The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-06-29
A CLEARING OUT
Board of Education Dis
misses Principals Sweeney
and Paddock.
sCORCHING ARRANGEMENTS
Forced to Give Their Reasons
Directors Make Startling
Statements.
1ncompetency Charged to the
Teachers-Serious State Of Af-
fairs in the School.

ing, because it was 12:45 A. NJ. before the
vote to remove the men was taken.
Never in the history of the board has
there been such lively meeting nor more
interest displayed over its doings than was
shown by very large lobby, consisting OF
friends of the teachers and the usual idly
curious ones who come week by week to see
what is going on.
About thirty boys from the High School
were there to champion Mr. Sweeney's cause,
and they were reinforced by Judges Kenny,
John A. McGrath aud Mr. Frank 0. Cole.
When at nine o'clock President DR..
Ulamor Allen entered the room, followed by
the remainder of the board, "a child might
understand that serious business was on
hand.p He hurried through the routine
business, such as reports aud resolutions
affecting the schools. Among these was one
asking the Finance Board to appropl late
$1,000 for minor repairs and S36, 745 for re-
pairs to school buildings during vacation
and for new furniture. The salary OF Prln-
cipal Mackay of No. "a was fixed at l,eOO.
and S2.5OO will be asked of the Finance
Board for text books on physiology. A few
appointments were made, and the most
notable one was that Of Miss Lulu Il. Far
rant as teacher of Greek and Latin at tne
High School at a salary OF S900 per annum
Director Simpson returned a bill for Sli Tor
advertistising done by the New Jersey Stdots
Zeitanq, which he said was monstrous
oyercharge The bill was referred.
SPEAKERS FOR Mr.. SWEENEY.
All this time the lobby was hdgeting un-
easily. and not few of them began to go
out. believing that the board meant to
she1ve the Sweeney matter, when President
Allen, with the permission of his colleagues,
gave the floor to Judge Kenny.
;-f Q6
tion passed at the Woods Hall meeting, in
favor of Mr.. Sweeney's retention, and sign
ing to Judge McGrath whispered, You
taikn Accordingly, Mr.. McGrath cleared
his throat, adjusted his gold spectacles and
and started in to say that he was in the dark
as to the charges against the hlgh Scnooi
Principal, but it struck him that these
charges, as stated in the newspapers, ap-
peared insufficient and vague.
stIt seems to me that the Board OF Educa-
tion ought to let the public know why the
designations have been demanded from popu-
lar teachers he said Judge McGrath re-
ferred to his own experience as member of
the board, and wound up q lawyer like ap-
peal for Principal Sweeney that he be re
tanned in office for the good and welfare of
the School, loud applause from the boys in
the lobby which the President instantly
checked]
s.Anybody else like to speak7" said Dr..
Allen. II QOnU WauU bIlIS IiiS6IlliS W Jul II
into debating class. Everybody who wants
to say anything should be heard"
MIR. Frank O. Cole stepped wishin the rail
and followed with an urgent appeal to the
board that they should recall the letter ask
ing for the Principals resignation. Mr. Cole
spoke of Mr.. Sweeneys popularity and the
evil of turning man out OF ms
position without giving him an opportunity
TO meet his accusers or their accusations.
If Mr.. Sweeney had committed such
heinous crimes as warrant dismissal, why
did the board not prefer charges and make
them public!
He hoped that fairness and good Judgment
would prevail and the wishes of Mr..
Sweeney's many friends would be granted.
During the very effective speeches OF
Judge McGrath and Mr, Cole the members
of the board listened with the closest atten-
ton, but when the request was made that
the board should tell its reasons for the
letter sent to Mr.. Sweeney. they looked at
each other interrogatively.
Mr. Coles son and youth named Her
manu. pupils of the High School, spoke of
their Principal and said how much progress
they had made under his tutilage. AS a
proof of his success as a teacher they pointed
TO the exhibit at the Worlds Fair of the
High School and the award of the commits
sioners, ali of which were directly traceable
to Mr.. Sweeney's efforts.
A long silence ensued when President
Allen asked if any one else desired to speak
broken only by Dir. Allen asking of the janl-
tor SIS Mr.. Sweeney i'll the buildings Go
for him.
While the janitor was out of the room Pro-
fessor Paddock held whispered conferences
with his friends Ill the lobby, and seemed to
be working himself into high degree OF ex-
citement.
''Tll make them state their reasons" he
exclaimed in @ stage whisper, which the
members of the board affected not to hear.
Director William H. Beach atsonce began to
make rules, and Director Hoos, pulling out a
long manuscript written speech, began to
study it carefully. buzz at the door an
nounced the arrival of Mr.. Sweeney and
when the tall figure of William the Silent" 7"
as he is alfectionately called by the pupils,
appeared at the rail the boys at the other end
of the little stuffy room broke out into wild
applause.
THROWING DOWN THE GAUNTLET.
President Allen, whose pale face showed
the traces of his recent sickness rose and in
quiet tone said
ttMr. Sweeney, on behalf of the Board of
Education, wish to ask you if you desire
us to make the charges against you publicY'
81 do" firmly answered the Principal.
''Do you wish to speaks II so, we will lis
ten," again asked the Chairman
''No, sir" returned the other; i don't
want to talk"
Having thus put the board on its mettle
and challenged it to make known its reason
for the action it has taken, there followed an
arraignment as surprising to some
as it was effective. The members
sEY CITY NEWS made public three
weeks ago when it commented on the alarm
ing state of affairs existing in the high
School.