New-York tribune., 1900-03-05
CHICAGO SCHOOLS SUFFER.
THE INJECTION OF POLITICS HAMPERS
SUPERINTENDENT ANDREWS.
AN UNFORTUNATE CONFLICT BETWEEN
HIM AND THE BOARD OF EDUCA-
TIoN-How HE IS OvERRULED
AND INUNDATED.
AND INUNDATED.

Chicago, March I lSpeclal).-Ine unfortunate
injection Of politics into the management Of the
public schools of this city has worked incal-
oulable harm. Not only are the schools regarded
as less efficient than formerly but the confidence
heretofore felt in the system by the people OF
the city has been diminished to q great degree.
There are over two hundred and fifty thousand
school children in Chicago, nearly five thousand
teachers are employed and until the present
situation was created a justifiable pride was
taken in the schools by all citizens. Before the
advent Of the present superintendent, E. Ben
jamin Andrews. politics unknown guam
tity in the school management. Now it crops out
everywhere, ard decentralization Of the system is
threatened.
Superintendent Andrewss warm advocacy of
free silver when president of Brown University
and the contention and controversy which pre-
ceded his departure from that institution, at
tracted much attention in the West. where the
silverites strong, and Mayor Carter H. Har
rison was particularly interested. The Esayor
has the appointment of the members of the
Board of Education. and the City Council al
ways confirms these nominations Naturally
enough. the Board of Education is anxious and
ready to obiige the Mayor in every way, and
therefore when he suggested that 1t would be a
big thing for the public schools Of Chicago If
President Andrews could be secured for super
intendent, the Board elected him and threw
Superintendent Lane, who had politics in
school management, overheard. AS the
election of President Andrews announced
the Mayor congratulated the Board upon its
choice, although the struggle had been a bitter
one. and left many sores behind, which are
not yet healed Mayor Harrison spoke so en-
Enthusiastically regarding the superintend-
ent's executive ability his standing scholar
and the new life he would infuse into the school
system, that many who had opposed President
Andrews began to congratulate themselves be-
cause they had been beaten.
A REBELLION AGAINST THE MAYOR.
Mayor Harrison is one Of the most ardent sup
porters Of free silver and William ]. Bryan
In this section of the country, and his praises Of
Superintendent Andrews. sounded upon every
occasion and from every possible pulpit and
platform began TO be wearisome, particularly
as the opponents of the Executive mainly those
in his own party, rebeed in a most open and
unequivocal way The Republicans kept out OF
the fight not caring to drag the public schools
into controversy that could be productive of
nothing but harm, but the various factions in
the Board Of Education plunged boldly into the
conflict; the Mayor, much to his surprise. was
openly defied, and the superintendent, hav-
ing started out with the idea that he and the
Board were on equal terms suddenly found
himself placed in a most awkward position, be-
ing practically made a servant of the Board.
Although holding silver views Superintendent
Andrews had not aired them to any extent
likely TO arouse extreme criticism, but being
the personal selection of the Mayor, and chosen
for the place he occupied mainly because Of the
influence of the city administration he
compelled to bear the brunt of all attacks.
In effect. the Board OF Education stripped
Superintendent Andrews Of all power, and it
Quired al the persuasion of the Mayor to pre-
vent him from handing In his resignation. 1t
was most humliattng spectacle and the re-
suit was what might have been expected. With
the Board OF Education split into factions It was
natural that the teachers and principals should
take sides, and Generalization the only
thing that could come out Of such muddle
The public school teachers in this city have
strong organization. and it is openly charged
that many men and women hold places in the
schools more because of their political pulls
than their fitness. At any rate, when Superin-
tendent Andrews attempted to make certain
changes he deemed necessary he was confronted
by stone wall of pulls that caused him to
open his eyes in amazement. He could not COM
prehend such a condition Of affairs until the n
welcome reality was forced upon him In
ner which admitted Of doubt to the exis-
tence of ring that powerful enough even
TO cause the chief executive Of the city to pause
and wrinkle UP his brows.
POLITICS EVERYWHERE
Apparently there was politics everywhere
not particularly partisan, according to the gen.
eral understanding Of this term. and 1t was all
the Mayor could do to keep the superintendent
in line. Dr. Andrews thoroughly disgusted,
and openly said SO, even going so far as to sug-
gest that the Office of superintendent be abol-
ished altogether If the Board of Education per
sisted in making him mere hgurehead. When
Dr. Andrews took this stand the Board OF Edu-
cation took another tack, and decided to recog
Iize the superintendent part and parcel Of
the school system By this time DR.. Andrews
was thoroughly angry that he unloosened his
tongue and said many things which made the
ears Of the members Of the Board tingle closing
with the admonition that unless there
change in methods in Chicago the magnificent
system Of public schools would go to rot. He
did not deny his free silver theories. but main
tanned that he had not intruded them where they
were not desired, nor had he sought to keep his
position through the eXertion of political infiu-
ence. Having intimated pretty strongly that his
resignation had been placed in the hands of the
president OF the Board, the superintendent with
drew without taking the trouble to affirm or
deny the stories that the Nebraska State Uni
versity was ready TO open its doors to him. and
was. furthermor, waiting with good salary
offer, too.
1t is known that Mr. Bryan holds Superin-
tendent Andrews in the highest esteem, and has
been anxious to secure him as the head of the
State University OF Nebraska, but, while max
ing secret of his cordial and hearty dislike for
his surroundings here, DR.. Andrews has said to
intimate friends that he did not propose to be
driven away from Chicago by a lot of men for
whom he had such thorough contempt without
putting up" some sort of a fight He did not
deny that he felt keenly the Sights and huma-
tons that had been put upon him by the Board
Of Education, but he thought these not due
entirely TO politics and factional fights. In his
opinion the fact that he had been a college
president initiated somewhat against him, as
many people considered university men as mere
idealists, entirely devoid Of practical common
sense in the management Of anything. Further
more because he was from the East. he found
upon his arrival here hundreds arrayed against
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