Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-10-15
SALARY INCREASE
DENIED TEACHER
BelIeviIIe School Board Re-
hearses Again SquabbIe Over
Silver Lake Instructor.

teachers committee regarding the al
lotment of an increase in salary to
Miss Diana Cobb. a teacher in the
fifth grade of the Silver Lake School.
was a Misrepresentation Of facts and
foreign to the matter in hand, the
Belleville Board of Education last
night, by a vote of to l, decided to
accept the report. Mr.. Travers alone
voted in the negative.
The vote was the elimination OF an
hours wrangle, in the course,o which
Mr.. Travers accused his colleagues
of considering trumped up charges,
and in an effort to win their point,
taking cognizance of petty charges
which otherwise would not have been
considered. He refused to exonerate
Supervising Principal of Schools
George r. Gerard from completely IN
the charges preferred by him against
the teachers committee when Mr..
Gerard asked him TO 40 SO.
An appeal by Miss Cobb made TO
Mr.. Travers four months ago request
ing advice as to why an increase OF
salary was not granted her for the
current year was presented to the
board at, that time by the commits
sioner Mr.. Travers contended at
that time that he could get no salts
faction from David A. Chairman.
chairman of the teachers committee,
and that Mr. Gerard told him Miss
Cobb would not receive an increase in
salary"
Mr.. Gerard, however. emphatically
denied the assertion of Mr.. Travers,
while Mr.. Chairman denied that state
ments alleged to have been made by
-. fr.1rn
was finally decided to leave the mat
ter in the hands of the teachers COM
mittee for investigation, report OF
which was submitted by that body
at the meeting 'ast month. This re-
port was objected to by Mr.. Travers
on the grounds that 1t misrepresenteo
the facts. inasmuch as the statements
made by the commissioner, apparent
ly. had been attributed by the com
mittee to Miss Cobb. He advised his
colleagues that this had been done
at meeting of the teachers commit
tee to which Miss Cobb had been
invited. but had not been given a
fair DEAL" inasmuch as the princi-
pals of the different schools were
present. Mr.. Travers contended that
he likewise should have been In
vited.
Praises Teachers Record.
In bringing the matter before the
board last night Mr.. Travers advised
his colleagues that the only part
played In the case by Miss Cobb was
the appeal to him requesting ADVICE
WHY an increase of salary was not
given her. He also referred to the
report furnished by Mr.. Gerard show
ing that Miss Cobb had received the
highest average of all the teachers
In corresponding grades throughout
the schools in town. He denied aD-
solutely that Miss Cobb had made
any statements to him, as the report
of the teachers committee would lead
one to infer. Contending that Miss
Cobb's record entitled her to an in
crease. and advising his colleagues
that County Superintendent Of
Schools Oliver H. Morelock was of
the same opinion. Mr.. Travers asked
what they intended doing in the
matter.
He was advised by Mr.. Chairman
that they intended acting on Miss
Cobb's suggestion to have the matter
dropped. Mr. Travers said the mat
ter should not be dropped as the re-
port did not refute the arguments
advanced by him and requested that
Miss Cobbs name be used only in
connection with the appeal made.
At this point Commissioner Alfred
o. Cooper, stating that he was I'M
familiar with the case on account of
being a new member of the board,
thought that letter written by Miss
Cobb to Ma Travers should be sub
mitted to I've board. Mr.. Travers
thought otherwise.
Mr.. Chairman then remarked that
although the records show Miss Cobb
entitled, to an increase, nevertheless
her record as a teacher did not. He
commended that a communication was
in the hands of the committee re-
ceived from Miss Elizabeth y. Seager,
principal of School No. l, requesting
that Miss Cobb be dropped from the
rolls. On this account Mr.. Clear
man said Miss Cobb had been trans
ferred to the Silver Lake school.
Principal Makes Charge.
He also read communication from
~. C. Shawger, principal of Silver
Lake School, advising that Miss Cobb
be given an half increase IN salary.
as tho teacher had been insubordi-
nate.
Mr.. Travers inquired as to the
charges of INSTRUMENTATION. He was
advised that Miss Cobb broke the
school rules by keeping the children
in school after dismissal hours. Mr..
Travers contended that the results
of the examinations showed that this
redounded to the benefit of the pupils.
Mr. Chairman contended that the
parents of the children would not
countenance this procedure and 1t
would eventually result in trouble
for the board.
Mr. Travers contended that the
same procedure is followed through.
out the different schools, and in some
cases the children are forced to re-
main until o'clock. He moved that
on the recommendation of Mr.. Shaw
ger Miss Cobb be granted the half in
crease and settle the matter. The
board, however, did not take up the
matter and when Mr.. Chairman could
not say as to how many times Miss
Cobb had been insubordinate Mr..
Travers said he thought they were
,"trumped-up charges"
Protected by Law.
Mr.. Travers then asked why they
did not discharge Miss Cobb on the
recommendation of Miss Saeger? He
was told that the tenure of office"
act prevented their doing so.
Mr. Trayers then asked Mr.. Clear
man if it were not true that on the
night the meeting to which Miss
Cobb had been invited was held
Mr. Chairman when asked over the
telephone if there was to be a meet
ing replied that there would be no
meeting. Mr. Chairman denied that
he said there would be no meeting.
He referred at the time. he said, to
a meeting of the whole board. He
claimed Mr. Travers had( vilif1ed
every member of the board. He re-
scented, he said the commissioners
action.
Mr.. Travers then moved that the
report of the teacher committee be
laid on the table. This was objected
to by Commissioner George l. Tay-
lor. who stated that as the commit
tee found according to the report