Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-02-19
SCHOOL
BOARD FOR FIGHT
TO GUST WOMAN
Club Members and Teachers
Combine in Effort to Save
Summit Superintendent.

SUMMIT, Feb. 19.-In a circular let
ter, to be @ent to influential persons il
all parts of North Jersey, a committee
of club women and school teachers ex-
presses itself forcibly regarding the
proposed dismissal from service of Miss
Louise Connolly, superintendent of
the schools of this town.
The letter is signed by Miss Susan
c. Marvin, Of Jersey City Women's
Club, Primary Principals Association,
Jersey City Teachers Ass.c.a ion,
president retirement fund department
Now Jersey State Teachers Associa-
ton, primary principal Jersey city
Normal and Training School; Miss
Lydia X. Ennis, of Jersey city
Women's Club, Jersey City Teachers
Club, Jersey City Teachers Associa-
ton, executive committee New Jersey
State Teachers Association. vice-prin-
ciEal School No. /, Jersey City, and
Mrs. Elizabeth A. Allen, of Hoboken
Women's Club, principal School No. 4,
noboken; legislative committee New
Jerz State teachers Association, Sec
rotary board of trustees teachers re-
tirement fund.
It is said that the committee is
backed by many persons OF power, both
men and women, and nat one of the
bitu st fractional fights Summit has
eve known will lake place If the board
persists in ousting Miss Connolly.
Following are extracts from the let
ter:
BY formal action a majority of the
Summit Board of Education has recon-
mended the dismissal of Miss Louise
Connolly, superintendent of schools.
The only complaint against Miss Con
molly is that she is a woman. No other
charge is made. Her character, culture
and competency are unchallenged. That
the schools have improved gre atty
under Miss Connolly's management is
proved by the fact that sincs sac came
to Summit many families have trans
ferred their children from private to
public schools. The story current in
Summit is that Mr.. George r. Hill, q
member and now president Of the
board, has long boasted that he would
get rid of Miss Connolly and replace
her by a man. In its original form the
teachers tenure of service bill in
cludcd superintendent. Mr.. Hill was
one of the bitterest opponents OF this
measure, and, as finally passed, the bill
omitted superintendent.
The secret of Mr.. Hills opposition IS
now manifest. Mr.. Hill has not now
and It is said has never had, shildren
in public schools, He is reported, fur
Their, 10 be one of those men (~happily
fcw) who consider woman to be a very
inferior creation. The story runs that
the recently elected mayor, Mr., George
+. Vreeland, was elected with the un-
Outstanding that he would manage to
get rid'' of Miss Connolly. The out
going mayor had the appointment OF
several members of the Board of Edu-
cation. As q matter of courtesy he al
lowed Mr. Vreeland to name these mea
Four out of the five men so appointed
have declared against Miss Connolly
1t is not yet known where the ffftf
| aupointee stands. but the four, Will
President Hill, a hold-over, are a ma
jorlty.
.'The Undersigned are all teachers.
We are all personally aeouairted with
Miss Connolly. We are familiar with
/ conditions IN Summit. The move
/ against Miss Connolly is a part OF the
widesnreay scheme to exclude women
| from the honor and emoluments of the
profession % teaching. We protest
against the dismissal of this progress
sive and Successful educator: First
Because WE believe the cause of educa-
ton In Summit will be greatly retarded
hereby. Second-Because such action
inspired b. personal prejudice on Il C
conut of sex is an insult to woman