The sun., 1897-12-28
THE ROSTER OVERTHROW.
Board Of Education DEPARTS from
an Old Custom.
CLAIM ACTION DUE TO POLITICS.
Promotion of Miss Amanda l.. Mcdara
Strongly Opposed, and Some Plain
Accusations Made by
Member

The last session of the present Board
of Public Education for the year 1897,
was a warm one.
The question OF appointing certain
teachers out of the regular order of
the teachers roster caused the trouble.
The debate on the question waxcd hot
and accusations We're made that an at
tempt to bring politics and religion in
the appointment of schools was ON foot.
Ii such is the case, the agiiators of the
scheme triumpheh, because those who
made the accusations were defeated in
the vote.
A tn ast meeting OF the Board, the
committee on teachers presented Il re-
port mmrndng the appointment Of
Miss Amanda Mcdura to The principal
ship of No. II school. The report was
signed by only three members OF the
committee john Pyle, Samuel f. Belts
and ID. II. Coylc, which is only half OF
the committee.
At that time Mr.. Morrow vigorously
opposed the report and ON his motion
it was referred to the next meeting. Last
night it was brought up again and the
commlltcc-lhat is the three same mem
bcrs presented a report saying that they
refused to change their report and still
recommended the promotion Of Miss
Mcdara to No. T. school.
Then cnsllrd a debate ON the question
which ELECTED some forriblc remarks
from the different members. Mr.. Nor
row offered an amendment to the report
which stated that Miss Loney should be
placed as principal OF No. II and Miss
Mary }. McAlister at No. II from which
Miss Loncy would be taken.
1t seems that Miss Medara has been
teaching at No. y for some time,
although not appointed to the
position by the Board. She missed
her regular chance OF promotion from
school No. on account OF sickness and
therefore at this time does not come in
the regular order OF promotion Of the
teachers roster.
The teachers roster kept by the Board
of Education is the finest system of grad
ing the promotion of teachers yet cstab-
lishcd.
Mr. Morr,w So d that the board must
stanG by this roster in making appoint
mcnts and it had done so until here
lately, when certain members have taken
it on themselves to dcviatc from the
the register He said "Gcntlemcn,
you are making a mistake in doing
this. You are making loop-hole by
which politics and religion may enter in
the question of selecting teachers and it
looks to me as if this committee has
shown favor in recommending the ar-
pointmcnt OF Miss Medara."
Mr.. Pyle here arose and made an at
tempt to defend the action OF the
teachers committees and Mr. Carter also
said that Mr.. Morrow should first ac-
quaint himself with all the circumstances
in the case before he spoke SO strongly.
A. Ii. McCausand gained the
floor and stated that several
years ago Miss Mcdara was
confined to her home by illness, and
during hat time Il promotion occurred.
She was not offered the appointment as
she would not have been able to accept,
and consequently would have been
thrown out Of line. The Board. how
ever, promised to place her in the same
position which she occupied prior to her
illness, and that was done. This place
was not ut the foot OF the list ON the
teachers roster, but Immediately after
the ones promoted during her illness.
President Baird said that in 1883
appointments were made over Miss
Mehara. She was not at the time
eligible. In 1892 she was placed in her
o,d position having missed several pre-
motions on account Of illness. He
wished to 60 on record rs voting to sl,s-
tain the roster
AT this point thc:spirit Of the debate
became apparent and John Pyle said
that he was Il member Of that committee
and that the three members who signed
the report knew neither friends nor
enemies in recommending Miss Medara.
He debated ut great length on the
nonapWaruncc of the other mem
bers of the teachers committee
at the meeting which made out the re-
port. Robert Adair supported the or
iginal report Of the committee.
DR.. ShortIidgc, who had rf,aincd
from entering the debate up to this time,
now took the floor. The doctor said,
"Some members of this Board seem very
anxious for Miss Medara to be appointed
to the principalship of No. r. Now
StlltI'Hitu w HltlSV Ilpl utIftIU lIOIll Vic
unwrtten law we have in regard to the
teachers roster. was a member OF the
Board before we established the roster
and | know its worth. Do away with
roster and We are besct with a gang Of
politicians and wire pullers in consider
ing the appointment of teachers. The
roster does away with all that. II this
roster is to be abolished ! will immcdi.
atcIy tender my resignation as member
of this bOdy.'
"rllcre is something back of all this
said DR.. Shortlidge. land, gentlemen"
think well before you vote. This roster
must be upheld"
At this stage Of the debate someone
called for vote on the amendment,
which was that Miss Loney b. made
principal at No. l2; i. G. that the line of
the roster be upheld.
The amendment was lost by u vote of
l3 tOS.
The vote on the original recommenda-
ton of the committee, that Miss Medara
be made principal of No. II. stood - for
and 8 against, and the Board thereon de-
cided that the roster should not always
be adhered TO- Nevertheless the opposi-
A: - = "a. A.