Telegram-herald., 1889-06-02
The Last Of Teachers for the Year
Selected
4 GALLANT PROTEST BY NBRIDE
some Faithful oId TeAohers fat oWt A.
MAke Room Tor tntried >es onos-
lite Superintendent 80 t.si - SOC a
Pres Fletcher "a isesign.

the appointment Of the teachers fof the
ensuing school year. quite q number
of changes were made from last year 5
list, and the best of feeling did not ex-
ist IN every quarter. THIS was especial
~ noticeble IA the Fifth ward, which
MAS not represented on the committee
on teachers which prepared the list,
nor WAS Il consulted az is customary.
Mr. Blair started the bail 10 rolling
10y motion 10 adopt the report of the
committee as a whole, whereupon Mr..
Mcbride presented the following peii-
ton for himself and his colleague, Mr..
Sullivan: ~
We, the trustees of the Fifth ward Of
the city of Grand Rapids, and members
Of the Board of Education, hereby
solemnly protest against the inteIier-
cnce OF this board IN the appointment
OF teachers IN Plalniield avenue school
and North Iona street school against
our wish, and the refusal OF the board
90 reappoInt Misses Frank Blood, Alice
Finn and Jennie Murphy AT Plslnheld
avenue school, and Miss Jessie kich-
mond at North Ionia street school, Tor
the the following reasons:
First-Because thepersOns named are
competent and qualified for the posi-
ton asked.
Second-Because il is the desire of
the principals of their respective schools
that they bc rcappOmted.
Third-Bccauseo our constituents have
not objected 10 them, and and a. faras
we know desire Their roappOlntment;
and,
Fourth-Because we, unitecly have
petitioned your honorable body for
their respective reappointmont.
Mr.. Mcbride then moved To refer the
petition 10 the committee on teachers
which was also ruled out of order. An
appeal was taken from the ruling of the
chair but was lost.
Mr.. Blair then moved 10 adopt the
report, 50 far as il referred to the Cen
tral High school. Mr.. HOuseman OBJ
jected slightly to Mrs. Orth, the present
teacher OF German being substituted
10y Miss Helen {. Christ; but on beng
told that Mrs. Orth was deficient III
kngl sh, he was paciiied, and the report
was adopted. No further complaint
was made until ther North IOnia-street
school list was reached, when Mr. Nc
Bride moved To rcinstate Miss Jesse
Richmond. who was displaced to make
room Tor Miss Emma a. Smith, stating
that ii had been the custom for the
committee 20 consult the members
from the wards concerning the appoint
ment OF teachers in their wards.
President Fletcher took the floor and
admitted that he had puIposely left
Messrs. Mcbride and Sullivan off OF
the committee on teachers 50 they
could not have a voice in the selection
of teachers, As they were constantly
trying To keep notoTiousiy incompetent
teachers in, and that he had used hls
power to prevent it. Mr.. Mcbride
warmly denied the charge and de-
nounced it 50 far as the teachers com
potency was concerned as utterly un-
True" and said that they were recon-
mended and wanted 10y their teachers.
His motion was lost. He then moved
that the report be referred back 10 the
committee, which shared the same fate.
Mir. Sullivan moved that the name Of
Elizabeth Smith be placed back ON the
roll instead OF that of Helen Courtney.
who was put IN her place as cadet.
This was also lost and the report for
that school adopted.
When the JuTner-streCt school Was
reached. Mr. Mcbride resorted 10 the
same means 10 have Miss Francis Blood
retained instead of Miss Pauline Christ,
of indianapolis. who was put ~ her
place. and Mss Jennie Murphy pat
back in place of Miss Christ. He also
trled Ia have Miss Alice Finn retained
IN place of the new cadet. Mary Church,
bat his efforts failed, and the list with
the new names went through. He then
offered the following protest. signed by
himself and Mr.. Sullivan. winch the
chair reluctantly permitted to he filed:
The petition of Simon Sullivan and
James T.. Mcbride respectfully shows
that they are the duly qualified school
trustees OF the Fifth ward of said city,
and as such are the mcmbcrs of SAID
board who represent the said fifth ward
thereon, and that they were duly
elected a. such trustees 10y the qualified
votes of SAID ward.
Your petitioners further show that IA
the spring OF 1853. whilst your peti-
toner. James T. Mcbride, WAS a mem
ber OF tins board, he left THIS city and
remained away until November. lss3.
and that his successor was elected IN
>'Iithil'ei' ieo''
Office in September. lsS6, and in June,
81. when the committee on teachers
made thor report of list Of teachers for
tho various schools for The next year,
vour petitioner. james J.. Mcbride,
stated Ia Tho board ihat hC found hy
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