Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-10-07
TOO MANY TEACHERS.
The Attendance at the Ralst0n School
Slowly Decreasing.
DIR. KEARNS LEAVES THE BOARD
After Twenty-Five Years Service in the
Interest Of the School.
EXCITING STAR CHAMBER SESSION

When last nights meeting of the Ralston
| School Board began it was evident that har-
mony was nowhere to be found, and
the white-winged angel of peace had
| scared to more congenial cline.
It was a star-chamber session, though
this was not decided upon without consider
able discussion. A DISPATCH reporter was
present, and asked to be allowed to remain
at the meeting, but was informed that it was
contrary to the custom. No one seemed to
know how the custom became established, or
whether it really was established.
Said Squire Donovan, Secretary Of the
Board: SIT is contrary to rule. We were
elected to do this work, and don't care for
outside interference. One of US might say or
do something that we wouldn't want in
print. Then, it would establish bad prece-
dent"
The reporter-But public school board
meetings should certainly be public
Mr.. Donovan-Not necessarily. Our
books are open to the inspection of the tax
payers of the ward, if they care to examine
them, to see what we do.
DR.. Kearns-I don't see why THE DIS
PATCH should not be represented at the
meeting, if it desires. I can't see any rea-
son to the contrary.
President Cooney-Weil, I, for one. don't
want him to remain.
AN OPEN MEETING ACTUALLY FAVORED.
At this juncture DR.. Kearns moved that
the meeting be open, and it was seconded.
When the motion was put, the two gentle
men voted one aye and one no, the secretary
refusing to vote. The President called the
attention of the secretary to this fact, who
said:
81 won't vote to exclude the reporter, but
1 certainly don't want him to remain"
The President then ruled that only one
man had voted on either side and he decided
it star chamber, and star chamber it was After
the meeting adjourned, Secretary Donovan was
asked as to the result. He said: There was
nothing done at all, except that DR.. Kearns re-
signed. He says he's been contemplating this
for some time"
There certainly must have been a reason for
DR.: Kearns' resignation. Did you accept it?'
mo. We will let it go for awhile. He was
not feeling well, and became excited. You see,
there are pretty good reasons, sometimes, why
no one but members should attend the meeting.
We sometimes say things that we shouldn't"
Were none of the teachers released?"
mo. We decided to lay that matter over for
a few weeksT'
Being unable to get any valuable informa-
tion from that source DR.. Kearns was visited
He seemed to know more about the action of
the board. He said: "Yes, the services of two
teachers were dispensed with. They are Miss
McKenna, of No. 8. and Miss Dempsey of No.
4. They were the last teachers elected The
report on one of the teachers was not very
favorable, but she was retained. My resigna-
tion was not given on the spur of the moment.
have been contemplating the step for several
weeks. Things have not been very pleasant
for some time.
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN THE WORK.
81 have been connected with the school for Is
years, and my heart has been in the work. but
for the past few years it has been running
down, and all could do could not help it. My
advice in matters was unheeded, and have at
last decided to sever my connection. although
am sorry to do so. 1 renamed until the mat
ter of teachers for this year had been settled,
and now will quit. My business takes all my
attention now."
There has been a continual falling off in the
attendance at the school for some time. Some
say 1t Is mlsmanagement on the part of the
School Board, and other reasons are given.
Twenty years ago IL teachers were employed.
This year the school started with nine, two
having been released at the opening of the
year. Now two more will go. reducing the
force to seven. Eighteen pupils have quit the
schools during the month, and now there are
only 293 in attendance.
Miss Kate Neumont, principal of the school,
said while in conversation with DISPATCH
reporters: THE cause of the decrease has
mostly Deen the factories being built, which
crowd out the tenement houses. The Chautau-
qua Lake Ice Company building alone drove out
"a families, and others have been driven from
their homes in the same manner. These fam-
lies usually move into the suburbs, and thus
the schools there become crowded. 1 have no
doubt that in a few years the schools in this
part of the city will be entirely crowded out
on account of the mills and factories taxing
the place OF the tenement houses"