New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-09-30
HIGH SCHOOL SILENCE
Pupils at Bayonne, NJ. j., Rebel
When Hours Are Extended.
WON'T ANSWER TEACHERS
Student Body Appeals in Vain to
Board of Education and .
Then Strikes.

silence was given the instructors Of
the Bayonne High School yesterday by
practically all of the boys and many Of the
girl students. The .silence'' was almost alb
scIute and was broken only when some
weaker boy or partly hysterical girl gave
way amid tears and answered some ques-
ton The older boys and girls kept up the
revolt all day, and 1t was still on last
night At noon there was an outbreak
which threatened disorder, but the cooler
minded boys held the others in check and
the matter ended without trouble.
The trouble was first noted during the
recitation period beginning at 9:45 o'clock
The first report of 1t to Preston II. Smith.
the principal, was made by Miss F. Osgood.
the American history instructor She had
started off the days work i'm her room as
usual and was surprised there was no re-
Spouse to the first question put in a gen.
eral way. Then she asked direct questions
Of both boys and girls, calling them by
name, but not a word was answered
Before her report to Mr.. Smith was COM
plete and he could go TO the room to take
the matter up word began to come from
other instructors that the students sat
stolid and silent in their seats and would
not work. At the end of the period the
students left the rooms and shifted about
to other cIassrooms, as called for by the
regular schedule, but in the new period
they maintained the same silence that had
marked the 9:45 period.
Some Quit Class Rooms.
This was kept up until noon. Then, as
the boys and girls assembled in their re-
spective checking rooms to be tailed by
their class teachers, there was an outbreak,
and some of those in various rooms went
away without waiting TO be tailed
There was a pretty general rush out of
the room of Professor Michael Crotty. the
stenography instructor. This threatened
disorder, but the leaders of the classes
checked the movement. and those who
were already out were later chided by their
classmates for the disorder.
The situation remained the same last
night, and this morning. if the students re-
main firm, the classes will assemble as
usual and the same silent shifting about
will be gone through without attention
being paid to the teachers.
Professor Smith reported the matter yes
terday to John w. Carr Superintendent OF
Schools, who in turn reported 1t TO the
members of the Board OF Education. The
board will probably meet to-day and take
steps to deal with the rebellious students
The rebellion is not against the teachers,
but against the Board of Education of the
city The boys who are leading the strike,
or rebellion, say they will stick it out, even
quit school rather than give in. They say
they have the support of their parents 10
a large extent in their fight against the
board, and that while their parents did not
know what was to take place they had ap-
proved Of the earlier steps.
This year the hours of attendance at the
Bayonne High School have been changed
by the addition OF an hour. The hours
used TO be from until u and from until
215 o'clock These were changed so that
dismissal for the day does not come until
315 o'clock The pupils object to this. They
contend that many of the students, in order
to attend High School and help their par
ents support the household, have to work
at various jobs after hours, and the exten-
sion of the school period makes it impos-
sible for some of them to hold their places
1t also makes those wishing TO take part
in athletics abandon them.