St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-13
Forcing Pupils to Cover Two
Years Scholastic Work
in One Year,
Thereby Enabling His Build
ing to Retain the High
School Course.
Prof. Bryant, However, Yet to
Be Heard From on the
Matter.

made against Principal Bryant, of the
Humboldt school on the West side.
What the complaints are is clearly set
forth in the testimony given below. At
torney Hawthorne appeared for the
West side people who are taking up this
matter, and Principal Bryant was rep
resented by Attorney Wilde. The
greatest interest is being manifested by
the West side people in the investiga-
ton. 1t will be noticed from the report
that Attorney Hawthorne was ''shut
OFF, from introducing what is now
termed 1.-THE case of Miss Woodbury."
1t has been stated that because that
lady and Miss Little, teachers In the
Humboldt. did not see eye to eye with
Principal Bryant, they were forced out
of school. Miss Little's case. however,
is different to Miss Woodbury.. At the
end of the school term she sought out
another sphere of labor. Miss Wood
bury. however, it is claimed, was prom
ised reaDpointment. but in the annual
shuttle was left out. The deputation
from the West side met the committee
early in the afternoon. The whole sub
ally it was decided to hear testimony.
This was commenced at 4 o'clock,
when the whole of the teaching staff Of
the Humboldt school was in attendance
Attorney Hawthorne said, from the
best obtained information-and.o owing
to the timidity of teachers, they had had
considerable difficulty in obtaining in
formation facts were about these
Attorney Wilde-I object to the facts.
want simply the charges. The board
will pass upon the facts as brought out
in the testimony.
DR.. Bridgman-Confine yourself to
the charges, please.
Attorney Hawthorne-We charge that
on or about Jan. s, 1891, the then board
of education passed a resolution provid-
ing for the diScontinuance of all high
schools or annex high schools in which
the number of scholars did not exceed
thirty-five. At that time the number of
scholars in the Humboldt branch high
school did not, or would not at the end
of the half year-the end of January
be sufficient to retain the high school
course under the resolution of the
board. Mr.. Bryrnt reSorted to what
was called the forcing process, that is,
jumping scholars from grade to grade
in order to get a sufficient number OF
students to
Keep His High School.
Miss Woodbury. and Miss Little op.
posed that transaction. They cOnsid-
cred that promotion did not and never
could honestly educate the child.
Rev. 5. q. SMITH would like to call
Mr.. Hawthorne's attention to the fact
that Miss Woodbury's and Miss Little's
cases are not before the committee. We
are here simply to consider the charges
against Mr.. Bryant.
Attorney HAWTHORNE am just COM
ing to that. Miss Little consulted Miss
Woodbury., and reported the forcing of
scholars to Supt. Gilbert, who prom
ised to look into the matter. The atti-
tude of Prof. Bryant towards Miss Lit
tie and Miss Woodbury. changed be-
cause on account of their opposition to
his forcing process. Miss Little has
been dropped because she refused to be
party to that transaction.
Rev. S. G. Smith, want to call the
attention Of Mr.. Hawthorne to the fact
that Prof. Bryant'S relations to Miss
Woodbury. and Miss Little are not be-
fore the committee. We simply have to
consider whether Prof. Bryant has VIC
lated the rules of the board or has acted
improperly, illegally or prejudicially tC
the interetS of the school.
Attorney Hawthorne = You desire
the
Mr.. Scheffer-The board wants the
charges against Prof. Bryant.
Attorney HawthorEe-TheSec charges
involve Miss Woodbury. and Miss Lit
tie.
Rev. S. q. Smith-We have not any
thing at all to do with The cases of Miss
Woodbury. and Miss Little.
Attorney Neutrality-suspicious. power:
are limited.
Rev. S. G. Smith-Simply limited t.
the complaint against Prof. Bryant.
Attorney Hawthorne = The charge
against Prof. Bryant is simply this
| That he has
Forced Scholars
up from grade to grade contrary to The
| letter and spirit of the rules of the
| board of education.
DR.. Bridgman-Veryg good. Now pro
ceed with the proof. That is a specifi
| charge.
An affidavit by Miss Little. now O
| Colorado, was produced by Attorney
| Hawthorne. In this affidavit Miss
| Little stated that when the school boar(
| passed the resolution requiring thirty
five pupils i'll the branch high schools
Prof. Bryant stated to her: For tn,
sake of few pupils we cannot afford t,
| lose the high school," He told her Il
make list of ten brightest pupils anC
| he would promote them. She refuSet
to do this. alleging that many of then
| had previously skipped grades and wer
not prepared for further promotion. Sh
considered it was a great injustice t
the pupils. Many of the pupils wer
forced two and half years in one year
| This was all done to increase the mum
Der of students to take the high Schoo
| course, and keep branch high schoC
| at the Humboldt school. Prof. Bryan
marked the examination papers 0
forced pupils very good" which, il
her opinion, were distinctly bad.
Miss Ada A. Woodbury. testified. Sh
was a teacher at the Humboldt schoC
ND to the last vacation. From her ow
class. when the school opened in Sep
TENDER, 1890, three pupils who entere
at A Z were taken from her room dur
ing the first week and put into B S
They had no examination, but simpl
skipped the A Z work. A similar thin
occurred in January, 1891. pupils max
ing two years work in one. She spe
officially gave the names of four pupil
who were forced to put two years. wor
in one?
Prof Bryant--Did L not tell you an
also the scholars that they need nu
take the high school course if they di
not care to.
Miss Woodbury-Yes. you did; bu
you also said you would like them t
take the high school course.
Several teachers i'll the HumbolC
school were called.
Rev. DIR. Smith said to them: ut hs
been said that the teachers are afraid
speak on this matter because Of Pro
Bryant and Prf. Gilbert. l want I
tell you to speak out as freely as poss
BILE, because we are bigger men tina
they, and we'll protect you.'
The testimony of the teachers ws
favorable TO Mr.. Bryent. They did NJ
know of any wholesale promotions, br
they knew that there had been Sor
SEinninp of grades Thpra was hOv