New-York tribune., 1913-12-24
Mrs. Gamse Concealed Her
Wedding to Dupe Board,
Is Decision.
SHE MAY BRING
CASE INTO COURT
Report Made on Work of Wives
and Widows at Schools
Maxwell in Tilt.

Bv unanimous vote the Board or
Education yesterday afternoon dismissed
from the service Mrs. Jeanette Ortman
Gamse, teacher in Public school {, The
Bronx. chargei with deceving the board
by concealus her marriage
The dismissal was recommended by the
Committee on Elementary Schools, which
two weeks ago tried Mrs. Gamse It's
findings We're. in part, as follows:
your committee finds that Mrs. Gamse
concealed the fact Of her marriage and
used her maiden name for the purpose OF
misleading and deceiying this board in
order that she might be appointed as q
teacher, and in order that she might not
be rejected by virtue of the provisions Of
Subdivision - Of Section g. Of the by
laws, which forbids the appointment o.
married women"
AS set forth in the case, Mrs. Gamse
then Miss Ortman. received an appoint
ment as a teacher in June, 1912, TO take
effect on september +, 1912. In July OF
the same year. however, ii was stated that
she married and went 10 Europe on her
honeymoon, not returning until September
%. whereas school had opened twenty
DAYS earlier. She made application for
place as teacher in November, and IT Is
declared she did not then say anything
about her marriage. Counsel for Mrs
Gamse has threatened court procedure in
the matter.
report on the absence OF married
women and their efficiency. held up two
weeks ago because Dr. Maxwell, the city
Superintendent. could not find out who
were and who were not widows, was
turned in yesterday by Albert shes. head
Of the new Bureau Of Research OF the
Department Of Education. and ne had the
widows all tabulated There were lN3
teachers concerned. and Of that number
twenty were widows. II covered period
of eight years I'm each case, four years
previous to marriage and four afterward
In the first group there were l05 mar
ried women and nine widows. The sta
tistics. not including the widows, were:
Aggregate absence before marriage, .
sSOi. days, as against 3,gi9 after mar
riagc. or an average Of % days in each
cage before marriage and IS days after
ward.
The rating In instruction and discipline
was higher after marriage than before
For the period before II was % In instruc-
tion and % In discipline, as against % in
instruction and lOl in discipline after
ward
I'm tho second group of ffty-eight mar
ried women and widows the figures for
the married women were Absences before
marriage. 49l7. as against 1901 after
ward The average was 80 for each teach
or before marriage. as compared with 100
afterward.
Figures on unmarried women teachers
are also 10 he supplied for comparison
Provoked by what he considered an
Insiuuatior that advertisements for a GER
tain kind Of system of penmanship had
gone 90 the schools synchronously with Il
lettc, he had sent to principals 10 ma
out to what extent % was being used, Or
Maxwell anErily made retort 20 the re.
marks Of Morton stein yesterday on tn"
subject The latter denied that ne had
insinuated anything. Dr Maxwell assert
ed that he had sent out the letter on
behalf Of the committee on studies OF the
board ~ suu"ruteudonts-
The board adopted a resolution re
guessing the Committee on Bylaws and
Legislation TO report what powers II had
10 institute an official inquiry into the
truth and origin of published statements
rejecting on the good faith Of this board
or upon the measures and policies which
Il has advocated and adopted"
II was introduced by Mr.. Man, and .,
th. outgrowth OF the letter written 20
Mayor Kline hy Nicholas Murray Butler
and others criticlsing President Churchill
and the board recently.