The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-12-13
PULL" IN SCHOOL
Some DisgraCefu1 Favorit-
ism Shown in Hoboken's
Board of Education.
COMPETITION A MOCKERY.
A High School Teacher Appointed
in Direct Reversal of the Re-
suits Of an Examination.

| Votes count every time, and they
counted with vengeance last night at
Ing meeting of the Hoboken Board of
| Education, when Miss Julia O'Toole was
appointed teacher in the Righ School. all
though in the competitive examination
concluded last week she stood second,
| seven per cent. behind the highest, Miss
Sarah Booth. Trustee Hess, when the
/ vote was announced, asked the clerk to
maze note that the appointment was due
! TO political pull and not scholarship,
! Early il the evening, Trustee Reid re-
quested the clerk to read the report of the
examiners in the competition for ths
vacant position in the High School for
the Information Of the members. The
report showed that Miss Sarah Booth had
averaged rs 3.4 per cent; Miss Julia
O'Toole, II "a, and Miss E. B. Clinton.
! 62 3-4
A SNAP SHOT.
| After recess. when the Board was about
to adjourn. Trustee Cannon remarked
that, as the competitive examination for
! teacher In the High School had been com
pleted, and the report presented to the
! proper committee. and as such COMMITTEES
was not able TO agree, he would move
| that the matter be recalled from said
committee. The motion prevailed, aud
! then Cannon moved that Miss Julia
| O'Toole be appointed.
Trustee Hess. who was Chairman of the
committee IN charge of the matter en-
| tered the chamber at this point, Presf-
! dent Russ informed him of the nature of
! the resolution before the House, and while
| Hess was removing his gloves and coat. he
Ch
| Miss OIoole over Miss Booth, who re-
| Celved the highest percentage in the COM
pet1tive examination.
Cannon replied that under the State
law it is requisite to have n precentage
of at least 20 ia all third grade studies.
| II that examination were held for a
Normal School certificate, Miss Booth
would not be entitled to certificate.
Neithsr would the Others On these
grounds the Board was not bound by the
competitive examination. Again, saying
the general average of 70 per cent shouid
be Sufficient. the Beard still had the ap-
po1ntlye power as in other bodies. I'm
der these circumstances the examiners
should report list of eIigibles, two in
this instance, and the Board make the
selection.
PLAIN SOUND TALK.
Hess agreed with Cannon that the
/ Board could elect anybody, if the reoui-
site number of votes were at haud But,
he asked, would any fair-minded man
vote for a lady who had gone Z per
cent. below another lady in competitive
examination? Miss O'Tooe fell below in
! four studies. She had 81 IN grammar, so
in arithmetic, SO in philosophy and 62 in
Constitution. Miss Booth was away
above the average in all studies, with the
| exception of arithmetic. in which she re-
ceived 30 per cent. Let US choose an
outsider" said Mr. Hess; zone better
hur OF har fVrn / Trf1i 1i,,Ir II
point somebody who is fitted, and, If these
three are not, let us go outside, to New
York or to BGooklvu, and get some one
who is. 1t is not fair to appoint Miss
O'Toole, and nope the members are no t
so narrow-minded as 10 vote for her over
Miss Booth. 1t is not fair"
Trustee Reid said it it made no differ
ence TO him as to personality, but there
was honor in the thing, The purpose of
the competiUiue examination was to see
who was best, aud not to see who was en-
Titled to a normal school certificate. Anv
honest man would suppose the Board
would abide by the decision of the exam-
iuation. II will abide by it," said be.
Miss Booth came out ahead She is an
old and experienced teacher and knows
how to teach, but it is proposed to ap-
point primary teacher, rather inferior
in scholarship. 1t is not the right thing
to do. 1t is bringing this thing down to
humbug. aud if we do this we arr not
fit to be here. The examination was held
in good faith, and let US abide by it, If
Miss O'Toole had been the highest I
| would vote for her"
DISGRACEFUL VOTE.
The Clerk then called the roll and the
resolution appointing Miss O'Toole was
| adopted by the following vote
| Ayes-Trustees Cannon, Dynan, Geb-
harde, Havron, HICKS, Lehman, Martin
| and Sanford.
Noes-Trustees Guth, Hess, Reid and
Russ.
When the result was announced Mr..
| Hess asked the Clerk to make note that
Miss O'Toole was appointed by political
pull and not for her scholarship.
Cannon protested against The language
aud said that il no did not believe il was
due to hot-headedness, he would demand
| an apology.
Mir. Hess replied 1t was not hot-headed-
| ness.
President Russ declared Cannon out OF
order and said he wished he was in Mr..
| Hess's place.
Adjournment stopped further argu-
ment.