The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-06-24

some of the resolutions if they were
separated, but as a whole ] cannot vote
for them. My reason for this is that in
the selection of teachers for School No
q, of which Director Egbert is Chair
man.. he was not consulted, and as Chair
man of No. 20 School / was not consulted.
/ was merely called in after all the selec-
ions had been made, and was told what
had been done. This was consulting with
a vengeance. | have not a word 10 say
against any of the persons appointed.
They may really be the best that couh
have been selected, but ! vigorously pro-
test against the manner in which the
appointments have been made. director
Egbert was ignored. and | was not rec
oenized as having anything to say about
the appointments. II / have not the same
power and privileges as other members
of the Board, ! do not know what l am
here for unless it be for ornamental pur-
poses. and / am sure l am not much OF
that.
I'VE are not supposed to be politicians
but representative citizens acting harmo-
niously together for the best interests
of the public schools. Instead of that,
r find that some MEMBERS are not allowed
to know what is going on, or to have a
voice in the doings of the Board. | would
like very much to vote for all the ap-
pointees about whom the respective COM
mitteemen have been consulted, and VINO
have approved them. 1 cannot conscien-
tiously vote for the appointments not
so approved.
st know some of the ~appointees per-
sonally. and would be glad to vote for
them if they had been properly selected,
but as they have not been ! must vote
against the resolutions
Director Mersheimer answered Mr..
Lewis. He said: II do not want the MEM
bers of this Board to lose sight of the fact
that the on teachers and sal
aries has lone considerable hard work
in preparing this list of appointments.
The members worked all day yesterday
and last night, and submitted the list
when completed to every committeeman.
Some of the committee approved and
signed it, and others did not the selec-
ton of teachers during the last two years
has been of the best. and the schools are
in a better condition than they have been
for more than eight years. / am tired Oh
hearing every once in a while OF a lack OF
courtesy. There is nothing in the asser-
ton. as there has at no time been any
lack of courtesy to any membe OF the
Board. The committee performed its
whole duty and Mr.. Egbert may rest as
sured that the Hudson City district mas
been well taken care of. l believe the
public will be entirely satisfied with the
selections"
II look at this matter on a higher plane
and in a different light said Mr.. Egbert.
TT is not the appointments object TO,
but the course pursued in making them
| When entered the meeting room tonight
1 found the list of appointments on my
| desk. I had not been consulted in regard
to its makeup and it was the first init
nation l had that appointments were 10
be made. 1t appears to me that TINS
| method of making appointments is not
| consistent with the rules of the Board or
good order, and good order is essential
| when a good example is to be set for the
government of the schools.
81 have been asked how was getting
along in the Board and / have invariably
said. Well The proceedings tonight
however, do not substantiate that state
ment. I am willing, however, to leave It
to the public to judge how | have been
| treated here tonight"
The appointive resolutions were adopted
by a vote of IL to 2, Messrs. Egbert and
Lewis voting in the negative.
Director Mersheimer asked the privilege
of the floor to deny Mr.. Egbert's state
ment that HI had no chance to consider
the resolutions and he asked Director
Lewis to bear him out in his assertion
that he submitted the resolutions to Di-
rector Egbert and gave him every possible
opportunity to weigh them well and con-
slider them.
Director Lewis admitted that the reso-
buttons had been submitted to Mr.. Egbert,
but added that the resolutions were given
apparently for inspection, not for altera-
ton or suggestions.
II am willing to allow Director Mer-
sheimer to crawl through SO small a
hole,' said Mr.. Egbert- 1T was ten
o'clock when I was shown the resolutions
and I fail to see where the time came in
for consideration of such important
papers"
II nave no need to crawl through a
hole retorted Mr.. Mersheimer. eff any
man is crawling it is Mr.. Egbert, and he
is getting through a hole about the size
of the eye of a needle"
Director higgins stopped further
wrangling by insisting upon the trans
action of regular business. Mayor Hoos
will approve all the appointments which