New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-06
is MR.. JASPER IN DANGER !?
THE MOVEMENT TO CAPTURE HIS PLACE

| MISS DODGE THOUGHT TO BE At THE HEAD OF IT.
TALKS WITH MEMBERS OF THE BOARD
| How much real efor. is behind the movements
! TO remove Mr. Jasper as Superintcndcnt OF tho
| Public Schools, even the members Of the Board
| Of Education seem at loss about. The anmus
Is generally tboreIt H. he confined 20 three or four
commissioners who not satisfied with Nj. Jas
per's methods and who desire TO introduce new
ideas in the school system. Miss Dodge and Mrs
Agnew credited with being the organizers Of
the movement. Neither of them will admit this,
while neither denies that she wishes to secure Mr.
Jasper's. removal. Miss Dodge, who is regarded as
most active in the opposition to the Superintend-
ent, is said to have acquired dislike for Mr.. JAS
per through her work in connection with manual
training and its introduction into the schools She
is tho president Of the Industrial Education As
ISOLATION at No. University place, which has
established q course of lectures industrial sub
jects free to the teachers of the public schools of
the city.
One Of these teachers, who represents the Fe-
Tea cheers Association, said that Mr. Jasper had
shown no interest whatever in the work or meth
DDS of this association, which has been lending
valuable aid to the city by its lectures TO the
teachers Mr.. Jasper has been invited several
times to lecture, but he has always declined The
association had offered TO give lessons Tree 10 the
school children but he has declined to recommend
this to the Board and had shown on the contrary,
q desire to prejudice the commissioners against tho
school.
Mr. JAsPER's VIEW OF THE DISPUTE.
Mr. Jasper denies any such motive or action IN
regard to the Industrial Association.
Il think" he said, that the reports have ex-
aggerated the feeling between Commissioner
Dodge and myself have come into contact win
both ladies in the Board almost daily in the course
of nv duties during the year and these business
relations have always been pleasant The two
ladies have worked hard and Systematically to
understand and execute their duties as school
commissioners ,.r. -. g.,
subject of industrial education"
None whatever. have worked with the COM
'mittee which has the subject in charge ana have
taken an active part in the direction OF the plans
for the new course Of study. Miss Dodge is on
this committee and all my work has come under
her supervision There have been differences renee Oh
opinion and discussions in which have gwen my
views, but never any disagreement or hard feehhs
to my knowledge ,,
flow about the Industrial Education Associa-
ton of which Miss Dodge is PRESIDENT
L certainly have prejudice against IT, On
the contrary from Miss Dodge's interest IN ~ as
commissioner / take creator interest III 10
myself But Just there is the line that !. as q
raid officer have to draw. am requested 70 loon
after the interest Of the pubic schools. ! nav nav,
never at any time had any interest in school DOCKS
in other private contracts that would relate 10
this department.. can make no exception Ti on
regard to this Industrial Association The poilcy
OF the Board Of Education as indicated by PrcsI-
dent Simmons is to move slowly in manual train
ing until it has been demonstrated that u mas mas
zone beyond the experimental stage. he BOaIu
OF Education has no right to SEND chidreh VIM
come to the public schools to those oil a prlVat,s
organization, even though Ine srop, tbe b5nstria
Education Association to the Board ana tae oheT
Of the association was declined IN consequence
have no business in such nattcr
DEFENDING THE SUPERINTENDENT.
President Simmons said that there was ne
ground to blame Mr.. Jasper for any lack OF aId
in the investigation of the subject of Industrial
Education and in preparing places for That study,
great amount of extra work had been chtalied
upon him and upon the superintendent as
sistants by this vestigation, and 1t had peeh
done thoroughly. " As matter OF fact, SAID ME-
Simmons, the committee has disested from WHAT
has been done in this country In manual tr'inihg'
the most complete and practical summary which
has vet been obtained. Mr. Jasper has been
thoroughly identified with this work, and none has
worked harder than he. Il, remains to he seen seen
how far the practical teaching of this subject
can be reached IN the schools No school sys, sIn
in the world venture to say, has given TINS
subject more thorough investigation than our own.
All talk of placing DR.. McAllister, OF fhadeip.a,
or any other specialist on tins smDlect, at W.
head of the New-YorlS schools, is folly: We don't
need to go ont Of the city TO find competent
men, and we don't want specialists at the head oi
A commissioner who is thoroughly acquainted
with the work of the committee IN relation 10
manual training credits MISS Dodge WIFI o'i"S
at the bottom Of the movement against MI Jas
per: Miss Dodge he said, is "a well-meaning
and impetuous woman. and is doing good work Tor
the schools in many directions; but she Is sun -
Young woman and has great deal yet TO learn
as public official which she does not now fully
realize Public schools are not charity inst'tu-
tjons They ire beseiged however, with numbers
OF people who have little hatchets to grind. ana q
great many OF these persons seem dcsr0us OF
grinding them in the public schools through the
Industrial Education Association. IL would no
an easy matter to spend half a million dollars
in experiments in Industrial education in such !.
city as Ncw-Yorll As it is the board intend
to make trial with $4,000
SOME SUPPOSED CAUSES OF OFFENCE
Miss Dodge, l think, has taken womanls Of
fence against Mr.. Jasper, and her family m
auence in a measure controls Mrs. Agncw. bliss
Dodge's association wants the legislature to endow
it: il has furnished nearly all the teachers to be
examined by Mr. Jasper for appointment IN the
new course of study. but the teacher VINO passed
the highest examination in sewing and some othee
studies was not from the Association School, buo
from uoboken. Miss Dodge with all her eN'
perience has contributed little knowledge to tho
committee although she was appealed to ire
ouently The most important work on the plans
for the new study adopted by the board has
been that of Commissioner HOLT