New-York tribune., 1895-06-30
WOMEN ON THE BOARD.
covrruING NEW TO BE SEEN IN
ppoOKryN SCHOOL MATTERS.
HOW THE INNOVATION Is REGARDEp-coNSh"' a.
TIVE MEMBERS DON'T LIKE 1.-THE "o''i'
oproRr1,NIrIEs-TH BOARD OF EsTi-
MATE AND THE SCHOOLS.

oprORT1-NITIES-THE BOARD OF Esli-
NATE AND THE SCHOOLS.
novel sight will be witnessed in BROOKLYN Oh
,r.s.,o, of,ernoon. Tho annual meeting OF the
uoard ~ Education takes place regularly u" '''
nrs, Tuesday In July This year for the li'S' "'''
five women will have seats In the Boa'u' nv,
included among the fifteen members 'e1,' .a
nointed by Mayor Schieren. VINO III IhaA'"s ~
annoin,ments carried into practical effect the con-
viction which has long been firmly ias'e"eu IL ~
mind that women should have urec' "'''
nor, {, tho control of public school systems
Tho reason why he appointed no women 'e''
ago. when his first opportunity TO 90 80 ",
been before explained but may heeu P ,'P ,sa.
When the fifteen appointments were nia"' 80
the Board was under the control OF the '''s - ~
ment and It was deemed best to use every "'"'',
% strenpthen the opposing forces. n cIose an.
hitter contes; between the two parties IN tne po'
WAS impending That was not thoughl W oe D.
,,r,o % make the experiment OF placing women u"
the Board since at the outset they "ou'i po ~
into the midst OF political contest 80 "
standing his strong desire to introduce the innoVa-
,,o, Novor sch.eren decided TO postpone 1t unt
r,oro convenient season. This year the condI''o"s
we're different, and no such reason e"'s''u VIZ
women should not be chosen
The Mavor early made up his mind to appoint
five women, although no pressure was o'o"s"' ~
boar unon him by the womens organizations, az
ma
sors~ number Of representative "on'c" W.
aslad 70 suggest the names of suitable women ior
these five places and many lists were hahueu II"
The whole subject carefully cahNhsse'' ",
some OF those most strongly recommended hec".'"
to- ono reason or another to serve when the oiter
Of oppontment was made TO them some saiu '''''
were too busy; others shrank from the pup"''y' ~.
o,,ers maintained that their health and present o"-
ties would not Justify them In ASSUMING "'' -.
duties On the part OF all OF those cohs''e''' ~
seemed 10 be a strong feeling that they shou'n no'
occo,, anpointmcnts unless they were able 10 sNc
,,orahlo time 70 the work They did not regard
,bo ofsce az a sinecure. but felt that 1t wou'n IN
,olvc time and thought and study. The hohor a'o"e
did not attract them. ,t =,
or the selections finally made ny MI "'"''' '
"a 70 be said thai, II they are not the pest PoS'''
they arc at least reasonably good. Inc h'e "P
pointees are women Of good sense eu"0a''o'' ~
discretion: some OF them have displayed eNccp'lo"'
.xacut,ve ability in other folds. and some nave
business oualincaions that would urdonotediy nav"
won for them marked success In the oon''"''''"'
world In their new places they VIII heen "'''','
mn, sunplIes O. tact and good judgment NOT o's
are they themselves on trial. but inc ''oa ""''
their appointment represents Is on u'a''
HOW ONE MEMBER OF THE BOARD FEELS
To an extent at least. those women VIII hh'
hostile atmosphere IN tho Board Of Education some
~ tho older members look upon the innovation win
a,y,b,ry hut favor Others however. regard the
o,,o,r,men, Of women az n good thing. and expect
that they Will prove valuable workers on 'he hoaf"
Sad one of the latter in talking over the matter yes
terday:
IL think that the fears Of those who object 70 '"'
change are groundlcss. They seem 10 thlhk '"A'
uomon are unbisnesslke in their methods oi 'hi'n-
ing that they will be inclined TO talk Fooh urA'
without saving much. ard that the business OF the
Board will be delayed and hampercf Ihcy nave "
dread IN reference TO women attending commute"
meetings in the evening and fear thht 'e "''o''
system will have TO he changed. Then. too' 'h'S
no,n, 10 the result of appointing women In New
York where after three or four years th' 'H'" ""s
.handoned and some felt that the experiment had
failed. ,,,
Now I do not take any stock In thc'" hhti''I'.-
Cd woes do no, know all Of the women VINO WI"
come into the Board next week. but those 90
know are women OF sound sense and exceptional
abilities have no fear that they Will talk us 20
dea,b 7 think that for a time at least they VIII
.,rnrv sit still and listen and learn. None ~ them
can ~ so ndiscreet as TO attempt 10 r"h INC
Board at the the beginning or any "ih'r uine
They IT ist know that that would b" useless lot
they are only Ave against forty. They VIII De
treated with respect OF course. even by those mem
hers who have opposed their appointment and look
with grave doubt upon this innovation. These men
are as honest In their convictions as am III "''''
I'm, look TO see their opinions change before one
wear passes They certainly Will Il the women prove
10 be and do what Is expected OF them.
"As far as the actual business or the Hoafi OF
Education IS concerned there is no douht thht IL
can he transacted satisfactorily by men. But there
1, n good deal more than business here Ihere are
the vast educational Interests OF city IN "h'ch
more than 10000 children attend the pubc Schools
II ls I'm this field that women Will be able io q" Il
great amount OF wo-k. I know there Is II general
feeling among the w3nen teachers OF the city that
,hev do not want women the Board OF Eiucation
II IL certainly singular that such feeling exists
and am doubtful TO whether II IS rcaIIy 80 "''e-
spread as II is supposed to be. But even II IL s
do not see that II proves anything. IL was ho' 80
long ago that there was very general ieeHhB tha'
women were not IT persons for teachers az any
rate FOR teachers OF boys: whereas now the feach-
ing nrofesson IN our schools is almost monopolizcd
by women
HE BELIEVES ~ WOMEN
.-ro u.t, ,s n novelty that there should be women
on IN. BOARD OF Education. 1t has never happened
IN Brooklyn before Mayor after Mayor has been
entreated to make such appointments, and now al
last the women have carried their point. Good. not
harm will come OF It. | have heard II said that
some members Of the Board OF Education In the
past have been greatly educated by their expert
ence in that capacity. think that Will be true OF
the five women who Will take seats In the Board
next Tuesday. They have a good deal 10 learn
about the schools and school business IL VIII De a
process OF education that they will go through win
during their hrst year AT ieas'' po'""p' ""'''e '
entire three years. can see no harm from having
uo,oen ne one-thlrd OF the members of the Board.
and ~ Mayor Schiercn is reelected expect TO
see that 1ust two years from now; and by that time
the policy will have become so hxed. and' feei
sure. will have given much satisfaction. that nut
ure Mayors will adhere to It
In some Of the public schools the principals and
teachers are looking forward with fear ana tremb-
ling lest women should be appointed on their local
commttees Some OF them, II is understood. have
already forwarded petitions TO President Swanstrom
who is certain TO be reelected on Tuesday, asking
that this be not done. On the other hand. one oi
the leading principals was asked day or two age
whether he would object TO having woman on ms
local committee. and his answer was that ne could
see no objection whatever to such an appointment
Naturally In making up the committees the women
pembers will be placed on several local committees
There IL n local committee OF three members TO-
ach Of the nuhlIc schoos except that In the recent