The daily morning journal and courier., 1894-10-12
DID NOT TAKE ANY ACTION.
COMPLAINTS .IGdINsTsUPERVISORS
 OF DRAINING HEARD.

| Tho Members of the Board or Education | Listen to What school Principals Have
 to Say About Miss skinner's Methods, | But Do Nothing.
 The board of education held a special meeting last evening at the rooms on Center street. Reporters were ex- cluded from the hearing. as 1t was the intention of the board to keep the hear Ing private. Everything that was said, however. might Just as we'll have been said In public. It was somewhat after o'clock when the meeting was called to order. Rhe Misses Nader and Skin- ner listened to the complaints which had been made against them.
 John c. Lewis principal of the Web- ster school. was the first called on. l He stated that several of his teach- CTS had complained to him with re- gard to the supervisors of drawing. Their first ground of complaint. he said, was the manner of criticism which the supervisors adopted. The teachers complained that they were criticised by the supervisors before the scholars | Another ground for complaint was that the drawing required too much work in preparation, and also that g. little more instruction from the super visor was at times absolutely neces- sary. Another fact he wished to speak about was the interference of the su- pervisor with work outside of her de- partment. This, he said had been told him by one of the teachers.
 What would you suggest. MT. Lewis, in the matter of criticism2" asked Miss Skinner.
 l "There are various way which crit icism could be put. A little helpful sug- gestion, pleasantly given, would be we'll received. I am sure. And if teacher must be criticised I do not think that she should. be criticised before her schalors."
 MT. Fifeld of Eaton school was next called. He stated that this was the first time since he had come into the | district that he was called upon in an affair of this kind. His teachers had complained of overwork in this direc- | tion. He himself had never seen any, thing wrong in the supervisors except in one particular. This was lack of punctuality and their laxity as to en- agreements. For instance, they would be scheduled to give lesson at a cer- tain horr and, ell the preparations ho rTha cohola yuaY11d ht. prepared for the supervisor, and after long wait the supervisor might or might not show up. In reply to a ques- tion he stated that some of the com- plaints might have been because of older teachers aversion to criticism.
 Mir. Mark Putnam followed MT. Fitield and his remarks were of the same gen. eral tenor He thought drawing inter- fered with essential work.
 MT. Joseph R. Francn stated that he had no complaints except that too much work had been given.
 Mir. Camp of Dwight school stated that he had no fault to find with the supervisors. but that he did have fault to find with the system. He thought | that the teachers often let the essential work go in order to have the extra work up to the standard for the super- visor in that particular department. 1 MT. Loomis of WaShington school I stated that one teacher had complained l to him of interference by the supervisor l of drawing.
 The supervisor had said that certain pictures in the room should not Ee there. These were pictures cherished by the I in nf St foo His teachers also complained of over- work in the drawing.
 Miss Nader spoke first in behalf of Miss Skinner. She said that she had known Miss Skinner for three years and had always respected her. She had never known her to do anything or say anything which she would not recora- mend at any cime
 She had known of one teacher who lacked little polish, but whose con- tact with Miss Skinner had brought her up to such standard that at pres- ent she is very much improved. She had made criticism where it was needA and oftentimes was imperative. It was i imperative because there seemed no disposition on the part of the teachers to seek aid.
 Miss Skinner in her own defence stated that in the three years that she had been here she had worked inces- sanity for the establishment of sys- tenn. She had worked for the sake of art and not for the mercenary motives which had been imputed to her. She admitted that she had given good deal of work, but she said that tha teachers were expected to give more time than the regular school hours.
 She also said that she had criti- cised at times, but that at such times it was impossible to restrain criti- cism.
 It developed after the meeting that yesterday Miss Skinner had received a telegram informing her of her fath- CTS death. She had passed through the ordeal with this kowledge.
 The board took no action.