
T. C.-Well, I told you where the roots
are to be found. If you did not hear that,
you would not understand Campbell got
above his business, and forgot that there
was School Board or, in other words, he
was kind of pocket-edition of Cardinal
Wolsey. He run things with such high
hand that under John Reds lead he was
reduced to the same rank as the other
principals, and his school made precisely
the same as the others. The High School
was put under the charge of State Normal
School graduate, named Demarest. who
came highly recommended. He has been
there little over year, and has made a
splendid record. The last Commencement
was conducted under his charge. The Gov
ernor was present, and made a grand
speech. The whole thing passed off with
more eclat than any previous Commence
ment Young Qemarest gets great credit,
and the foolish people who imagined that
no one knew how to teach but Campbell
are being undeceived.
Reps Campbell not really a good
teacher?
I.C.-Yes, he has great many elements
which go to make a good teacher. 1t would
not be just to say that he is on the whole
better than any of his brother principles.
Each one in some particular quality excels
the other, while Ill taken together they are
nearly equal. We have just as good results
from the other schools as from No. 4,
| which Can. nhall teaohas CampbelIs