The Portland daily press., 1895-06-06
HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES
Will Be Admitted to the Practice
School Without Examination.

"A Rather Animated NJ Getting of the School
Committee-Mr. Brownson's Amend
ment Passed Through MI. MCGOWAN
Says No.
Yesterday afternoon special meeting
of the school committee was held at its
rooms to see if it would reconsider the
action taken a week ago by which Mr..
Brownson's amendment - permitting
young ladies, graduating at the High
School, who had obtained rank of So
PEI cent through their four years course,
to enter the Practice School without
xamination-was defeated.
When Mayor Baxter called the meeting
to order there were two absentees, Messrs.
Talbot of Ward and Mr. Bradley of
Ward G. Mr.. Brownson moved at once to
to reconsider the action on his amend
ment taken by the committee at the last
meeting.
Mr. MCGOWAN produced a copy of the
rules of the board and at the same time
Si14h2ICA INV UllC lICCUlAl$S Wuo SolACO.
Mr. Brownson said that at his request
the Mayor called the meeting, MI. Allen
saying he had also made the same re-
quest.
Mayor Baxter said the meeting was
called, he thought, with an observance
of all proper forms.
Then Mr.. MCGOWAN read rule requir-
ing the chairman, or in his absence, the
secretary, shall be authorized to call
special meetings, and is required to do SO
on the request of three members. -
On the strength of this rule Mr.. Nc
Gowan claimed this meeting had been
illegally called and its doings would be
Illegal, unless the Mayor was out of
town when the secretary called it.
Superintendent Lord said that at least
three members had desired the meeting
to be called But Mr. MCGOWAN persisted
in asking if the meeting was called ac-
cording to Rule 3, the rule above quoted.
Mr.. Lord said virtually, the rule was
observed if not exact in form.
The Mayor said all the members had
received due notification of the meeting
in the usual way, they were here but two,
and were quorum to transact business.
Mr.. MCGOWAN said if the meeting pro-
coded he wanted his point recorded in
the records.
Mr.. Allen said he didn't believe the re-
cord should be SO encountered.
DR.. Vose said that by such an interpre-
tation of the rule as Mr. McGowan's it
would be almost impossible to call such
meeting. He believed in taking COM
mon sense view of the matter.
Mr.. Hall called for the question.
Mr.. Brownson's motion to reconsider,
seconded by Mr.. Allen. was put and car
ried. The Mayor, Messrs. Hall, Brown
son, Vose and Allen voting yes, and Mr..
MCGOWAN, no.
Mr. Brownson then said that the rea-
son why he asked for reconsideration
was the same as he stated at previous
meeting, INCORPORATION of the desirability
of inducing more of the High School pu-
pills to enter the Practice School after
graduation. But the girls were generally
tired after graduation, and they didn't
feel like going through all the fatigue
of a long examination at that time.
For some years there had been but few
more candidates than the number it was
necessary to ELECT. To improve the per-
sonel it was desirable to have Is or 90
candidates, and then the situation would
be much improved. Some erroneous
impressions were receievd at the last
meeting by the members of the board
from Mr.. MCGOWAN, who had stated that
in an interview with Hon. c. F. Libby,
that gentleman had expressed himself
opposed to the amendment Mr.. Brown
son said Mr.. Libby had since informed
him he did not mean to convey to Mr.. Nc
Gowan any such impression. He said
on reading the amendment 1T should
rather be inclined to favor it" Mr.
Brownson continued, saying that the
candidates in Massachusetts, were differ
ent from those in Portland, for they have
surplus of candidates for their practice
schools Members of the graduating class
had told him they didn't care to take
the examination as they wanted to keep
their rank up, SO that the probability
was that unless the amendment is adopt
ed we shall not get candidates enough
from tho High School to fill the vacant
places
Principal Chase of the High School was
called for and spoke briefly in behalf Of
the amendment. The High School stands
in the matter as the colleges do If col
lege will admit to thir courses of studies
our High School graduates of s. per
cent rank without examinations he saw
no reason why our Practice School should
not admit them also without examina-
ton. It is not that the High School au-
thorities nor the young ladies should
come and ask to be relieved of the bur-
den of examination. 1t is for you, the
school committee, to relieve them from
it. He thought by the passage of the
amendment the young ladies would do
better work to reach the required stan
dard. The girls in this years class are
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