Morning journal and courier., 1891-08-25
HowARTn AND LEIGH AT ODDS.

k&e1OT" D0u1ANAOeA AAA S1AO AHAOSAN of Criticising Teachers.
 The important business to be brought before the board of education last night l irew large attendance of members, only l Messrs. Strong and Plunkett being absent. In spite of the intense heat, which render ed the meeting room almost stiding, there was plenty of animation in the discussions of the board. The excitement rose tc its height when toward the close of the ses- sion MT. Howarth got up and denounced in unqualified terms the action of the members in electing Isaac Thomas princi- pal at the last meeting in the absence of several of their number. The speech re- mained unanswered during the few last moments of the meeting, but immediately after adjournment there arose fierce per- sonal controversy between Howarth and Leigh as to whether the latter had con- ducted himself in an underhanded and offensive manner during the entire contest over the prinoipalship. The squabble be- tween the two gentlemen named was not the only exciting episode of the evening. Principal Lewis of the Webster school and the so-called 'tcritic" teachers came in for heavy attack on the part of Captain O'Brien for alleged incompetency and ig- norance in judging the work of subordi- nate instructors. For short time the air was thick with charges and counter charges, attacks on the character and eff ciency of members and teachers and ru- mors and suspicious of all sorts of under 1o.Jo1 troDooofiopo The foarfu1 haot must have affected the honorable mem- bers.
 The board transacted great deal of se- rious business as well, much of which was the appointment of new teachers for the coming school year. Sister Cyril Welch of the Hamilton school presented her resig- nation and it was unanimously accepted. The good sister leaves New Haven to take a position as assistant to the mother supe- rior in the Hartford seminary. On recom- mendation of the school committee Miss Stella Skinner was appointed instructor in drawing in place of Miss Bradley at sal ary of $1,200. Miss Skinner's qualifca- tions were set forth by MT. Adler. The young lady has had several years' experi- ence as an instructor in teachers institutes in New York and Pennsylvania. She has represented Prang of Boston in different schools through the country, and was des- ignated as one of the best instructors in drawing that could be obtained in the United States.
 The school committee also recommends that Sumner Merritt of Boston be ap- pointed to take full charge of the manual training department at a salary of $1 200. Mir. Merritt's appointment was unanimous ly made by the board. MT. Merritt is a graduate of the Massachusetts institute of
 4oob Ciroa ho !,
 filled positions in the Brookline high
 York state He is skilled in all depart-
 ments of manual training, carpentry, iron
 and wood work, moulding of metals, also
 in mechanical drawing and civil engineer ing.
 Some difficulty arose in the board ove, the salary of MT. Merritt, which exceeded
 the regular appropriation of $1,00O for
 manual training. Chairman Adler of the
 committee on schools explained that the
 new instructor, unlike MT. Purcell, was
 trained educator, and moreover, would ob-
 viate the need of an assistant in the
 department, who received salary of $20C
 for extra services. Professor Hovey's in.
 struction in the school of manual training
 will be dispensed with. The question o1
 MT. Hovey's employment in the high
 school was laid over till next meeting
 Suspension of the rule was decided on, al
 lowing MT. Merritt the salary. The com mittee also recommended that the schools
 be opened Tuesday, September 8, instead of the Monday previous, which is Labor day. This recommendation was adopted The following additional changes in the teaching force of the schools were passed upon and adopted. The appointments
 Miss Grace E. Kelsey, No. Washington Miss Ida Lins1ey, No. Grand avenue Sister Mildred Hayes, No. 1 Hamilton Rachel Lynde, No. Cedar.
 Change of grades: Miss J. N. Flanagan No. 5 to 5a; Miss M. E. Egan, No. 4 to 5
 Miss R. F. Conlan, No. 3a to 4; Miss A. E Clark, No. 2a to 3a. Miss Alice G. Spea
 and Miss Mary E. Smith were appointed | as substitutes in the Washington ant l Woolsely schools.'respectively By vote of the board the building com mittee was authorized to provide the neces l sary furniture for the Dixwell avenue | school addition.
 Miss Isbelle of the Dwight street schoo l asked for leave of absence for year. Mis- l Isbelle has been teaching steadily for th past eight years and is in need of rest. The request was refused by the board | on the ground that teachers in gooc health desiring an extended vacation should do so at their own risk, since the board cannot hold open valuable plac, for an entire year.
 At this point Captain O'Brien brough up the grievance of a number of young l lady teachers who after one years expe l rience received an advance of $25 only, in stead of the customary $50. These teachers thought they had been giving per feet satisfaction, and were not notified from time to time of their defects. Ere quently the principal never went near tho rooms of the teachers whose salaries were not advanced. Captain O'Brien though that the evidence of the so-called s'critic' teachers was worthless, as their reports were frequently made up and second 1 school rooms of their subordinates He l condemned the whole system of espionage in vogue here as entirely unjust, believing that instead of the sending of secret information by the principals to the superintendent, the latter ought to speak frankly with the teachers from time tC time of their defects so that they might
 have an opportunity of bettering them
 selves. After considerable discussion tn,
 cases where salaries were not increased
 were referred back to the committee or schools.
 There was flutter of excitement as MT
 HoWarth rose to speak to question o1
 privilege. He said: 'On my return home
 to New Haven I found waiting for me ar
 unpleasant surprise. It appeared that
 while three members of the board wers
 away from town and unable to offer any
 protest few scheming persons had forced
 the hand of the board by rushing through
 the election of a principal in an unseemly
 manner. It was an especial surprise to
 me since those very persons who precipi-
 tated such action had pretended to be ir favor of delay, but were only waiting fo1
 us to get out of the city before they should spring their trap"
 Then one man Captain O'Brien) stood
 by his dignity and manhood and refused
 to countenance the work of these Mark
 Tapley fellows, so smooth and open to the
 face and treacherous behind the back. The
 line of conduct pursued was contemptible
 and deserves the severest personal con- demnation. It was beneath the dignity of a body like this and resembled the tactics of ward politicians. I wash my hands of
 the whole business from beginning to end. After the award of the Dixwel avenue
 school contract to Hubbell, Merwin & Co., for $1, 700 the board adjourned. After the
 session Howarth personally taxed Leigh of saying that he had got even with him on the principalship, also of voting for Gulliver as blind to deceive the friends
 of Haywood and of influencing members