New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-07-07
BROOKLYN'S SCHOOL BOARD.
Rr,RNING QUESTIONS WHICH CAUSE
MUCH DISCUSSION
Mt u1GGINss ATTACK on MR.. hICKLEBoRo'"H
MIR. MAr.I.IsTER QUICKLY RESTORED To
FAVOR IMPORTANT RECOMMENDATIONS
pY PRESIDENT SWANsIROM

Education If they had heard OF Mayor ''"''."
reason for not appointing women on the no''" TO-"
wear namely that a bitter controversy WAS NV"
nondjng whereas this year all was harmonious
a,1 ovorvtbinp would be smooth sailing must nave
haon vastly astonished by the violent at'ach "''e
nv A. S Higgins Professor MicKiepo'o"s y, ~
now principal OF the Boys High Schooi' AT i"''
DAYS meeting. Mr. Iiiggnss performance ""'
surprise to most II not ALL OF his associates. 49,
~ the other members profess TO believe tha' INC
whole affair was a piece OF pleasantly on the part
~ the ex-princpal but the community Is not !" t'e
least danger Of taking that view oi H. ,,u,,.
- Mr. Higgins is humorist. he Is a decidedly
grim one Apparently he was dean III e"' o.
In his letter OF explanation 1t Is nara 10 See any
,or,rg between the lines His denunciation OF 'he
n,,eods oano,' and his mention OF greenDacks
r,.,rI, tended TO create a wrong Impression III
the public mind; it looked as If ne were '"a s''e
that the princpalship had been 'h''''' "
gain and sale The idea he lhtehue" w
tina, .hunco game had been p'ase'' ''" w
ooumi,tee had promised one thing ana pron"ceu
another ,, ,auvo-a,
~. ,,,ct,ohorouch heard the diatrioe denVereh
,-o,rs, himself but did not seem to ne greatly us
,urbcd bv IT, He had good reason "o' ~ "
ing that Mr. Higgins carried Only 'n'' ,,'",'
bers with him. and the confirmation" VI NJ ~
no,~h,s annointuent was made by Vo'e p'dc-
,icauv unanimous All Mr.. Higgins aSA'' ,o' "'
49,, ,,o HIGH School matter be referred pa'k 10
, nr,i,,eo FOR further consideration. lie sald
after the meeting that he had not eNp'0'' " "
%'s' o,., and mat he was abundantly satisfied In
finding his position supported by mr. VI '''' ."
soc,ates one OF whom was John Mc>"'"e''
one OF Mr. Higgnss points seems y, " -
,,cularly well taken. The fetch OF thiS poai'' IL.
80, .,s . unanimous report" 1t Is Ua''tloh Oh
,ho po,rd that the unanimous report OF Il '"i',.''
too must be accepted Hence the VAST po"e' "'''
bv the local committees. when V'r'.a's 'o""o.
tho individual schools II Is one VI ~"
things for the action OF one OF these 'o,'','''
ood had or Indifferent 10 be ov'fruich MI
1,,,os.e assault upon this policy was deserved
1,he Roord ought TO feel at entire liberty 10 SGT
aside the report Of any committee or al al e''n'S
n discuss 1t fully and frankly before h''"e "Po"
{, THAT committee is infallihlc is inc WORKING
nrlncinle upon which much OF the p"S'esS "a ''o
Board is done
THE CAUSE OF MUCH DISCO SSioN'
The Higgins Mick,cborough incident mas nc'h me
occasion OF much discussion IN 'r"''',
4 man connected with the public school, system
80, rar,itar with the controversy. who ava no,
wish 70 be mentioned In connection win inc maj
,or EXPRESSED some lncisiv" opinions r'sa'I'"s -
sho--lv after the meeting Of the Board This -
substantially what he saiH.
..Mr Higgins has large amount OF rRn' OH us
s,,o though the judlcousncss 81 his attack Is open
'''' ..,a two ,,c, is that Mr. Mickcborough IL
20. , big enough man for the place h. has poeh
chosen 70 I'LL There are several principals J."
prooklvn much better fitted FOR H. ana VII" "''
salary OF 5000 attached TO II the committee o"E"
~ have been able 10 secure one OF III" ~o''>' "',
g. .he country From al that ! have learned
bavs the impression that Mr Hull - su'h man
{, .o,,,A have hcen sorry 10 SEQ Mr. Gunnlson get
tho nlace because look upon him as 700 '""'" VI
a schener lie Is a sclf-scckins man, ana resorts
N all the arts OF the politician 10 n'Fa"'' "''
Interests. 1880 .
81 canno, account for tho committees action IN
III al. 4Fl - g.
n general rule n compromise cnni4i"'" y n"'''
,,i,bou, any spoclal elements % strength Iha'
&c the case with the new principal % me BOY
High school He has been prin''ie" o' : ~ mn,
mar school To- r. years J, Wa -, ..,.
when he took chHge q u. Il Is good srhoo' now
But he has not improved II. nor has b" shown my
Of the elements which qualify him 'or "'' ne"
,l,ce lie ,s essentially conS'rraiN" man lie
Ga M, progressive or hosptablc 10 new IDEAS hN'
no is \ safe man. and his appointment Is respect
able , -
81 consider that there 10 n good l"dl OF rN'h IN
the charge tina; the committee postpone ''"'" ~
lang In the hope - coming 20 unanimous agree
mon, They ought to have acted promptly. ana
n they couldn't agree they should nave brought
the matter before the Board ana alo""N IL 70 s''''
the question. Tho result might not nave h''h "'''
tho majority Of the committee wanied-t cer'a MY
vould not have been the appointment OF M'e"l''
borough-bu, there might be wofs" things 'h"h mo
.n,ointment OF Gunnison 10 the High hool lie Is
a manly Wholesome fellow. d'spi" NJ op''v"S
dra e-l,acks AMI hs Influence on Dogs 'o"'" ""'
I'm, be good Then too. very llkeY IN 'hh' Ia'"
ne would have stopped scheming ana "lrr3"'nhg'
q, least IN his own interest. for II woul1 III INC
measure Of his ambition.
orn my otdnion i would have been rlghi ana
-on.r for the committee 10 offer that place 10 tho
Superintendent OF The Schools. don't kno" 'hat
Dr Maxwell would have taken n. although MS
nrcdc~cssor Calvin Patterson. left that ono" 10
/ accco, the principalship 81 the GIFTS High s'hoo
but have no doubt that II would have o''r'' AZ
fractions 10 him and his two associates
..ro return 10 Mr. H.ggnss outburst. II Is said
~, sone that there H. luminosity between him ana
Mr. Micklrborough owing 10 the iact 'ia' M''h'c
borough succeeded Higgins AZ principal OF 30 y
hut | do not believe that any bad hiood between
,ho,n could arise from that circumstance. ! think
Mr. Higgins IL serious In his belief thnt IN" ne"
principal Of the High School is not man oil sur
| ac,cnt force and ability to MI the place AS IT
! ought TO be filed And good many DINERS IN
tho school systcm take that same view. and regard
! the selection an unfortunate one
MR. MALIIsTER's APPOINTMENT
! II was a surprise to the public In general when
/ II was made known few days ago that Mt Nc
! All!stcr who recently deposed from IN" prin-
cpalship OF the Boys High School because his
personal habits had impaired his usefulness In that
place had been appointed principal Of School 40.
a. TO succeed Frank l.. Green. who In turn has
! been appointed 10 take Mr.. Micklcboroughs place
! I'm No q II Is a noteworthy circumstance thht the
appointme OF McAlster made by n loral
| committee members Of which were not re-
| appointed TO the Board Of Education thls year
/ and that the third member refused 10 sign the re-
| port in McAllistcrs favor Said member OF the
| Board OF Education
III seems 10 me that II Is a mistake to bring the
| former principal Of The Boys High School into our
school system so soon again. He was dismissed
| from his former place In disgrace. and cannot
think II wise virtually to rcinstate him In three or
| four months. II Will. counting In the vacation he
| abou; six months from the time he loft the II gh
| School before he takes charge OF No. ~ This
period OF probation Is short. ] understand. 10
! be sure that Mr.. McAster has really reformed
and forsaken his old habits. ! need not say that
| | am glad OF II. His appearance has greatly
changed since he left Brooklyn not long ago. and he
seems TO be n different man. II certainly was
/ wise for the committee 10 obtain from him resg-
/ nation without date which be used at any
time. As 1t is. his appointment ia only for half a
year and II he does not walk straight II will not
be renewed. All the same, ! feel hat the effect Of