St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-14
The Principal OF the Humboldt
School Ovepeomes West
Side Petitioners.
It Is a Common Practice for
School Principals to Pro-
mote Pupils.
Cir. Bryant No Greater Sin
ner in This Respect Than
Others,
So School Inspectors Prompt
Iy Dismiss the Charges
Against Him.

bryant Is tildI ut lTIeS uidIlY pIOlHOlCu
pupils in his school, thereby enabling
him to retain the high school course in
the Humboldt school. A resolution of
the school board required that unless
there were thirUy-tive scholars in the
high school course of the branch. the
'branch;' would be dispensed with. To
retain the high school course at Hum
boldt school, Mr.. Bryant is charged
with forcing pupils; skipping grades;
compelling the students to cover
two years in one year. The charge
against Prof. Bryant is brought by
prominent West siders, re presented by
Attorney Hawthorne, and the interests
of Principal Bryant were in the hands
of f. F. Wilde. With DR.. Bridgman
there are associated on the committee
Messrs. Scheffer, Smith, Keaue and
Auerbach.
DR.. Keane opened the proceedings by
requiring Supt. Gilbert to answer the
following question: Is it an irregular
ity or against the custom which pre-
walls in the st. Paul schools for the
principal to make individual promo
tons.
Supt. Gilbert-No. sir; the promotion
of students from time to time IS not ir
regular; it is the common thing; it is
done all through the schools. A pupil
is discovered during the term in a grade
for which he evidently is unfit, and in
such cases it is the custom of the prin-
cipal to advance HIM to the proper
grade.
DR.. Keane-Then l think we can dis
miss the question of promotion, and con-
fine the investigation to the question as
to irrelevaucy of these promotions,
showing whether tue pupils suffered
therefrom or not.
Attorney Hawthorne said it was agreed
that individual pro motions on merit
were proper, but what they protested
against was wholesale promotion, which,
to say the least, was in violation of the
rules of the school board, and also was
prejudicial to the good education. 1t
is in evidence that there are now forty
six pupils in the annex high school at
the Humboldt school, of that number
only twelve passed regularly from grade
to grade, and thirty-four were forced.
l wish to ask Mr.. Gilbert if that is not a
Peculiar State Of Affairs,
and If that does not entirely exceed the
power vested in principal. l am pre-
pared to prove further these wholesale
promotions.
DR.. Keane said they did not want any
proof of this. Prove that these children
promoted were unfit for promotions
DIR. Bridgman-Yes. that is what we
want to get at.
Attorney Hawthorne-We shall do
that; but L first want to understand if
the defense admit to the charge of
wholesale promotions.
Attorney Wilde = We don't admit
that. We promoted pupils, but we did
not promote them iIregularly.
Mr.. Scheffer-YOu, however, admit
that bright scholars were promoted.
Prof. Bryant am willing TO admit
that promotions were made. 1t is the
custom of all principals of schools. We
are enjOined to do it when pupils can
do the work.
Attorney Hawthorne said he wanted
to prove, as he was prepared, these
wholesale promotions. 1t was serious
matter, and exceedingly prejudicial to
good education.
DR.. Bridgman-We shall not allow you
to prove that wholesale promotions are
prejudicial to good education. That is
matter for the board of education.
Attorney Hawthorne-Wha do you
want me to prove, then?
DR.. Bridgman-That Prof. Bryant has
promoted pupils wrongfully, and to
their disadvantage.
Attorney Hawthorne-Then the COM
mittee admits that wholesale promo
tons we're made.
DR.. Bridgman-It is admitted that
promotions were made. That is the
custom in all schools.
Attorney Hawthorne Very we'll
Miss Ada A. Woodbury. was recalled.
She testified to thirty-four pupils being
compelled to put one years work into
five months, and that they were then
passed Oh 10 the high school.
Lady teachers of the HImbold school
were called. These, however, would
not admit that the pupils had been
harmed by the forcing process alleged
TO have been exercised upon certain
scholars now undergoing the high
school course. Some scholars were nat
urally slow.
Owing to interruptions of Attorney
Wilde and members of the committee,
the investigation at times lapsed into
disorder. MIR. Hawthorne protestested
against being interrupted. He said that
Notwithstanding the difficulties imposed
upon them to bring to light the facts
connected with the Humboldt school,
which were admitted to be
Notorious on the West Side,
they were being hampered and opposed
with all sort OF objections.
DR.. Bridgman-We have been en-
deayoring since 2 O'Clock yesterday to
get you TO bring forward some facts or
evidence in support of your charges.
Attorney hawthorne = And every
time | attempt to do so. l am choked
off.
Dr. Bridgman-And every time you
60 outside of the matter under inves-
LEGATION | will choke you off. Deal with
facts and not with theories.
Prof. Slack was called and stated that
wholesale skipping of grades would be
Injurious to pupils.
+. r. Bryant was called. He had new
er told Miss Woodbury. that he removed
his son from the Humboldt annex high
school because he did not want him
kept back by the forced pupils" He
thought his son had been kept back by
the principal.
Supt. Gilbert testified to Miss Little
calling upon him and reporting that the
principal of the Humboldt school was
forcing pupils into the high school
course. He prepared test eXamina-
ton, and from the examination Prof.
Bryant reported number of scholars
ready for promotion to the high school.
The list included the names of pupils
Miss Little reported were unfit to take
the high school course. He did not ex-
anime the examination papers.
DR.. Smitb-What was your opinion
of Miss Little's complaint against Mr..
Bryant?
Supt. Gilbert-I thought Miss Little
unduly excited. Miss Little is a nery-
Gus woman. and my impression was
that in hernervous state and natural
characteristics she had largely exagger-
ated the case and made a mountain out
of mole hill.
Attorney Hawthorne-What would
Won say about thirty pupils being pro-
NOTED in one year?
oupt. Gilbert said it might be regu-
larry done, but it was of very rare oc-
currence.
Attorney Hawthorne-Doyou remem-
Der having said to Prof. Slack that an