Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-07-25
FIGHT TO KEEP WOMAN
HEAD OF SCHOOLS IN
Mrs. Young's Resignation as
Superintendent Rouses Chi
cago in Her Behalf.

CHICAGO, July 25.-Plans for a
huge mass-meeting of women to pro-
test against the resignation of Mrs.
Ella Flagg Young as superintendent
of Chicago's public schools were set
on foot as soon as it became gener-
ally known today that Mrs. Young
had decided to give up the position.
That Mrs. Young should have been
influenced TO present her resignation
by the conduct of members of the
Board of Education unfriendly to her
personally aroused the Indignation
OF many prominent women.
Every woman's club in the city has
been notified Of the meeting, which
probably will be held Sunday eve
ming at the Auditorium Theatre
Among those active in the movement
to induce Mrs. Young to recall her
resignation are leading suffragists
and social workers
1.-THE resignation of Mrs. Young is
calamity" said Miss Jane Adams.
of Hull House. IF she was forced
to resign by opposition to her policies
steps Immediately should be taken 10
sweep away the opposition. Chicago
cannot afford to lose woman Of
Mrs. Young's force of mind and exc
cutive power Sentiment is unani-
nous that to accept the resignation
would be a tremendous blunder."
There was an important meeting
of the board on July g." said Mrs.
Young today, land before that meet
ing a. member of the board who Is a
friend of mine came to me and said
ne wanted to put motion through
the board. He asked me not to
speak in favor of it,
off you champion this motion II
will lose,' he told me.
"Then / began to see where l
stood The next day that same mem
Der of the board came to me and told
me that when the election came in
December there was going to be
hard fight over me. That settled me.
] could fight for a principle; | could
fight for any person; but | am too
well along in years to fight for
myself l have always talked peace
and harmony.
"Now it comes to point where to
retain my position ] ann forced to
make fight-destroy harmony. |
cannot well do that consistently.
determined that the only thing
could do gracefully would be to re-
sign
Mrs. Young is 6S years old. She
succeeded E. G. Cooley as superin-
tendent of schools on July 30, 1903.
She has been engaged in teaching in
the Chicago schools since 1852
AlA tod
to the presidency Of the National
Education Association and she has
been member of the State Educa-
ton Board since 1888, She was
president Of the State board in 1910.
Mrs. Young retires from active edu-
tional work with probably more dis
tinction than ever before was at
tanned by a woman in that line.
Even in these days, when women are
demonstrating their fitness for high
salaried executive positions and get
; ting them, Mrs. Young's work stands
Jut almost pre-eminent.
As the superintendent of the Chi
eago Public Schools she got salary
ef $4,000, being thus the highest paid
woman educator in the country.
National Education Association she
held pasition to which no other
woman ever was elected.
Mrs. Young, who was born in
Buffalo in 1916. began her career as
a teacher when only II years old.
Her ideas attracted the attention
of DR.. Harper, of Chicago University,
who wanted her to accept a position.
She refused every position until
professorship was dangled before
her. That she also refused until she
had won the degree of doctor of
philosophy summa cum laude From
1900 to 1906 she taught in the uni
versity, but on accepting that place
she made stipulation that she
should be allowed to serve tea and
cake in her classes
She next became principal of the
Chicago Normal School, where she
remained until 1909.