New-York tribune., 1894-04-05
PoMMERY
L "SEC"
CHAMPAGNE NATURE (Vin Brut).
"Aigh Grade Champagne of
uniform quah'N'
MISS BLAKE APPOINTED.
MADE PRINCIPAL BY AN OVERWHELM
ING MAJORITY.

THE BOARD or EDUCATION THROWS DOWN 'ih
GAUNTLET TO THE WARD TRUSTEES AND
p pEyorNcEs THE AHEARN LAW
GOVERNOR FLOWERS Ac-
TIoN CONDEMNED
The Board OF Education had meeting or nearly
five hours duration last evening. and from 'he
beginning to the end OF the long session the |o'-
missioners appeared to be moved by an intense
feeling Of hostility to the amendment 10 the
school law which Senator Ahearn mad manager
to get through the Legislature and to induce tie
Governor to sign. All OF the Comthlsso"e''
were at the meeting except Mr.. Wehrum ana .he
full attendance was proof OF the interest lelt
IN the plans TO counteract the obnoxious meas
ure as far possible. No time was ios' III
carving those plans into operation. As soon as
the minutes of the previous meeting had been
approved Commissioner Hunt moved to pass over
the order OF business which called for the reports
from trustees The object of the motion was
u understood II was to prevent the board
from receiving official notice Of the nominations
Of principals by trustees under the new law uhU!
action could be taken upon nominations WHO"
were pending under the old law Having cleared
the ground for action. Mr. Hunt moved the report
OF the Committee on Teachers. appointing MISS
Katharine d. Blake as the principal OF the lefhale
,or,r,n,ent of Grammar School No. 6. the new
school in the Nineteenth Ward. The trustees OF
the ward had nominated Mrs. j. j. Hill Tor the
place II the new law was to be considered III
force the Board of Education could only reject
or confirm that nomination. President hnoX WAS
about n mt the motion to appoint Miss Blake
when Commissioner Beneve moved as an
amendment to postpone action until the next
ff.an(
opnion as to the powers of the board In the
rrem,ses Commissioner Iubbell also counselled
DELAY. saving that the Board might be put In
bad position by immediate action
MR.. HUNTS TELLING REMARKS
Then Commissioner Hunt made speech which
for a time seemed 10 put an end TO all oostr"c-
ton He said II was clear that the new Ia" WAS
retroactive and that the board had the power
TO act at once in the case Of Miss Blake. Ihere
shouId be no wavering at such a fatal moment
he declared The board had the power 10 aP-
noint Miss Blake weeks ago. and the power had
not been taken away by law which could not
90 into effect for twenty davs after 1t had re-
ceIved the Governors signature. He quoted legal
decisions 70 sustain his position. and when ne
| reeurned his seat one OF the other Commissioners
| remarked that Mr. Hunt had shown that ne was
worthy 10 have a place in the Court OF appealS'
| Mr. Bcneville's amendment was lost ana MISS
| Blake was appointed by an overwhelming vote,
| reyenteen Commissioners vatpg for her ana
| tw, against her one Commissioner dii not vote
| \ report Of the Finance Committee showing
the inability of the board 70 pay certain 'ea'n-
ora the same salaries which they received fS'
| ,.,r c,rse1 q debate IN which Commissioner
N,riartv was accused OF talking To the galleries.
~, declared hat II there was to be any reduction
oil pf
should share alike in the reduction. Commits
sloner OBrcn finally ended that discussion by
motion 10 have the Finance Committee and the
Committee on Teachers consult together ana
formulate some advice on the subject
pr,tops OF A 'RARGAIN" DENIED
4 motion to appoint Thomas 5. o'Bren as prin-
cpal %, the male department OF Grammar S'"o''
No G again brought up the question of the apph-
co,,o, - the new law The trustees had nomi-
ro,ed Wilbur F. Hudson for that place ana IL
y,os admitted that Mr.. Hudson was well qualineu
Tor Il but Commissioner Hunts committee hau
voted 10 recommend Mr.. O'Brien because they
wished 70 consolidate the departments IN "ra'"-
mar School No % whore Mr. OBrien mas oeeh
| ,ne 81 three principals. Commissioner Ho''
amendment 10 substitute the name ot MI. Iuu ,iu,
| son I'm the motion was lost ai"r s"i,, ,t, '
| boa,ed argument on the subject OF consolidation;
| n''nv ~, ttrh Mr. IIolt said ne had been informed
that n bargain between the trustees OF the riiS.
Ward and the Committee OF leacnrrs u; W. %,'', 90
| another man should be made principal d. ~, 49, -
| tn Mace az Mr. O'Brcn. was already IN pros'esws
| co,nmissioner Cioulden declared that the TAN
about such bargain was u1nn,.,ea ras narrIed
| the motion to appoint Mr.. brien was c'' x ~
h' s,vteen affirmative votes. only three OF the
commissioners voting " the nesa'iNe |,,,
| eioner O'Brion then wanted an eNplanaton l''.,. III
| commissioner Holt as to TIE aIleeeu pd. SON,
| deal (" as he had understood 1t. Dut MI nun
| soId no had not intended to cast any odluni. IT,
! motion to appoint Miss Catherine 1. Conhoi'y
| - ,ho principal Of the female department oi
Grammar school No AZ was carried after IL
| had been opposed by Commissioner huooen' ,sss wno
said that the appointment snU",u ~, 5be school
annie L. Post the first assistant az the schovl ,S
NJss post had been a faithful teacher III the
! school for thirty-nve years. Mr. Hmobeh saiu
and she deserved the pronno,lon ine s ~
had nominated Miss Kate NJ stephens ior 'ne
place. ,.
When tho board turned back to consider the
reports from the trustees the nominations oi
Mr.. Hudson Miss stephens and Mrs Hill oy
trustees were read and were promptly rejected
| Then Commissioner Strauss offered resolution
denouncing the Ahearn amendment to the
| School law In severe terms and urging the Com
| mittee on Legislation TO try to secure the repeal
| of the measure lie also made vigorous speech
in support Of the resolution. saying that the
| amendment to the law was a most vicious piece
Of legislation and would not only block the con-
solidation plan by which the Board OF Ednca-
ton hoped to $4,000 a year In the expenses
Of the school system but also would tend 10
place the schools at the mercy of the politicians
or what use was II for the Commissioners 10 give
their time and thought without pay, to plans
for the betterment OF the schools he asked II IL
was possible for few petty politicians TO go 10
Albany and overturn all that had been accom-
plished? His speech was warmly appauded and
several Of the other Commissioners shook hands
with him and congratulated him when he sat
down. Commissioner Livingston said he had
talked with Governor Flower after the bill had
been rushed through the Legislature. and the
Governor had promised to give a hearing to the
Board OF Education before signing the bill. The
promise had not been kept. and Governor Flower
might be regarded hereafter as an enemy OF the