New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-07-01
MISS N0RC0TT'S TRANSFER.
Residents Said To Be Indignant at Local
School Board

After twenty years as teacher and principal in
Public School No. IS. St Nicholas ave. and One
hundred-an ffty-sixth-st.. Miss Mary L Norcott
has been transferred TO Public School No. rs. at
Sxty-eighth-st- and Lexington-ave.. and great is
the sorrow Of her coworkers and the Indignation
Of the parents in the district. Although hardly
unexpected her loss is none the less deprecated
that account What lends peculiar bitterness to
the situation Miss Norcotts friends view il. is
the belief that seems to be general TO the effect
that the local School Board which has all along
maintained amicabIe relations with Miss Norcott,
has really knitted her IN the back and that politics
IS 81 the bottom Of tire whole business The women
principals Of the city are reused over the affair.
which, they claim, is only one more nail in the
coffin Of their promotion.
Last spring the Washington Heights people
feared that Miss Norcott would go. The Board of
Superintendent had decided 10 transfer her TO an
Fast Side school. Alarmed At the prospect, the
parents of her neighborhood circulated petition
10 have her remain. and. the new building not hav-
ing been completed at the time she remained where
she
CREATED THE DEPARTMENT.
Miss Norcotts relation to Public School No. 4s
end 70 this community is in many respects pecul-
lar" said an old resident Of the Heights. whose
children have passed through the school in ques-
ton. when she first came TO the Heights,
small school stood OF the site Of the present build
ing. Miss Mary W. Swartz was the principal, and
for the first eight years Miss Norcott taught the
graduating class under Miss Swartz She very
successful in the grammar department ana a large
proportion Of her girls entered college. When the
new school was built 1t made three depart
nent school Mr McIvor had the boys depart
ment Miss Swartz the girls, and Miss Norcott the
primary. Miss Norcott practically created the
primary department. In many respects il has been
unique, and whatever II has achieved has been
due her tact, ability and good discipline during
the twelve years Of her principalship.
LAST SCHOOL OF ITS KIND.
This school is the last three-departnent school
In Manhattan. With the change in policy. the other
schools have been consolidated. When the new
school at -hundred-an forty ffth-st was ready
for occupancy It was thought that a woman princi-
pal would be appointed there. and it was expected
by the parents that either Miss Norcott or Miss
Swsrtz would receive the appointment
But the local school board wanted put IN
and asked TO have it made school for boys and
girls Of all grades. The board Of superintendent
sent for both Miss Swartz and Miss Norcott-
Finally II was decided 70 make Miss Norcott prin-
cipal Of No. Is i'm the place Of Miss Kate Broderck.
retired: 10 appoint Joseph II. Wade, of the school
st Mulberry and Bayard SITS. 10 the principalship
q the new school in ehunGred-andf orty-1fthst.
and 10 consolidate No. 46 with Abner p. HoIley in
charge Of the grammar grades Of boys and girls,
snd Miss swartz in charge of the primary depart
ment.
Through the trickery Of the local school board"
continued the champion Of Miss Norcott, Wash
might just as well have put woman in as princi
pal Of the cumberland forty-ffth-st. school
and had it girls school. The local board put
that out Of his power by favoring a mixed school,
Ahd' furthermore. encouraged him in his favorite
poncy Of appointing man in the place Of a woman,
What actuated the board 10 act so l Go not know.
should like TO know
GIRLS co OUT OF DISTRICT.
The new school at One-hundred- and forty-Afth-
Fl vas nuit for a girls school" said a prominent
hehaper OF the Women Principals Association 1T
sno04u De Kept girls school As il is. the girls
nave 10 20 out Of the district because here IS not
PROVISION mace Tor them in il. Not only does this
li1SGate me present policy Of pushing the boys at
t's expense OF the girls but it sheds volume of
80 On Ut. Max wells policy Of freezing out the
women To be explicit: This new One-bundred and
-'i'y-IlIih-St school IS going 10 be a very big one
IL viii contain sxty-two classes e.crool bas n
1--we IoFly-elght classes in it 10 rank as one Of the
"ist oroer Now, al these schools of the first rank
90 '-s gwen one after another, 10 men. When
'''e men principals get strong enough they will
oano together and ask for 81 90 Or so a ,ear more
raIaIy on the ground Of the extra work they ac-
he 1ra IN seneralng these immense schools But
princpsshits are s H. As + IS, only the smaller
The local bosrS si-s X 70 their share
of Interest in Og r IS showing terrible amount
bje etAe tdr one Of the teachers we nave verv
seldom come O oal al Washington Heights They
DO is 10 me school, as far as know x they
erai 49, 81 mem has child IN The scbCoI Sev-
has serds -. chlidren 10 send. and tho one "A no
my opinion i fe 80, ." me Horace Mann school Bat
thew tbongIf , one a. the turn Of events think
r + FIieTf ire{i ta9 more power than they have
hundTedsnd S aiPe2inted principals in the one
''a' lay oehnd his actions is hidden"
DON'T WANT MEN PRINCIPALS
me action Of the Board Of suyerirtendents in
a"~hins me Observation-Disclosures school
q :, mixed school under man principal means that
mere VIII not he one grammar school next year