New-York tribune., 1900-04-26
DIR. MAXWELL CENSURED
THE BOARD OF EDUCATION CONDEMNS
SUPERINTENDENT'SA ACTION IN
LICENSE CASE.

At the meeting of the Board of Education last
night William II. Maxwell Superintendent Of
Schools, came in for the censure contained in the
resolution introduced by Mr.. Stern at the last
meeting in March. and which referred TO the
Committee on Bylaws and Legislation The resolu-
ton is follows:
condemns the action of the City Superintendent in
the School Board Of the Boroughs of Manhattan
and The Bronx has placed upon Suo-division OF
ject the revsory power of the courts. where the
judicial authority is invoked School Board of
borough necessarily the highest authority as to
the meaning Of its own bylaws and that School
a City Superintendent when in conflict with its
own construction of the bylaws that 1t has made,
ton Il is not conducive to the due and orderly
fendent 10 set az defiance the deliberate determine
fion OF the School Board of the Boroughs of Man
haitian and The Bronx Of the n.saning OF the pro-
visions OF its bylaws hereinbefore mentioned
That copy of this resolution be forwarded to the
Corporation Counsel
The ce1lsure of Superintendent Maxwell the
result of his treatment of Joseph d. Reardon. A
principals license in the Borough of Manhattan
was refused Reardon by the Board of Examiners
the ground that under the Manhattan require
ments he was eligible because in the period OF
his preparation for the examination he was en-
ployed as a school teacher While the license for
Manhattan refused. certificate for Brooklyn.
Queens and Richmond granted.
The Committee Bylaws and Legislation
ported faVOrably the resolution. In order that
il would be a personal attack DR. Maxwell
Commissioner Dresser, of Brooklyn. moved that
the resolution be amended as TO include every
member Of the Board Of Examiners. Mr. Dresser
said that he had never been the side of DR..
Maxwell and had seldom agreed with him, but If
there any fault ii lay with the Board of Ex-
aminers. The amendment was lost and the reso-
luton passed
Dr. Maxwell read a statement of his position.
He held that the Interpretation upon Paragraph a
nv he of nha md he
Is that the years of professional study may be
concurrent with the three years of professional
perience. He stated that the bylaw in question is
a bylaw of the Board of Education. and that
School Board has the right place its own inter
probation a bylaw Of the Board Of Education,
even when that bylow has in this instance,
been adopted in like terms by the School Board.
In concluding his statement DR.. Maxwell said
would, # accepted. nuIlify the bylaw of the Board
Of Education, which required in the case of college
graduates i've Of experience. and that of the
school Board OF Manhattan and The Bronx. which
s Tn fEa En- sS s no aPpcan would
stitute for II some course of lectures. For these
that to accept the Interpretation of the School
board OF Manhattan and The Bronx would be un-
Just unWlse and subversive Of the Board of Educa-
cOmmissioner o,Brisn said that twelve or four
teen months ago he knew of school teachers with
egerE cred Giredential knocking at Dr. MaxwelTs door
Something will hsve TO be done by this Board -,
declared MI O Brien. TO protect the citys inter
est Is Maxwell infallibe, and the Board fools? =?
gogue and he has burned no more midnight oil
fl fhan heaIGon His assistants on the Examining
Boarc must know as much about teaching as he.
ne raises turmoil. when the best interests of the
Gommii;ssioners. He has thrown down the gauntlet
AIr Davis made speech Which caused DR.
maxwell, who sat in the rear of the room TO hold
his head in his hands while his face was as red as
fire 7 realize said Mr.. Davis The heipiessness S
or the Board and the point Of vantage which the
in this matter mas both the Board Education and
ib bI GehoPl 6oarS for Manhataa and The Bronx in
don l think he will give a thought to the Board 5
him. You may censure him. He feels thar no
matter what bylaws passed by the deliberation
have the highest regard for his attaInments and
saw him qjaIees IN sei NO one know can do or
well The Board must take some action
10 Messrs. 0'Brien and Davis He declared fbayg
ne Boarq OF examiners had done no injustice Ii
The Board had done wrong it was ready to recon
I fasr It's action lie sdmitted nj that mistakes had
him to aege ha NfH ne Mou3 aTs 1o what d facts ct led
Boards rulings Every had been carried Out te
DaT,19s take eSSe2o2 Taid Dr. Maxwell Ito Mr.
Mr. Davis did mott not saw gelg gefR fRe board
Continuing, Dr. Maxwell said THE Board of Ex.
amners had placed no Interpretation on any BY
dEtt6 DR. Navel * had nc one TO vote against the
The Board passed resolution requesting the
the sum Of 10000 out Of the sum Of b. 500 s 600 Ss1Ge ape
portioned TO the School Board OF the Boroughs Of
equipment and improvement OF school buildings
and for the purchase of four sites for schoo
The sites desired are in One-hundred-and- twenty
sixty-fhst between linton ana Gnion ir
Eighty-sixth-st; east of Madison-aye.. and One
-thirty-fourth-st and Lenox-aVe.
The resolution Sn @ provides that the balance Of the
Qlired, The Board has already acquired sixteen
condemnation by the Corporation Counsel. u