The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-07-03
TEACHERS WOES
Miss Elizabeth Allen Says
the Women Are
Terrorized.
MEN PRINCIPALS FAR BETTER
Free Speech Denied the
Fair Sex and They Are
Menaced by Spite.

Miss Elizabeth Allen. the champion Of
the school teachers. is Of the opinion that
matters are growing worse and worse for
female teachers throughout the State.
Her reasons for this are given in the fol-
lowing letter.:
TO the Editor Of sFfThe Jersey City News ~
Sir+From many points in New Jersey
come stories of outrage in the official
management Of the schools. This is al
revenge. The dismissal of Miss Greenfield
of Kearny is asserted to be political re-
venge on the ladyfs father Miss Reed
been saved, while the Teachers Commit
tee of that city has dropped four teach-
ers after the Board of Education had by
a vote Of twelve to three determined to
retain them.
In New Brunswick FIVE teachers are
asked to resign, and the Board refuses
explanation of its action.
From Port Norris ] hear of the sum-
mary dismissal of Miss Harriet Robbins,
a person whose high character as wom-
an and a teacher is certified to by her
County Superintendent, the President OF
the Board of Education, and by the peo-
II seems that last fall the principal of
her school, IN the presence Of Miss Rob-
bins, struck a siekly. nervous little girl
of six, because she thought her inatten-
tive. The matter was taken into court
and Miss Robbins had to testify, thus IN
curing the lIl-Wlll OIL her pIllltipd1. oftS
came under the ban also of one of the
trustees, because, it is asserted, her fa-
ther had declined to give him POLITICAL
support.
graduate, has been teaching in Port Nor
ris five years, and her principal, who mas
not yet been there one year, made IT his
ultirnatum that either she or he may go,
though offering her the highest recon-
nlelldation. 1t IS a disgrace to the Port
Norris Board Of Education tfakS the prin-
tfrr,r,
retained.
Near Chatham, Miss Margaret Flynn,
successful teacher a woman of high
standard who was graduated at the State
dropped, and, while these lines are be-
ing written, she, poor girl, IS unaware OF
the fact. She sent her application to the
board, which | am informed. was not
even opened.
We read OF male principals and super
intendents securing large advances in
their already handsome salaries, While IN
the same places cold and deaf ear is
turned to the request of miserably under
paid women for very modest increase
Of pay. From one city where commits
tee presented a respectful petition for an
advance of salaries, learn that the
Board OF Education considered the women
guilty Of great presumption.
Some of the stories of petty tyranny
that come to me are shameful One prin-
cipal relates that she is 0fficial1y Forbid
den to visit socially the vice principals
president Of her Board and her superir-
fendent that teachers are afraid to speak
to her on the street; and another vice
principal, IS forbidden to visit the R classes ;l
to me to be of high character personally,
and as teachers. But they are publlc-
spirited, and have not hesitated to take
an open stand for what they consider the
best interests of the schools Unscrupu-
lous and inefficient superintendent fear
their influence; hence their oppressioR
| nave spoken before of the sentiment
If fear. something almost unknown in
the oiden time. that now preyades TIE
rank and file Of teachers. Recently a
number from one Ct 9nr iarge cIlles @ tss Sala
for Miss Reed, but we did not dare open
n We $ are threatened with dire conse-
quences If we associate for the pubic
good Or for our own good, and already
the heavy hand of persecution mas
been laid ON many teachers who haSss
1.-THE schools and their co-worlkers. II IS
condition of affairs that BODIES 10 good
TO republican institutions. When liberty
Of speech and OF legitimate acflon 8 sak-
mitted to, It will not be long before
others are thus robbed.
Judging from numerous indications. It is
the intention of certain influences to re-
duce the teaching force of the3 state.
while the way Is being prepared to place
its entire educational interests IN the
ndHuS OF a state cultitiilssiOit u ~ uea ttoii
above the control of the people. the Gov
eTnor and almost of the Legislature. It
was only a desperate effort that such
law was defeated in the last New York
Legislature, while a bill (Senate 19l em-
nrsaeing many ef the evil features of that
defeated in New York is ready to be
presented at Trenton next winter.
There IS no doubt that concerted
movement is in progress, not only in New
Jersey, but throughout the country, 70
neonle and place it IN the hands of a small
permanent body of men responsible only
to themselves.
ELIZABETH A. ALLEN.
r,r;yc ci,s1 Teachers Training School, Sec
retary New Jersey State Committee on
Teachers Pensions, No 1,zl7 Garden
street. Hoboken, n. j.