Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-01-31
EDUCATIONAL MATTERS.
The Board Reconsiders It's Action IL
Appointing Miss NTiskell.

meeting of the district committee referring
back to the board of education the appoint
ment of Miss Miskell as assistant teacher
at the Welton street school. The resolu-
ton from the district committee was read
and was substantially as follows: That the
district committee did not deem it prudent
to employ nonresident teachers SO long as
there are enough competent teachers to fill
all vacancies among the resident teachers.
Judge Cowell and DR. Hayes denied the
reported imputation that they had voted
for the appointment of Miss aMiskell be-
cause of any intention of having her dis
place any other teacher. or
Judge Webster moved the reconsidera-
ton of the former vote appointing Miss
Miskell to the Welton street school and
said that he had some time ago suggested
the appointment of Miss Miskell and in
sisted on it until he was informed that the
new appointments were only to assistants
places. He hoped to see her appointed to n
position in an advanced grade as soon as
an opportunity is offered.
DIR Hayes seconded the motion and said:
II have received communication from
Miss Miskell stating that she does not de-
sire an assistants position and would pre-
fer room in the grammar grade"
Speaking on the motion Judge Cowell
said: II must dissent from the statement
made that we have outraged public de-
cency and acted with palpable injustice in
appointing this young woman. L voted
for her because she was successful
teacher. never saw the young woman in
my life. but for five minutes. Any charge
against us is manifestly unjust.
Mr. Goss said: "All this trouble could
have been avoided if Miss Miskell's friends
had learned what kind of a position she
wanted before bringing forward her
name"
DIR Hayes said: 81 am not influenced by
the action of the district committee. I
think if the members of that committee
could attend to the finances of the center
school district and have nothing to say
about the appointment of teachers, matters
would be much pleasanter than they are.
DIR Mcdonald said that if the appoint
ment of Miss Miskell was not made for
personal motives, it was done to open the
gates for other favorites, and he thought
it time that someone put stop to such
work He believed that the district COM
mittee had an undisputed right to refuse to
sanction any action of the board of educa-
ton that it might think for the best interest
of the public schools.
Judge Webster: II do not think that the
the work of the board of education. If
that were so we might as well resign"
The chairman asked that Chairman Wolff
be heard in explanation of the action OF
the district committee, but Judge Webster
called for the motion and it was put and
carried.
1t was then voted to appoint Miss
Mahaney as teacher, the board to decide
where she should be placed at meeting to
be held later.
The following petitions were granted
Miss Lucy Burns, of the Bank street school,
for leave of absence for an indefinite
period; Miss Nellie Carroll of the East Main
street school, for leave of absence for the
remainderSof the term; Miss Elizabeth
Clark of the Bank street school, for the
leave of absence for the remainder of the
term.
Judge Cowell then asked if it would not
be good idea to pass resolution pro
vidlng that none but residents of the city
should get position in the public schools.
Judge Webster said he should oppose
such resolution as he regarded 1T detrl-
mental to the interests of the public
schools.
Judge Cewell, said he didn believe in it
himself, but it would prevent the same
clamor being raised when another non-resl-
dent teacher should be appointed. Chair
man Mulcahy said there would be no one
found to object to employing out of town
teachers when we were not able to secure
them at home and added whenever the
board went out of town for teacher it was
able to show good reasons for doing so and
no one has objected to this in the least
and there is no reason to suppose that they
will object in the future.
DR. Hayes asked the chairman: 'Was 1t
not on account of the district committee
refusing to approve of Miss McAuliffe as
teacher at the High school two years ago
that she was not appointed to that posi-
tion?'
Father Mulcahy said Miss McAuliffe
would not come to Waterbury for the
salary which the board offered.
Judge Webster presented the following
resolution:
"Resolved, that it is the sense of this
board that it would be unwise to adopt any
rule in any case excluding the employment
of teachers in our public schools who are
not residents of Waterbury,
Mr. Goss, DIR Mcdonald and the chair
man considered such resolution I'M
necessa y because the board always exer-
cised that power. Here Chairman Wolff
of the district committee was permitted to
speak He said:
II am not here to offer an apology fo1
the action of the district committee. L am
here by invitation of the board. The reso-
luton of the district committee fully ex-
plains the stand the board has taken on
the subject. l hold that the board has the
right to inquire the reason of any action OF
the board of education and to refer back to
them for further consideration anything
IL u ,ot 10 in.
terests of the public schools. The dis
trict committee has no desire to dictate to
the committee on teachers, but believes IN
less the board of education could show
some reason for going out of town for
teachers W h1le there were several resident
teachers whose fitness for the vacant posi-
tions was unquestioned, it was something
which the district committee could not
afford to pass by without inquiring the
cause of such action.
DR. Hayes asked Chairman Wolff if he
did not think it would improve the schools
to secure the services of an experienced
teacher as an assistant rather than employ
a novice.
Mr. Wolff said from what he could learn
the experience of the teacher referred to
was very limited, not much more than
some of the resident candidates who are
awaiting an apo ntment in our schools.
The examinations of 1898 which was much
more difficult than any held in previous
years show many who passed with a
higher percentage than the experienced
teacher referred to and who are still wait
ing for positions. Mr. Wolff said that the
statement of DIR Hayes to the effect that
the refusal of the district committee to APP
point Miss McAuliffe two years ago was
due to personal motives was an untruth.
DIR Hayes said he could furnish proof
for his statement.
Judge Webster's resolution was put to a
vote, Judge Cowell, DR. Hayes and Judge
Webster voting for it and Mr. Cess and DR.
Mcdonald opposing. The chairman was
in favor of it, but thought it useless mas
much as there was no need of it. All the
members of the board took the same view
of it and the resolution was withdrawn.
1t was evident from the opinions ex-