The times., 1898-01-27
FRAUD IN MAKING TEACHERS.
Startling Charges II feferred by a
New York School commissioners.

Sta artltnE Charges II FSrcrreu by a
New York school Commissioner.
New York. Jan. 2s.r-Mrs Julia X.
West, school commissioner of Rich
mond county. has submitted to Gov.
Black a number OF affidayits and doc
uments gathered by her during the
past three years. and purporting to
show evidence of carelessness in the
State department of public instruc-
ton. 1t is said in these papers that
not only have numerous candidates
for certificates as teachers come to
take examinations under supervision
of Mrs. West, armed with complete
sets of answers to the questions to be
asked, which were supposed to be Sc
cret, but that on various occasions,
one of which is specifically stated, ex-
animation sheets. after being turned
in TO Mrs. West and forwarded by heI
to Albany have disappeared. and
other papers, making the candidate
pass with 100 per cent have been sub
stituted in their place.
Mrs. West further makes allegation
that as q result of Investigations made
by her. she has learned that for sew
eral years copies of the examination
papers have found their way to Stat
en- Island from Albany days before
the examinations took place and
have there been peddled to candidates
for teachers certificates. On Au-
gust 10 last she purchased through an
agent 4 full set of the questions which
Were to be submitted to those taking
the examination two days later Her
agent paid $50 for the questions Ev-
idence of the transaction has been sub
mitted to Gov. Black.
For over two years Mrs. West has
been struggling TO put a stop to the
frauds which she now complains of.
She says that evidence of it was for
warded in 1895 to j. F. Crooker, then su-
perintendent of public instruction. An
investigation was promised but nothing
resulted from it. The same evidence
with additional details was sent to the
present superintendent, Charles r.
Skinner, and the result was an investi-
CATION lasting over many weeks and
conducted by Deputy Superintendent
Danforth L. AinswoTth. assisted by
Mrs. West This time the leak was dis
covered and the department promised
that the guilty persons should be un-
masked and brought to justice.
This was six months ago, but, accord
ing to Mrs. West, nothing has been
done about the matter. Mrs. West eX-
plained yesterday her reasons for ap-
pealing to Gov. Black.
Il want ii understood, says Mrs.
West. that | have not made charges
against anybody in the State depart
ment Of public instruction: | do not pro-
pose to do so. either. AT the same time,
| want something done about these
frauds which | have unearthed during
my administration. / so out of Office
on February l. and it is my duty to
use every means in my power TO rem 1dy
the evils have found. | have no crit
icism to make of the administration of
either Mr. Crooker or Mr.. skinner. All
| can say is that the same evidence
that is in Gov. Blacks hands now was
placed in their hands. Nothing has
been done and as it seemed unlikely
that anything would be done during the
balance of my term of office. l decided
to do what / regarded as my duty in
the premises and submit the whole
thing to Gov. Black.