Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-11-21
DENY SCOUTS USE
OF SCHOOL HALL
Master of Kearny Troop Fig.
ures in Controversy at
Board Meeting.

A lengthy debate occasioned by the
presentation of a petition wherein
permission to use the auditorium of
the Lincoln School, Arlington, was
sought for the members of General
Phil Kearny Troop, Boy Scouts, of
Kearny, last night, enlivened the
meeting of the Kearny Board Of Ed
ucation. Permission, however, was
not granted.
This matter has been hanging fire
for some time. Up until a few
months ago the boys under the d.
rection of Scoutmaster Charles O..
MacCartaigh, used the school audito-
rum for drill purposes. Complaints
were received and the board after
some investigation revoked the per-
NIT for the use of the auditorium.
1t was indirectly charged that Mr..
MacCartaigh was not the right man
in the right place.
Complaint was lodged with the Off
Gals at the headquarters of the scouts
in New York, and the Kearny branch
was practically disowned. When the
school board learned Of this action the
members felt the auditorium should
be closed to the use of the lads until
the difficulty within the organization
had been amicably settled.
George McClintock, secretary OF the
Kearny Shade Tree Commission, last
night presented the petition request
ing the use of the school hall. He de-
Tended the reputation OF Mr.. Mac
Cartaigh.
Mr.. McClintick stated that the sign
ers on the petition were mostly the
parents of the children who r as
ISOLATED with the Boy Scouts and
others who know the scoutmaster
well enough to determine whether he
is the proper man for the position.
President Gerrish Newell asked Mr..
McClintick If he personally explained
to those signing the document the
conditions that actuated the school
authorities in refusing the use of the
auditorium to the boys. He answered
in the negative. The president in
formed the board that he knew a few
persons whose names were on the Pc
tition that would not have signed 1t
IL they were familiar with the case.
William Forest, who accompanied
McClintick, said he had children
under cCarthaigh In the organiza-
ton and was SURE his boys were SAFE
in his hands. Clifton III. Presby,
member of the board. criticized the
conduct Of acCarthaigh and re-
marked that he knew several frien1e
whose names were on the petition
that did not realize what they were
signing, otherwise they would not
have consented to place their names
on 1t.
McClintick got hot at this point.
.sWhy don't you men give a fellow
a chance?" he said. Don't kick
him when he is down. MacCarthaigh
is all right and is being un1ustly ac-
cused."
william Page, of Pilgrim Fraterni-
ty Lodge, Of the First Church, OF Ar
ington, was on hand to oppose
granting the use of the school audi
torium to the troop. He said tho
National Board of Boy Scouts de-
prived the scoutmaster of his COM
mission.
McClintick took a shot at Page.
'sWhy, you could never produce a
troop like General Phil Kearny
troop" he said. 'MacCarthaigh has
more ability than you ever possess
ed" He said that the national board
complimented him for his ability in
military tactics.
Mrs. Pauline Eakins informed the
board that she had received a letter
from James e. West, chief scout ex-
ecutive, from the national headquar-
ters in New York. which was not fa-
vorable to the Kearny scoutmaster.
The discussion finally ended by Nc
Clintick and his companions leaving
the board room in a much disap-
pointed frame Of mind, as the MEM
bers refused to heed the request Of
the petitioner.