The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-01-17
THE PRINCIPALS REPLY.
School Director Jones Heartily
Scored for His Unjust and
Offensive Speech.

an increase of 8 larry
At the last meeting of the Board of
Education Director Jones made several
statements rejecting on the Character of
the principals of the schools of this city.
viii you kindly allow us enough of your
valuable space to refuts the charges
against us made by him ? He says:-
1 characterize this as a raid upon the City
Tt easury by the principals of the Public Schools.
l am informed that this is not a new thing, that
every year regularly the principals meet and
appoint a committee, who wait upon the mem
bers of the Board, other city officials and per-
sons of influence, begging a raise in salaries.
This is not true. 1t Is the first time
during the existence of the Principals
Association that a committee has been
appointed TO wait upon the members OF
the board to ask for an increase of salar-
les. When it was found that there was a
surplus in the teachers salary account, a
com tnittee OF Eve was appointed to wait
on the members of the board and state to
them the reasons why they thought their
salaries SHOULD be increased.
AN L ENGAGEMENT. Y
The reasons given were Substantially as
follows:-That prior to 1873 the principals
of the schools of this city received a
salary of 1876 per annum. That owing
to the city'S financial EN- paraSsment at
that time, the salaries OF the teachers,
in common with those of other city
officials, were reduced. That the promise
was then made hat when the financial
condition of the city should warrant it
the salaries should be restored to the old
figure. In the case of other city en-
ployes this promise has been fulfilled.
That this is the first year since tn It time
that the finances of the Board of Education
seemed to be in a condition to justify the
expectation thpt the promise would be
fulfilled in the case of the teachers. The
r. =, toiftoa avtortal a0d raaajvoA q
courteous reception from each membe
of the Board. Mr.. Jones in common with
theother members stating that be thought
the teachers were unuerpaid. and that
their salaries should be raised If possible.
Can such action on our part properly or
Justly De called 9 raid on the City
Treasury" or a flight for the s%urpluse'
Every other city of New Jersey, in addi-
ton to the amount OF money received
annually from the State, makes an extra
appropriation for teachers salaries, the
same as our own Board of Finance did
this year.
NOT o sCHooL NO. %.
Mr.. Jones stated that the surplus arose
through m extra appropriation for School
No. rs. which will not be opened until
next September. AS a matter of fact, the
Board of Finance, Instead of appropriate
ing the amount of money received from
the State for teachers salaries and fuel,
as had been its custom, set aside the
whole of the State money, 1922. 900. for
teachers, salaries alone. and placed in the
tax tevy the sum of $4,000 for the fuel
account. And had No. 25 been opened
and maintained through the present fiscal
year, there would still ave teen ample
money to have made the requested in-
crease. This fact also strengthened the
expectations that the pledge made years
ago to the principals by the Board Of Ed
rIcutinp Uny11N Io radnonNad
Mr.. Jones stated that this surplus. if
unused, would revert to the city treas
ury. The law states that the balance of
the State appropriation will return to the
County Superintendent for redistribution
among the different districts of the
county.
He says "School teachers are employed
rs days in the year. aud are out 100 days.
as he has been informed" This is not
true, as Mr.. Jones could easily have
aseertained, had he taken the trouble
to do so. And II it were so, is it
the fault of the teachers? Do they fix
the number of school days in the year?
They would be glad to have many of the
holidays omitted. No longer ago than
last fall the principals made a request to
Mr.. Jones to Keep the schools open on
election day, request uf which nc notice
was taken.
THE APPLICATION FALLAcY.
Mr.. Jones says
The Committee on Teachers has q large num-
Der of applications on file for appointment as
principals from graduates of colleges and in
of learning who are receiving much
lower salaries in other places. Jersey City can
not afford TO pay higher salaries to the teachers
i'll the public schools. 1t is not necessary to do
so, as shown by the large number Of applica-
tons to this Board.
During the first week in January oc-
the s~emf-annual examination OF
applicants for positions as teachers in
this city. The fact that such an exami-
would be held was extensively adj
in all the papers of the city. Not
IL would seem that the salaries
were not a sufficient inducement.
AT the examination held last Sep
only four candidates appeared.
These TWO are the only examinations
that rave been held during the past year.
Is four a large number of applicants In
one year for a city of this size?
Last fall the Board appointed a lady
who was teaching in tue country to a
in one OF our schools. She re-
fused TO accept the appointment because
she could get a larger salary where she
was teaching. Many of the candidates
who apply for the position of principal
not possess the. required quail
fications. The fact that a person is a
graduate neither renders him
TO the position of principal in our
nor guarantees his fitness for the
place. He must possess not only a first
or de State certificate of New Jersey
whicl implies q thorough knowledge of
meth DIS as well as ripe scholarship but
also five years experience as a successful
teacher.
These men who apply are, as a rule.
ignorant of our reQuis ements and make
without knowing whether
they are eligible or not. Notwithstanding
this. the number of applicants is nos large,
Mr.. Jones will fluid out if he In vesti-
ties.
THAT WORT FITCH"
Mr.. Jones states that he shall resist
and oppose this attempt to s'ilc hs' this
from the city treasury. Is there
anything in an open straight forward ap-
pIication by a body OF employees for an
incr ase of salaries to warrant Mr.. Jones
in cbaracrerizing such action as 'flch-
Filchipg is stealing. Does Mr..
Jones think that this city has q set
of thieves at the head of the public
Ii Mr.. Jones did not mean what
he said he should hasten to retract the
as publicly as he made it. II
he did mean IT then his duty is Gle II. He
move for the dismissal of the
principals at once.
1t is not the intention Of the principals