New-York tribune., 1911-03-23
PRINCIPAL FINED FOR
KISSING HIS TEACHERS
Reprimand Goes with Loss OF
Four Months Pay. Amount
ing to ST, 200.
BLAMES EQUAL PAY FIGHT
Bernard Cronsen, of No. 26, De-
clares Charges Grew Out of
His Opposition to That
Movement.
BLAMES EQUAL PAY FIGHT

The Board OF Education voted by
large majority yesterday 10 fine Bernard
Cronsen. PRINCIPAL Of Public School 20.
in West 30th street. four months pay.
amounting 10 $1,000. for urging and
allowing corporal punishment" and for
being unduly familiar with women
teachers in his school" 1t was also
b. the committee on elementary schools
OF the board which conducted his trial.
Cronsens trial compelled the commit
tee on elementary schools TO sit up late
for many nights during the last few
weeks. Cronsen was charged with Civ
ing osculatory sautes to some Of the
teachers. One of the offences was said
10 have been committed eight years ago,
when he was principal Of Public School
No. > in Grove street. and he was said TO
have stroked the face of a teacher af
fectionately in 1905, and later with at
tempting 10 kiss her. and then with sue
ceeding in doing so. Another offence Of
the same character was alleged TO have
been committed in 1909.
When it came to the penalty to be
meted out TO Cronsen. the board was
instantly divided. Most OF the women
members, headed by Miss Martha l..
Draper. and d few Of the men thought
that Cronsen ought 10 be dismissed.
Abraham Stern. chairman OF the jury
that tried the principal. said appeaingly
10 the board that it should preserve a
judicial demeanor.
lie wasn't defending Cronscn in his
misbehavior h. any means. he said. but
he was convinced that dismissal would
be too severe for a teacher fifty years
old. who had given eighteen of the best
years Of his life 10 the schools. and never
before had n blot on his record. Mr..
Stern added it would virtually mean de-
yrivins him Of his livelihood, and he de-
clared. moreover. that Cronsen had paid
hundreds Of dollars to the teachers PEN
sion fund. all ~ which would be lost II
he were dismissed.
Jeremiah Mahoney. the young member
appointed by Mayor Gaynor TO fill the
vacancy caused by the resignation OF
James Creelman. grew eloquent in plead
ing for the dismissal of Cronsen. He
said that policemen were dismissed for
going into q bar and taking a drink. an
action which. he argued. carried with 1t
no moral turptudc.
Mr.. Stern rerlied 10 Mr. Mahoney and
said that policemen had a right Of trial
and reinstatement. whereas. strange 10
say. no such rights are accorded to
teacher dismissed from the department.
the onl, recourse for teachers lying with
the state Superintendent OF Education.
II having been suggested that mas
much as a woman had served on the
committee that tried the principal it
would be a good idea to hear her views.
Mrs. Post got mp and said that she had
felt as incensed as Miss Draper toward
the accused principal. but after delb-
Grafton with --garl t. all the circum-
stances in the case it was her judgment
that the penalty fixed by the committee
was sufficiently severe.
Mr.. stern, reviewing the testimony
given at the hearings. said he was con
vinced that the co?lplainants in the case
were not actuated by atrustic motives.
nor did they complain for the welfare Of
the school The fact that the offences
were committed 50 long ago and that OF
one uf the complainants ever petitioned
for the transfer OF Cronsen to another
school made him certain that ulterior
motives subsequently guided their ac-
tions in bringing the complaints against
Cronsen.
\ number II teachers who were N
School - with Cronsen when the alleged
misdemcanors took place We're I'm the
gallery. and they made no attempt t.
conceal thei' regard FOR Cronsen. who
was not present He said during the
trial that the charges against him grew
out Of the fact tha he. as well as lis
lawyer. spoke against the equal pay"
proposition In favor Of women teachers
when the proposal was first launched.