New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-03
SWANSTROM VERSUS DRESSER
THE CONTEST OVER THE PRESIDENCY
OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
A QUESTION TO RE SETTLED AT THE ANNUAL
MEETING NEXT TrEsDAy-II"w 1T IL GUM
pIIcATED-THE STRUGGLE OF TWO
YEARS AGO RECALLED
YEARS AGO RECALLED.

YEARS AGO RECALLED
Nox that the full complement OF members oi
the Board OF Education for the coming year mas
been proyided the interest cf the members ana OF
the public in general IL centred on the approach
ing election Of officers The principal co"'ee'
Will be over the presidency
There are two candidates In the field one
of them Is j. Edward Swarstrom' WHO WIS
elected to that office two years ago ana re-
elected last year The candidate against hin
is Horace T. Dresser, who was member OF Inc
Board several years ago. and was again ap
pointed by Mayor Scheren in 1871. lHiiheo'-
ately after his appointment two years ago. MI
Dresser declared himself a candidate TOT the
presidency. but he was candidate o"iS VII
naper so 70 sneak and seeing that he was not
likely to get any support outside OF MS wv"
vote he withdrew from the contest ait'l Po''''s
as a candidate for two or three days
The struggle at that time was between Mr.
swanstron and James b. Bouck. who had held
the office for two years previously. Closely con-
nected with the contest over the presidency was
tho contest over the Office of superintendent or
Public instruction the term of DR.. William H.
Maxwell expiring at the end of the school year
In general the supporters OF Mr.. Swanstrom i"r
the presidency were In favor Of the re-electioh
Of DR.. Maxwell! while the Bouck men put Tor
ward as their candidate against MIN "ai.cr ID
Gunnison principal of Public School NO ~, d"
the Eastern District. Both SwanstroIh a"" 'i"~
well were elected, but change OF three OF iour
votes would have altered the result
STRENGTH OF THE BETTER ELEMENT
The hotter element In the Board then tr'-
umphed and that element has since pee''
STRENGTHENED by the appointments Hdoe ''''
wear by Mayor Schieren and this week oy Mayor
Wrr..e- As n whole this element is In iaVor
- kecnino Mr. Swansron in the office which
IN has filled with so great acceptabllity. MI
swarstrorn IL a Democrat but Democrat OF an
INDEPENDENT stripe, and even those VINO oppose
his election Will hesitate to assert tnat ~ mas
ever allowed politics to interfere win OF govern
his action as a member and official of the Board
lie has never taken an active part III Po'i''0'
although he has been identified with the Reform
or Shepard Democracy As president OF 'he
noard # Is said that he has done his duty fear
lessy and mpartially; and it Is asserted that II
would be grave mistake to allow politics 70
,,ar,,,r. tha choice Of the presiding officer OF
the Board
AFR Dresser is a Republican. After the eiec-
tion ~ Mavor Scheren he was candidate Tor
appointment to one OF the principa! ofiices az the
disposal Of the Mayor and is said 70 nave oeeh
greatly vexed when his claims were disaiio"eu
ana those Of other men recognized AIter ''"'
he entered the field for appointment on 'he
Board Of Education. and gave 1t 10 be uhuers'o"u
that he would be satisfied II elected pres'ueh' Vi
that body His ambition was not grained a'
that time but now he is evidently hopefuI OF Sc
curing a different result
ACTIVE WORK FOR MIR. SWANSlhoM'
The friends Of President Swanstrom are WORK
ing actively in his interest, and are cohnden'
that they will be successful on Tuesday. Inc at
titllde OF most OF the old members ana Oh 'he
ten reappointed is pretty we'll ascertalhed ps
this time What course the five new members
will pursue is somewhat uncertain but IL - De-
ueved that at least two Of them. II not I'ore
will align themselves with the progressive eie-
ment in the Board. II is in that direction '""'
they will naturally gavitate
Although the term Of the superintendent of
Public instruction is three years, and there WI"
no no election for that office until next year. 1t
Is known by those ION the inside that the queS
ton of president this year sbound up to greater
or less exten. with the question OF Superihieh-
dent to be chosen a year hence. Or. MaX"e"
will presumably be a candidate for re-electloh
and It is supposed that President Swanstron
and his supporters will. rule. favor MS can
didacy This consideration viii have some pea'
ing on the present contest, but now n'uc" e"'
not be definitely determined ouo
II Is significant that the men VINO nave co'lle
to Tho s,,,,nnrt Of Mr. Dresser are the same men
who TWO years ago supported Mr. boucK asalils ,
Mr. Swanstrom. and brought Forward MI uuii
son as candidate for superintendent @s"iti.'
/ Or Maxwell II was A surprise and disappoint-
ment to many Of Mr.. Gunnsons iriehuS ma,
he permitted himself TO be used in TINS way aiu
there is no doub, that his conduct III thal ai''i
had considerable influence when he became
candidate for the princlpalshtp OF the Boys risn
: hoo, little over a year ago IL was iei' ~
-h.. MOS
hon for that place that a man who allowed him
self TO be thrust to the front by those n1eisce's
o: the Board who were seeking |" u.~r W.. 20
faithful and honest Superintendent ought not 10
be rewarded a few months later by being CHOSEN
To one q the most important places In the ue-
partment OF education In the city
MR. GUNNIsONs FUTURE.
Personally. Mr. Gunnison is popular: he has a
good address and pleasing manners, and ne mas
been successful public school principal HIS
efficiency has been recently recognized oy eiec-
ton as one of the assistant superintendent or
schools in New-York 1t Ia expected, however,
that he Will not occupy that place long Next
fall a new high school will be opened IN the on
Erasmus Hall Academy In the twenty -hh,h
Ward and the present probabilities are that MT.
Gunnison will he elected as its principal. Wnen
the academy property is turned over TO tie CITY
and the necessary arrangements nave pee'l
made a committee OF the Beard II Education 10
have charge OF this new high school Will be ap.
pointed by the president. Among the duties OF
that committee VIII be the selection OF " primer
pal. and i,S choice will be subject to iatincation
first by the CVnmittee on Teachers. and, second
w. by the Board Itself.
Those who are in Il position to know believe
that Mr.. GunnsOn will be chosen for TIL" I'M
4 portant place. At It's opening in the ran the
new school will probably have 100 or .'oo pupils,
but unquestionabiy addition 10 the building
will soon be required. and a much larger NUMBER
OF students will be in attendance In a year or
two. In time this school will be on par with
the present Girls and Roys High schools and It's
principal will receive the same salary OF Ao.Vpo,
though at the beginning the salary Will probably
not he more than 5000 or $4,000