Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-08-01
KENNEDY GOES TO
NEW HIGH SCHOOL
Board of Education Names Him
Principal of South Side
Institution.


With the change OF the pivotal vote
held by Commissioner Nathaniel
King, Principal Thomas F. Kennedy,
of the East Side High School, was Sc
lected as principal of the new South
Side High School with a vote of FIVE
to four at the meeting of the Board
of Education held last night
The selection of Mr. Kennedy for
the post came after one of the longest
drawn debates in the school board
which had been going on over since
Acting City superintendent David B.
Corson made his recommendation
embodied in a report. This report
was submitted to the members of the
eomittee on instruction and educa-
tional supplies at the meeting held
June % last
Numerous meetings and confer
ences have been held since and again
last night the matter was only set
tied after long arguments on part
of some of the objecting members.
The question was practically settled
when Mr.. King arose and iu explain
ing his vote In favor of Mr. Kennedy
appointment, stated:
Il consider the question of prin-
cipalship for the South Side High
School a purely academical one and
do not feel justified to pit my judg-
ment against that of Mr.. Corson.'
The vote taken resulted as follows:
For, Messrs. Breunig, King, McCabe,
Smith and Taylor; against. Messrs.
Belfatto, Brown, Johnson and Tom
kins.
PicISwick Appointed.
With the same vote of to 1, though
different complexion, the recon-
mendation of Mr.. Corson that Eli
Pickwick, ir., director of manual
training, shall succeed Mr.. Kennedy
in the principalship of the East Side
High School was settled.
This time Commissioners Brown and
Tomkins changed their vote from nay
TO yea and Commissioners King and
McCabe made the reverse cnange, so
that the vote stood: For. Messrs.
Breunig. Brown, Smith, Tomkins and
Taylor; against, Belfatto, Johnson,
King and McCabe.
Action on a third recommendation
made by Mr.. Corson, that the girls
Industrial department be installed in
the East Side High School, was de-
ferred until the next meeting of the
educational committee, with the re-
quest that fuller details on this plan
be addueed by Mr.. Corson.
When the question of voting on the
appointment came up Commissioner
Brown was The first to rise, stating
that while he believed in the sim
cerity of Mr.. Corson he nevertheless
thought that the best man had not
been proposed He also questioned
Mr.. Corson's ability to fully cope with
the subject alone, and that, as had
been recommended, the other superin-
tendents should have been called into
consultation.
Argue Against Change.
He also pointed out that to his
knowledge M Kennedy never had
the unqualified approval Of City Su-
perintendent A. B. Poland when he
was appointed to the East Side High
School, and in conclusion he expressed
himself in favor of Arthur v. Taylor,
assistant principal at the Barringer
High School. AS to Mr.. Kennedy, Mr..
Brown said: He has not made a
failure nor a conspicuous success in
his present position, and should not
be taken away but be given time to
show more definite results"
The burder of COMMISSIONS Bel-
fatto's argument was based on the
contention that Mr., Kennedy was APP
pointed to the East Side High School
for his special fitness on matters COM
mercial, and the commissioner decried
the placing of Mr.. Kennedy in the
South Side il.gh School, where tho
literary side was to predominant. Mr..
Belfatto likewise went into detail on
the conditions at the East Side, COM
ing to the conclusion that th-re was
no need to change its policy, nor that
any fear need be entertained that the
school would not ultimately be filed.
The argument was closed with
President Taylor, speaking in favor
of Mr.. Kennedy, although he quail
fed that "all things being equal Mr.
Kennedy should stay where he is"
The burden of Mr.. Taylor's argu-
ment rested on the point that the
other side had not brought evidence
that any man they might favor was
better qualified,