New-York tribune., 1902-12-01
WONEN PRINCIPALS UNEASY
THEY SAY MEN ARE GETTING ALL AP-
POINTMENTS AND THEY ARE DIS
CRIbIINATED AGAINST.

Te tha School Board Of Manhattan and The Bronx
opposed to women principals OF grammar
schools? Has it adopted policy or mixed schools
in preference to separate schools and pohcy OF
favoritis-n in appointing men principals instead oi
women principals over mixed schools?
These are some of the questions the women
teachers in the public schools Of this city are
asking themselves and each other. They have no.
1iced what many of them characterize as sys-
tenatic effort on the part Of the Board Of Educa-
lion to turn schools which now haze separate de-
partments for the two sexes into mixed schoois
and wherever rhis is done 10 place man pEthCIpdl
instead of a woman over the school thus rorineo
They are violently opposed on several GROUNDS 10
the substitution of mixed for separate schools, ano
they bitterly resent what they term the movement
exploit teachers at the expense OF women
teachers, by promoting the man prlnclpa- o"ei Iie
head OF the woman principal
since February not woman has been appointed
TO a rrinc;paiship in Manhattan or The Bronx
said an indignant woman principal to tribune
reporter. 1--WE don't feel-we know-tnat women
are being Disseminated against in TINS natter.
Prior TO the election of DR.. Maxwell as Superin-
tendent Of Schools there were no mixed schools
except fn the rural districts but under him num-
Der have been made and principal invarta-
bly, appointed. You can't get man TO gay this,
but the women teachers throughout the city know
it and are opposed TO mixed schools. They are
strongly opposed. general grounds. TO having
girls during the formative years, between thirteen
and fifteen placed under the principalship OF men
There oughtnt TO be mixed classes, either at that
time Of life"
ALTRUISTIC MOTIVES ONLY
You needn't think that the Association of Wom-
en- Principals is opposed to mixed schools selfish
grounds" said member Of that organization "On
the contrary feel absolutely sure of our tenure
Of Office In agitating this question we ara actu-
eted solely by altruistic motives Some people are
saying that it isn't decent to bring all sexes
classes and colors together, as is done in mixed
schools and mixed classes. Young girls and little
children ought to be under women principals
Those 'Goldey old ladies' are to blame that
women are not being appointed to princpalships," :"
was the opinion OF woman principal who is
prominent educationally. ''Who are the Goldey
old ladies? Well. named Goldey discovered
that he held principals license It was very
old license, granted about thirty years ago, but ne
presented It to the Board of Education and asked
to be placed head Of the eligible list for ap-
pointment to a principalship. The request being
denied, he sued the board The case was carried
from court to another. and in every court
Goldey's contention upheld until. after the
Court Of Appeals had found verdict for him. his
was placed the head OF the eligible list. as
he desired. and in due time he was appointed.
"5oldey's success stimulated others to look
through their papers, with the result that four or
FIVE men and about twice many women found
that they. too were the possessors of principal s
licenses. They applied, as Goldey nad Done 10 oe
done.
ow Of those men an have BY 1T this nn time he re-
been appointed She was appointed principal I'm On
July !. and retired September following The
others still the eligible list where they block
The way for the younger women. who are lower
down on the list The board won't appoint the
'Goldey old ladies' while they stand where
they do it can't legally appoint any of those be-
low them This is made an excuse for not ap-
pointing women principals. why ooesnt the
School Board have backbone enough either 10 pro
mote or else retire these candidates who block the
way for the Others else both promote and re-
tire them as was done IN the case of the one
woman specifed? IL these women are deserving
Of promotion 1t Is injustice not to promote
them
So strong has this feeling grown that about ten
days ago the Association of Women Principals sent
a committee to wait on DE-. Maxwell and to express
the opposition Of the association 10 mixed schools
under men principals The committee was com
posed Of Miss Carrie s. Montfort, president of the
association Miss Aida s Williams, Miss kath-
arine Beyier Miss Isabella Sullivan. Miss keth-
arine d Blake Miss Jennie Birmingham and Miss
Urania D. Secor6.
DR. MAxwELL'S POLICY
Upon being asked by the committee 20 outline the
policy OF the board In appointing principals OF