Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-04-20
Secretary Allen, of Teachers
Association, DenounCes AM
other Wilson Project.
IN LETTER, SAYS IT Is
DESP0TIC, UNAMERICAN
Makes Direct Appeal to Governs
or to Save State from
"Autocracy."

school system of New Jersey as vicious,
despotic and un-American, Elizabeth
A. Allen, secretary of the State Teach
ers' Association, has just sent Gov
ernor Wilson an open letter of protest.
While other reforms, advocated and
hurried through by the administration,
have beef for the alleged purpose of
eliminating State "bosses,' the educa-
tional bill, Miss Allen asserts, creates
an educational autocracy, e%nthroniDg by
law a boss more powerful and dan
gerous than New Jersey has ever seen.
Reasons for Protest.
She summarizes her objections in part
as follows in her letter to Governor
Wilson:
1T revolutionizes the public school
system of an entire State. 1t is, in my
opinion, the most important measure
of the session. 1t has not been de-
bated in press OF Legislature. No
paper has adequately analysed It. The
people are singularly ignorant of a
measure intended to completely revo-
lutionize their most cherished institut-
ton. The people, who foot the bills,
and the welfare of whose children is at
stake, are entitled to an opportunity
to thoroughly familiarize themselves
with a proposal SO momentous before
it is enacted into aw.
Il object to the in which the
bill was constructed and introduced.
No hearings were ,ranted to people,
boards Of education or teachers. The
bill was introduced very neal the end
of the session. The measure has not
been placed in the limelight of that
'pitiless publicity SO wisely recon-
mended by you and so earnestly be-
lieyed in by me.
creates an AutOcracy.
sThis bill seems directly contrary to
the spirit OF all other important adj
mtnistratton legislation, which aims to
restore to the people that control over
their political and financial affairs OF
which they have been so long deprived.
The educational bill. however, creates
an educational autocracy. The other
administration seek to de-
throne the bosses Senate 258 would,
in my opinion, enthrone, by law, a
boss more powerful and more dan
garous than New Jersey has yet seen.
In your admirable message On the
commission form of government for
cities you called especial attention to
the fact that the bill was 'permissive'
and that 1t contained the initiative,
referendum and recall There is moth
ing 'perrnissive' in Senate 25S, nor is
there any spirit of initiative. referen-
dunn or recall
Despotic, Dangerous, In~defensibIe.
ITO my mind the most alarming fea-
ture about the committee substitute for
Senate 258 is the fact that it exists at
all. 1t is understood thai the original
Senate 25S was the result of long and
careful study by the Senate investigat-
ing committee and the governor; that
1t accurately reflected their views and
that It was introduced as an admins
trative measure. In my opinion a more
despotic, dangerous and indefensible
bill h Senate 258 was never intro
duced In an American legislature. Sem
ate 258 provoked such a storm of criti-
cism that it was very essentially modi-
fed in committee. So sudden a change
of front is alarming. If the original
Senate 258 was the fruit of profound
study and embodied the mature con-
illusions of its distinguished authors
why were so many of its most radical
provisions so quickly abandoned? Can
it be possible that the substitute is de-
signed to work out in the anne man.
ner, though differently constructed,
from its predecessor?
R~evolutionize school System.
Continuing the letter says:
These are a few of the questions
evoked by a cursory midnight examin-
alton of substitute for Senate 1853. All
these, however. are minor points. The
potential objections to substitute 25S
are: 1. That 1t rev~olutionizes New Jer-
sey's pubic school system without CIV
ing the people a chance to study it.
2. That 1t Was too vastly important a
measure to introduce so late in the
legislative session. 8. That no hear
ings were granted. 4. That the original
measure was utterly un-American. and,
in my opinion, utterly in~defensible.
5. That the original measure was has
tily abandoned, and a very different
measure substituted, a proceeding that
has alarmed the people. s. That the
educational system proposed contains
the possibilities of a monster political
machine. Z. That such a policy Of GEN.
traiiSation Is contrary to the spirit of
democratic institutions, and that no
body of men would dream of trying to
apply It to any other department of
our government. Our public schools
are the boosted cradle of American
citizenship Why should they be
brought under despotic rule? s. The
people are alarmed, too, at the peculiar
provision that a commissioner of edu-
cation may be selected from within or
without New Jersey. Now, no man is
too good or able to be New Jerseys
commissioner of education. We want
the best there is to be had, but would
not the Governor have power to APP
point q non-Jerseyman to that office
without special provision in the act?
Men from other States are continual
ly being appointed to important eduea-
tional positions in New Jersey. The
people are asking if the man has al
ready been selected, and if the law Is
being written to fit him.
LET the limelight OF Governor VIII
sons 'pitiless publicity" be turned on
this measure before it becomes law"