The morning call., 1893-04-04
PLACES FOR SALE.
DR.. Clinton Speaks3Out on
the School Scandal.
FORMER BOARDS UNDER FIRE.
He Believes the People Should De-
mand New System of Appoint
ments to Preclude Bribery.

DR.. Charles a. Clinton returned yester-
day from trip into the country and spoke
freely on the subject of the sale of posi-
tons in the School Department, now under
investigation by the Grand Jury. and which
is stirring the whole community.
DR.. Clinton has had considerable xperi-
ence in school matters. As long as fifteen
years ago he was secretary of the Board of
Examiners and secretary of the School
Board. In 1879 lie exposed the corrupt
methods then prevailing of selling answers
in the State examinations for teacherships.
He is member :of the present Board of
Education.
81 believe that positions have been OBJ
tanned in the School Department by the
use of money for years and years" he said,
land that it is the dutytof members of the
present board or former boards to tell the
Grand jury all they know that might
help to forward their investigation. In
fact advised the Grand Jury 10 subpoena
all such members.
LAS have understood it, in former times
the price OF nomination on the School
Board was at least two appointments. Thus
If Buckley got his board in he would secure
twenty-four positions.
"Twentyfuur positions Mt the current
price of $500 would give him $4,000 With
HlAeu DOAlu ie III X NJ q OF get 50 DuCH.
Then 1t would be reasonable To suppose
that the man who would be venal enough
to give him two places would also be venal
enough to want TO make something of The
i've or SIX other appointments in his gift.
ANY one who knows Of such transactions
ought for the benefit of our school system
to give up the names of the parties who be-
tTayed their trust
u have been somewhat criticized for my
alleged action before the Grand Jury. and
would like to explain the part took. | did
say that l had been offered 500 for an
appointment and that another member had
been offered $1,000, but | did not afterward
modify those statements.
"All said was that the offer was indirect
and was done in this way: A man came to
me and said he was interested in a certain
young lady and was anxious to get her into
the department; that he understood Kelly
~ Crimmins' price was $500, and that while
lie was poor man himself, he felt salts fed
his friends would pay me that price or more
to get her into the department. l became
Indignant and told him he was a scUundTel
to approach me ia that way.
Il gave up his name to the Grand Jury,
which Is lnVeS igating the matter.
"As TO Mr.. Carew'S position | regret that
he feels in a difficulty through this affair.
A more honest man does not exist. and
without him | could do little useful work in
the department. But | think he has a mis-
taken idea of the obligations of friendship.
That gentleman friend of his asked too
much. nope he viii relieve Carew of that
promise; If not Carew ought to give his
name. Carew is Door man aud a man
with large family. vet | can give you one
proof of his integrity. he has a daughter
in the Normal School, preparing for a
leadership. and under the old plan he
could have given her an appointment, yet
he voted for my plan for doing away with
The One-man power, thus blocking his
private interests in the interests of the
public schools.
Yes; this bribery business is of vital
Importance to citizens. and the weak point
IN the matter has been the system adopted
by the Board OF Education. As a rule there
is middleman or mddIe-woman in the
negotiations, but the board is really respon-
slbe. The board should change its system.
The recent plan of tossing up for appoint
mentS, so that each member got from 500
TO S2400 worth year was too much of a
temp alton. II a member was venal he
would get as much out of his appointments
as possible.
In such appointments qualifications
would not count. In that way | believe
many poor teachers were saddled on the
department
ITO break up that system, when l was
elected had q special committee created to
devise better plan. The committee was
composed of the Superintendent and Direc-
tors Hyde, Burke, French, Ames and
u
two plans were submitted, one by Director
Ames and another by myself.
I'VE elect from about seventy-two to
eighty teachers year. Now, by Mr.. Amrs'
plan half the appointments were TO be gwen
to the normal class Of this city upon a COM
petlIive examination to be held by COM
mittee of the faculty of the State uni
yerslty The remaining half were to be
filled by the Directors as before; thatsis, by
the One-man-power plan.
My plan gave six places to the city
normal class every year. This | held suf-
Ii lent Incentive for the class. and that in
the six brightest girls we would get enough
young teachers without excluding ex-
perienced teachers. As we pay so high and
so continuously we ought to get the best.
AS Tor the balance, my plan provided that
when a vacancy occurred each Director
should have the privilege of placing on Q
candidate in nomination. TO he either
graduate of the Normal School or of some
other recognized institution of standing and
to have a regular diploma; that such
nominees should then be examined by the
Board of Examiners, consisting of two
ladies, two gentlemen and the Superin-
tendent
The examination would merely consist
in testing the nominees as to graduation,
experience in teaching and physical ability
to teach. BY the latter qualification was
meant a good presence. that the candidate
should be ladyike and have no physical
disability.
Under this system l believe we would
be bound to pick out the best teachers"
Dr. Clinton then explained how the plan
was first adopted. but at a subsequent
meeting OF the board the adoption was
rescnded and Ames' plan adopted. The
latter was a compromise. and, he thought
in giving the adjudication to the faculty of
the university in some appointments cast a
slur on the ability or honesty OF our Board
of Examiners. He doubted whether the
university faculty, with the exception Of
the professor OF pedagogics. was qualified
to select teachers in public schools, for
which special training was required.
Il hope" concluded the doctor, that
this investigation will be thorough and
that it will result in creating some future
system Of appointments which will make
the School Department safe"
A well-knOwn principal spoke feelingly of
the poor material in the way OF teachers
which were being continually grated on
the department by the vena system in
vogue. He said it was common talk all over
the State that places were for sale for about
$500. Brokers were plentiful and nepOtism
fourished under the system. lie depre-
Gated the present compromise and SAID the
only hope was to remove the oue-man-
appointment power from the board alto
gether.