New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-12
WILL ANY WOMEN BE NAMEDi
POSSIBLE APPOINTMENTS TO THE BROOK
LYN BOARD OF EDUCATION.
A BELIEF THAT oNE-THIRD OF THE NEW MEM
BEERS WILL BE OF THE GENTLER SEX
HOW THE WORK OF THE BOARD
MAY BE AFFECTED.

MAY BE ABFECTED.
There Is at present considerable interest In GER
tain circles in Brooklyn regarding the question
whether Mayor Scheren will appoint any women
as members Of the Board Of Education He has
fifteen appointments to make early In the sum-
mer, and after July l two-thirds OF the
forty-fve members will be persons OF his selec-
ton. Thus far there has been no organized move
ment this year in favor OF the appointment OF
women on the Board. In several previous years
delegations OF well-known men and women nave
waited on the Mayor or urged him through writ
ten communications 10 include some or the gentle
sex among the fifteen appointments due In June.
Several years ago. In fact. a public meeting was
held to further the movement In behalf OF women.
So far as the public is aware. nothing OF the
kind has been undertaken this year; no petition,
no visit to the Mayors office. no public meeting
And yet the feeling Is In the air that when the
fifteen appointments are made the list VIII In
clude the names OF several women-some say
FIVE. some say three. II Is not known that Sin
gle woman has applied for place on the Board
OF Education. but several names have been sug-
gcsted and are under consideration. NO woman
qualified to sit In the Board. 1t Is safe to say.
would seek by personal effort and influence to Sc
cure an appointment. Indeed. 1t may be diff
cult thing to find women pre-eminently qualified
who will be willing to serve.
It Is known that Mayor Schieren is strongly
convinced that women are well fitted to serve the
public in this capacity. Still he did not appoint
any when the time came to name one-third OF
the members last year. In spite OF that 1t Is
said that he had made up his mind several months
ago to appoint woman the first time vacancy
occurred In the Board but he was deferred from
doing this by the argument that the appointment
OF one lone woman would be OF little avail. that
the position would be an extremely embarrassing
one even II he were able to induce any woman
to take 1t under the circumstances. and that to
insure the success OF the experiment it would be
wise to have not less than three women put on the
Board at the same time. while five would be still
better
That he will carry out his intention and desire
next month is considered extremely probable.
At least that is the opinion Of some OF those who
stand close to the Mayor ana are In position 10
know the drift OF things
II is conceded that TO place women In the Board
OF Education will be an experiment. and some Of
the present members are quite averse TO It's trial
They point to what has been done In New-York
and say that the placing OF women on the School
Board there was a failure On the other hand
the advocates OF such appointments point to what
has been accomplished in Boston and other cities
and say that experience shows. II the right sort OF
women can be prevailed on to accept these duties
that they arc peculiarly fitted to perform this
work. The great majority Of tho teachers In tho
schools OF Brooklyn are women, and II IL said 70
be- the prevailing opinion among them that they
want no women placed In authority over them.
Among the women mentioned ~ we'll qualified
for appointment II Mayor schisren decides 70