The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-23
Maxwell REPORT HUNG UP
BOARD OF EDUCATION VOTES TO
PLACE 1T GOV FILE"

It Reflects Severely on tho Methods of tho
Brooklyn school Board In Appointing
and Promoting Tenchers-Mr. Maxwell
Wouldn't Take Back What He Said.
Tho Central Board OF Education decided yes
to-day virtually to suppress the first annual
report OF tho City superintendent OF Schools
William H. Maxwell. A resolution was adopted
after heated debate calling for the hanging
up OF the report, which was characterized as
"a scandalous document" which reflected
upon the Official conduct OF tho mem bers OF
tho Brooklyn Borough School Board. The
charter directs the City Superintendent TO
make reports annually. showing the condition
OF the public schools system OF the entire city.
and II was evidently the intention Of the char
| ter makers that the reports should be mnde
| public.
Mr.. Maxwels report was FIRST submitted to
| tho board on Oct. II. copies Of IL being fur
| nished on that day to members OF the board.
| In his report Superintendent Maxwell at-
tackled the local committee system in Brook
| lyn. under which. Mr.. Maxwell asserted. ap-
pointments OF teachers were made under polit-
| ical pressure. and teacher without such infu-
| ence often had to wait until place had been
| found for an inferior. The system. the reports
said. was an injurious one. as under It teachers
and principals with proper influence had been
! promoted TO places for which they were unit.
| The removal OF such q system. Mr. Maxwell
| stated. was the one reform most desired In
| the adm Illustration Of the schools OF the city.
The Brooklyn members denounced the re-
| port and finally secured the passage OF a reso-
luton referring It to the Committee on School
| System. This committee IL composed OF
| Waldo II. Richardson. c. E. Robertson and
| Horace Z Dresser. Mr.. Richardson. the chair
| man OF the committee. is tho only Manhattan
member. Tho other two members como from
the Brooklyn School Board. OF which Mr.. Rob-
! ertson |. the president. While the committee
| was considering the report supt Maxwell
| discovered that the Brooklyn payrolls had
| boon Illegally prepared and had thsm
! held up. precIpltating financial tangle
| In that borough The Committee OF Sup
plies in the interval refused to appropriate
money for printing the Superintenient's re-
! port. but President Little vetoed their action
| as hasty and ill-adviscd.
After taking six weeks to consider the re-
| port the committee presented n report OF the
| matter yesterday afternoon. 1t stated that.
| when called before the members OF the COM
| mittce. Supt. Maxwell reiterated the charges
| made in his report. President Robertson OF
| the Brooklyn board denied them. The COM
mittce, the report said. then asked Surt Max
well II he wanted tn bring witnesses. which lie
had previously stated 1t was in his power to do
and which h. could do. to prove these charges.
u
| lew DAYS 10 ns'd"r this proposition. wrote to
| the committees chairman ~ follows:
lettering 10 the discussion at the meeting
| otthc Committee on school system held on the
| 2Dth inst. AMI TO my rromis" 20 advise yon
| promptly o. the attitude | sail take with
| r.l"rrnc" 10 the matter then under discussion.
beg 20 adNi~" you AS follows A. City Surrr-
intnndcnt o, schools have compiled with lilo
r'lu'rmrnts OF the charter in submitting an
annual report. which contains 4 statement ~
the condition oithe schools o. this city aud all
such matters relating t. his Office and such
plans and suggestions for the Improvement oi
the schools in the school system and for the
hiSancrmegt OF Publ e Instruction IN the city
OF N"w York "a he shall deem .Spcdient.
The several statements and recommended
t'ons ,s2,m,aimst n that Tcnort rerrsssn, my
them 10 the Bard q! litigation was part OF
mt y s" @r@n '%T o h. To
r"commen cations and 70 set forth in 'ul the |
srgpnts upon which they rest Is neither OK
Precedent TO the publication Of the report AL.
Mr. Maxwell then wen, on to any in his let |
tor. tho rommittc" REPORTED. that after tho !
publication Of the report, II the Poard u Edu |
he would 90 moro fully into the matter The |
letter then cortiUu"d |
eestions shall ," acted upon ia. question Tor |
ths Boar! Of Edlcaton and for the several |
Whether the annual report o. the City super. |
in'"nicnt 81 schools under the Present char |
ga Sna GS a les 'T Why wh. t ind tr
rrct'on OF the Board ~ Education. which alone |
can and must assume responsibility for tho |
The committee in its report declared that |
Mr. Maxwell had not been called upon 10 enter !
Ii detailed discussion OF the case. but had been |
requested To produce evidence TO suhs,antiate |
The scandalous charges he hal made against |
Borough Of Brooklyn." This. the Committee |
contcndrd h.. had not done when the oppor- |
tuni,y was offered. "a shown by his letter Ap. |
resolution that Mr Maxwells rerort be re. |
ceIy"h and placed on ii,e
Ia Tsnly A question n : a what This |
the chairman o. the committee said II was |
ssimrly treating The report - many others were |
said that par OF the report might hc el!mn- |
nted. but there we're many valuable sIs-
other member objected 10 any suppression OF
the report.
1t is surpres.Sn" ic,oftei Mr n sWanstrom.
IT is placed IN NE. mean ng to pigeon hole Il. |
be placed in the unscemiy attitude which ,fls |
con mlttee wants II TO assume W. have nj |
mad GI but Sa!"sy lST .sS Rn
,ns ISno!' is fn Ini,s anH ILLEGAL Tho snnsr.
longs to the public therefore. and wc have no |
s.nience In il that goes beyond ee,imate |
Criticism dsagr.ewth Mr. Maxwell IN many
things: hnt m3nt ma It necessary to lose my |
Mr.. Richardson. in defending the com mittee's
were bound by no prccsdSnt to o. print t' i. Hs
also pointed ont that II would be economy not |
to print IT, Commissioner Maxwell OF Brooklyn |
said the charges ~ the report were nothing |
CON pared TO the vau" OF the statistics In II.
II may differ with the superintendent " said |
Mr.. Maxwell hut | believe when u man IL |
sincere We should he perfectly willing to print |
anything, he says"
Supt. Maxwell then took the floor and stated
that tho committees report did not correctly
represent hiS criticisms
I'm my report" no said. i made no criticism
OF the momhers OF the board"
Mr., Dresser said no did, He snI1 the report
contained Specific charges one OF them being
that young women licensed to teach were COM
ber- 10 got positions.
THAT IL n charge against the members"
said Mr.. Dresser, and for ono will not sit
hero silent underit."
Mr.. Dresser's reply brought Mr.. swanstrom
II want to AJAX Mr.. Dresser II It isn't true
that political pressure II brought to bear on
the members. Why, n well-knOwn teacher
told me that every teacher In Brooklyn know
that she couldn't get positions unless she had |
pull"
MI Rpbarfgpn If IN |