New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-03
WORK FOR A PRINCIPALSHlP
THE CONTEST OVER GRAMMAR SCHOOL
NO. NEARLY ENDED.


FAILURE or AN EFFORT TO En-
CITE POLITICAL PREJUDlcE-A
STRUGGLE on CIVIL SER
VICE PRINCIPLES.
The connection for the prncipalshp OF Gram
mar School No. 6, the new public schooi 10 DC
opened at Madison-ave and Eighty-httn-S''' al
tracts more attention as the time for the acto"
Of the Board Of Education draws near Inc
question is likely to be decided withh TWO
weeks and friends Of the different cahdiua'eS
are actively at work in pushing their clai'hS.
An attempt has been made by the 1riehu9 u
one Of the applicants to drag pohticai queS'io'i'
into the contest proceeding when Is sre""'
deprecated in educational circles. 80 iar as Cd"
be learned this effort, instead OF accomplishing
its object Of injuring the prospects OF MISS
Katherine D. Blake one Of the contestants mas
rather helped her chances by arousing sympathy
with her against the unjust attack. Inc 'SS''-
ton that Tammany Hall influence has oeer eA-
erod i'm Miss Blake's favor on poltical lines -
emnhatlcaIv denied. While it Is saio 'i'a'
some Of the members Of the Board OF huucd.lo"
who have affiliations with the TammahF De-
rnocracv are assisting Miss Blake. her candidacy
ia warmly supported by members OF tire boaru
Of all shades of political opinion.
THE CHIEF CANDIDATES FOR THE PLACE
The three principal candidates in the field were
Miss Blake vce-principal Of Grammar 'cnoo'
No 20. Mrs. Joanna J. Hill, principal OF PRIMARY
Danortment in Grammar School No. a. ana
Miss Julia Rchman. principal OF "ra'H"'di
School No. II. Grammar School no 3D. "hele
Miss Blake Is now serving as Nce-prhc'Pai' -
one IF the best schools in the Nineteenth warn
The declaration by friends Of one Of the cahu'-
dates that the new Madson-ave. school Is III
dnitelv superior To Grammar School NO. % -
/ indignantlv resented by the teachers OF 'dI
school and the trustees who are interested III 10
.ole,r. This effort 10 assume discrimination
| b.,,year schools Of equal grade, and carrying
equal salaries was for the purpose OF arguing
that Miss Elake's appointment 70 Hraii'i"i
school 80 would BE- a double promotion.
rhe claim is fallacous from all points Of view
Of the public school system. Friends Oh .h Mss
| Blake say that on real clNll serN'Ne go
| there il no promotion in transferring d P'i9'''
,ubn & already a principal To- the same postum
! with the same salary in another school' ~ - -
also obvious that real promotion Is acconplSlV' =
| nv .l4yating a Vica-principal 10 the pace Oh
| principal especially whore the promotion Is i'si
| tied by the record and qualifications OF tir
teacher 50 70 be promoted. Mss hldAg ;
! friends assert strongly that Sh" thoroughly Ne
serves this promotion She has been an ehclent
| teacher for many years. having hr't UushI III
! primary department and later III Nearly "l
the grades Of the grammar department. 80" mn
her ur,m0tiDn I'm every instance ny lNN NV.
! lence Of her work She is an admirable french
! sch liar and a German student or cohsldeTaple
! skin. ana besides being n woman ~ marHei eN-
! ccutivr ability slc Is said 10 he SlnSularIy
! gifted i'm winning the affections of her pupils.
The candidates fpr the now prncipalship We're
! recently examined by the Committee on leacHei ;
! ~ ;hc Board Of Elucation. II Is understood
/ ak az scoi the most satisfactory
| examination and her nomination viii be recon-
! mended to the Board by the committee
J. l. y HUNT oN THE CONTEST
John l.. y Hunt. chairman IF the COMMITTEE
on Teachers = the Board Of Education. when
seen by a Tribune reporter az his Office NO l"'
! Broadway Yesterday morning. said the com
mlttee has decided to recommend Miss Bake foI
the position ~ principal ~ Grammar SclooI 80
| Il because We believe she IL the best person ioi
| IN. place | have seen the statements IN the
! NEWSPAPERS that political influence was pelnf
used I'm behalf % Miss Blake. All ! can say Is
! thai / 4, not know II any such attempts y,
| politician has spoken - me on the subject. u
| Tammany Han politicians are In favor or MIS-
| Blake why. they are interested In having th'
| right person appointed. In view IF the storle'
which had boon circulated about political lnnu
cnce / went 20 the examination ~ the cahdlIdl',
for the principash.p. If anything preJudce'
aK,tns, Miss Blake The committee spent many
evenings for several weeks examining the candl
| dates We asked questions to bring ont the lact'
| re,arIiug cduratipn. general culture. experience
! executive ability. efr. and conducted what con
| slider "A most searching Investigation. only wv
! ballots were taken 10y tn" committee. On th'
first ballot Miss Blake had Two votes ana MIS-
! NcC;,ir. orn. TWp members cast blank ballots
J on the second ballot Miss Blake had three No;e'
and th, other two ballots We're blank as before
| Miss Blake was. therefore, declared the nominee
| ~ the committee. The report j. now being pre-
porod and Will Doe presented % the Board ~ Eau
J cation on Wednesday. II VIII then nave To- o'
) Laid over two weeks for final acton.
WARM PRAISE FOR MISS BLAKE
"Do YOU expect the Board % adop; your recon-
| mendat!on?" was asked.
Yes. what would be- the use Of having al
examining committee spend two or three weeks
| Of hard work II The facts which Il found Wer'
no, 10 be taken as a basis ~ action? ! shouI'
certainly not feel Ike eyer serving upon anon,
| examining committee II this WAS not done | d'
not wish t. hc understood as saying anythh'
N the dieparaacu ont. of the other candidates
bur will say Of Miss Blake that believe he
! - be both in character and training oo'l
| I'm tcmperament and experience. both IN culture
and in ability. pre-eminenuy the woman To-
| the place I base this statement on the results
| of her examination and upon what nave seer
! and learned # the dignity ana strength or ne
| character She is one of tn" most accompllshe.
graduates ~ our Normal College. believe tina
shn will bc q splendid organizer for me school
! and will attract To- il many children VINO W'ui'
| not In. eent To- "A public school unless tn" name
ana character of the principal were guarante
| that the teaching methods pursued would ID
! according t. the most approved modern IDEAS
| and that the tone Of the school would MAKE
| for high culture.