New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-04-01
HITS EDUCATION BOARD.
Bayonne Man Criticises Action
on Sons Charges.

In a letter to the Bayonne Board ~ Edu-
cation yesterday Louis Lchr Of No. 80 West
aSd street. objects 10 the disposition of
charges that his thirteen car-old son.
David, had hecn beaten ~ William Good
According 10 the boys story. the princi-
cipal was cxonerated. Mr.. Lehr declares
that he will have the case called 10 the
/ attention uf the state Board Of Education.
According To the boys story. the phinci-
pal dragged him to the basement where he
struck him in the face with his FIST. black
enng his eyes and bruising lis face. Mr.
Goodale admitted having punished the boy
but said he used his open hand. DIR. s. J..
Myers. Henry Hnse and james II. Murphy,
committee of the board. invest ieated the
! charges and submitted q report in which
they said:
There is no action this board should take
against Mr.. Goodale. If the proper orders
given by teachers and principals are not
obeyed and their authority Is permitted 10
he challenged by inCOrrigtb.c pupils then
the discipline Of our schools will he at on
end. II is our duty to uphold the teachers
! ana principals in securing obedience TO all
proper rules and regulations given to and
concerning their pupils. and where ali in
corrigiblc pupil openly deties the authority
and uses all his physical strength in ro-
beliing against the same. II Is the duty. in
our opinion. of such teachers and pr!nci-
pals 10 Subdue such rebellion. Mr.. Goodae
did not use any more force in this case
than was necessary TO subdue the boy.
MIR. Lehr in his letter said:
The report lays stress on the fact tina, my
son was incorrigibe Assuming that to he
| so land tho records Of his behavior do not
show it,, then this manly principal ana
your board were amply provided by tho
school manual with means OF projecting
yourselves by expellng him. which would
! have deemed for his best interest, rather
/ than have him assaulted aud battered the
way he was. The report further states that
/ this superior strength" of the principal
was only employed 10 release the hold Of
! the boy on door or some other part of
/ the room. which. to say the least. Ia very
! indefinite: but II does not state (Which was
| a fact established at the hearing before
your commtteeJ that this same strength
was also employed by that siX-foot man to
/ DRAG this child along TIE hall of the school
and downstairs TO the cellar and to the
janitorS apartments, where. after directing
/ the janitor To vacate and closing the door.
! this man proceeded to batter this small boy
i'm a most shameful and cowardly manner.
/ the result Of which is evidenced by the GER
tiicate Of DR.. Emil Gamson. which is now
in my possession and which states that
| upon examination he found marks OF blows
l on the face and head OF this hoy and there
! were number OF Commissions on both
! places.
Such treatment was given TO this boy
! by that staiwart principal. who must feel
proud Of his victory, is a public outrage
and a crying shame TO our city and the
action Of your board in upholding such
/ brutal methods is a fitting climax TO what
! appeared to me to he a disposition To pro-
! tect this principal after lie had admitted
! having struck this child. | have. however.
I to inform YOU that | have prepared com
! plant and statement 10 the State Board of
! Education. and intend TO sift this matter
! 10 the bottom as future protection TO our
! children. who every one knows are not able
/ 10 protect themselves In such unequal com
| petitions and in my opinion do not add
! yalor 20 such principals and no emlnence TO
| our schools