The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-08-30

AOAC hC W dS ulSlIllSS6u Lner6 was no COU-
troyersy or discussion about the matter
by the trustees. 1t was the spontaneous
action of six men based on what they had
observed.
is want Of discipline was apparent to
anyone when he would permit his pupils to
dictate to him and argue with him as to
what they should do That is but one
example. When the trustees endorsed
his recommendation they were very care
iui not to endorse his qualifications for
executive position and his method of
discipline. He, no doubt, would be a
good teacher in small school"
NOT UP TO THE TINES.
School Trustee j. G. Gregory is a coal
merchan, and was found in his Office.
While he was expressing his opinion
trustees Kline and Cole entered and took
part in the discussion.
1--WE thought after having tried him
three years we could do better, " said Mr..
Gregory, for he was not up to the times
President Voorhees,, OF the Jersey City
Board of Education, wrote our Board
asking Information about Mr. Demarest,
and particularly If he was a 1--we man and
a good disciplinarian. and we wrote back
that we could not say that he was. His
method of managing large school was
not up to the times. He may have been a
good teacher, but he was decidedly poor
principal In dozens of instances he
showed a lack of executive ability. and
the Board was compelled to do his work.
When the Board was asked to recon-
mend him it had no desire to do MIN an
injury, but it could not and did not rec
ommend him as a disciplinarian.
That's So.o said President Kline, of
the Board, who entered at that moment.
Mr. Kline is one of the best known men
in Nyack. He has four times been Mayor
and could have been SO fifth time if he
had desired the honor. He has also been
a member of the Board of Education for
eleven years, and his actions in that
Board have never been questioned until
the removal of Demarest took place He
is a man of force and go-ahead citizen
who keeps on a level with progress.
sYes," said Mr.. Kline, 1--WE noticed a
lack of discipline on the part of Mr..
Demarest before he had been with us
year"
II only went into the Board two years
ago." said Mr.. Gregory. "but as soon as /
became familiar with the duties l re-
marked that the school did not seem to
self both received many complaints con-
corning Mr.. Demarest's lack of discipline
from the parents of school children"
CHILDREN LAUGHED AT HIM.
Eyes, dozens Of them" interjected Mr..
Kline. "The class of people who take an
interest in the school and their children
were the ones who complained, and they
said the children joked about doing as
they pleased when on the TOP
floor where Mr.. Demarest was.
1t was this class of people
who reelected me August 26, when
friends of Mr.. Demarest opposed me-
have known Demarest for years. My
wife is from the Demarest family. When
it was decided to appoint Mr.. Demarest I
was in such position that I could not
successfully oppose it. He grew up as a
teacher in little town in Jersey-River-
4 r. e
term he was the county superintendent,
but the people did not want him longer
than that He went to Westfield and
after short time was dropped there, SO
near as ! can learn, for the same reason
we dismissed him. / do not think he is
college bred and il he is he does not show
1t in conversation.
'sHe uses very bad grammar in CONVEX
sation," commented Mr.. Gregory
II believe, however, said Mr. Kline,
that he was a graduate of the State
Normal School. His lack of discipline
was particularly observable at exalnin-
ations. He had no rules to guide teach
ers aud pupils and the teachers conducted
the examinations just as they pleased,
and many times they passed pupils not
up to the required grade and the Board
would have TO act in the matter for Mr.
Demarest would not. You may say that
our only objection to him is that we did
not think him capable man."
THAT is correct" said Mr.. Cole.
sYes, quite right" added Mr.. Gregory
VIEWS OF OUTSIDERS.
From persons not directly connected
with the management of the school 1T
was said that Mr.. Demarest had consider
able trouble to govern his pupils and that
when any of them rebelled the pupil was
usually successful. One instance of a
row which was almost fight was cited
and it was said the principal came off
second best. This could not be verified
by eye witnesses and is only given as a
sample of the talk in Nyack
On the other hand Mr.. Demar-
est has many warm friends.
He is great Methodist and
was class leader in the church. He
made himself very popular with the mem
bers of this church by the affable man.
ner with which he shook hands. and the
cordial greetings he gave every one he
met. One of his warm admirers is Edi-
tor Adam G. Haeselbarth of the Rock
tGfld County Journal. This gentleman
took such warm interest in Mr.. Dem
Arrest that he wrote to DR.. Pangborn,
whom he had met and asked him to use
his influence in securing the appointment
of Mr.. Demarest to Schoo! No. 90. The
letter was very warm endorsement of
the principal and said he was consist
ant Christian.
1t is evident that the Doctor did exert
himself in behalf of Mr. Demarest for
Director Reid read the letter from Mr.
Haeselbarth at the Board, but Mr.. Reid
forgot to say the letter had been ad-
dressed to DIR. Pangborn.
REJECTED BY BAYONNE.
1t was learned from another source
that at the time Mr.. Demarest was ap-
pointed to school No. 90 he had been re-
jected by the Bayonne Board of Educa-
tion. Mr.. Demarest was an applicant for
q position there, and Mr.. Edward Smith
wrote to Nyack and obtained information
which, upon investigation, decided the
in it's schools.
From still another source it was said
that the career of Mr.. Demarest was. so
unacceptable to the people of Westtield
that he was bounced from there.
A LUNATIC IN H0ROKEN