The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-11-30
THOMPSON FRACAS.
Board of Education Has a
Lively Time Over the
High School
Principal.
M'LEAN SAYS HE MUST co
Lengthy Star Chamber Session
Brings About No Definite
Result-All Over a
Certificate.
M'LEAN SAYS HE MUST co

The Board of Education held a meet
ing last night. hat is, they got to-
gether, locked themselves in the usual
meeting room and for over two hours
discussed matters presumed to be for
the public good, but from which the pub
lie was vigorously excluded.
The matter they had under discussion
was a resolution offered by Director Nc
Lean at a snap meeting held Wednesday
evening, to the effect that the position
of Principal of the High School be de-
clared vacan on December !. Mr..
Thompson, it win be remembered, is the
gentleman who was imported from Maine
by Mr.. Cowles to take the place of
Principal Sweeney.
Mr.. Thompson never secured the GER
tiicate from the State authorities, which
the law required, although he was ap-
pointed in May, 1894, and took charge of
the school at the opening of the year in
the following September. Mr.. Thompson
has always maintained that he was not
required to obtain a certificate, but took
the p~recaution some time ago to OBJ
tain what has been called a provisional
certificate" from DR.. Addison Poland, the
State Superintendent. The resolution
was discussed Wednesday night until
midnight. when President Allen, who is
one of Mr.. Thompson's champions, raised
the point hat no business could be
transacted upon a legal holiday and the
meeting adjourned.
TWO HOURS CAUCUS.
Last night the Board went into eau
Gus at eight o'clock to further consider
the question and for two hours they dis
cussed the question while a large NUMBER
of persons, either interested or CURIOUS,
waited in the corridors or on the SIDE
walk in front of the High School Build
ing.
adopted at c Mr.: Walker and MI.
DAILY. were of h opinion that there
should be nc map spo5 59ddgbm IN a;v ana an tn npI
portunity to appear before the Board.
and. if he could. explain matters. A
mittee of three, no enc OF whom should
belong to the High School Committee,
to inTestigate the charges mace g bs aga1h 81
be pretty well understood by this time
was incompetency.
the tall somewhat by spreading his crit
tcism out so as to take in the High
s ;sslosdd c 4nn M5ssss which n hbie he Ra said. h1 #
had made no investigation. and the CON-
sequence was that Mr.. Thompson had
stitution than the Board.
This stirred up M: Hoos. who with
LIZ AL LIN
man-elect FASTENED to clear his skirts,
and said that no one could blame him
as he had used every e%ndeavor to bring
about the investigation demanded. but
had not succeeded. Mr.. Beach also re-
scented Mr.. Degnan's remarks, and took
the Ugh ground that if there was any
investigating of the High School Prin-
cipal to be done. the High School
Committee were competent and the ones
to do it.
SAYS THEY ARE UNFAIR.
President Allen was inclined to accuse
the anti-Thompsonites of unfairness,
and said that they had taken an advant-
age over the other members of the Board,
and instead of springing the matter at
a public meeting should have waited
and had the question discussed in private
and behind closed doors as hey did
last hight.
Mr.. Walker declared that he was strict
" neutral in the matter. and would vote
to dismiss Mr.. Thompson if it was shown
that he was incompetent. After much
talk in this strain nothing definite was ar
rived at.
The public meeting which followed
this private discussion was very brief.
James G. Lindsey. the carpenter OF the
department. had his salary raised SIS
per month. and after December 1 he vii;
receive SIS per month.
The contract for coal was awarded to
James Coyle at these prices-Egg $50:
stove. S15: and nut, SO. 90 per ton. The
wood contract went to w. J. Dugan at
so IN mar 0nr6