The sun., 1913-10-15
BOARD May GUST ALL
MOTHER TEACHERS
List Of Women Absent for Ma
tprnity Reasons Is
Called For.
TO DECIDE NEXT MEETING
Brides in the Teaching Force
Said to Average More
Than 500 Yearly.

| Mother teachers In the public schools
will be considered in a wholesale manner
by the Board Of Education at its next
meeting one week from to-day. The en-
tire list OF the teachers who have been or
who are absent from duty for the purpose
! Of giving birth 70 children will be sub
mitted to the board and It is regarded IA
likely that every one Of them will he
charged with neglect of duty and dis
missed.
| Abraham Stern. chairman OF the COM
| mittee on elementary schools. said yes
I terday that his committee was getting up
, a report Of all the married women
! teachers in the elementary schools and
I also of all the teachers who have heen ,r
| are absent. The committee had a report
on such cases but pigeonholed it until
| the board took action on the case Of Nj :.
| Peixotto. Following her dismissal the
board directed Dr. william n. Maxwell,
| Superinte endent Of Schools. to make an in
vestisation OF the causes of the absences
! OF all women teachers.
/ Now that the board has taken definite
, action on the question of mother teachers
in the case OF Mrs. Peixotto,' said Mr..
Stern Yesterday, the committee on
| elementary schools will take up all the
cases Of mother teachers and IL is likely
that the whole question will be .settled
at the next board meeting. or az any rate
az soon as reports OF all the mother
teachers have been received. What ac-
ton the board Ia likely to take do not
know. hut | am against the principle Of
having mother teachers in the schools
have explained my reasons in the ma
ter
Mr. Stern expia ined that 1873 women
teachers have been married since july
and that on an average 500 teachers
become brides every year He did not
have any idea of the number OF women
teachers absent through maternity. but
expected that the compilation. would be
made within a week.
While Ny. Stern is against the mother
teacher Di. Ira = VILE and Arthur s
Somers are in favor Of retaining mothers
in the school. Others would decide each
case on its individual merits. One mem
boy of the board said Yesterday that the
aim Of the schools " to create character.
and that II married woman told the
truth In the report of her illness the
board should permit her to have her old
position when she was ready TO teach.
Mr. Somers. chairman OF the committee
on h9h schools, said yesterday he was
absolutely opposed to the dismissing of
Mrs. Peixotto or Of any other woman who
wished a leave Of absenc. to have a child
He said that Mrs. Csth.rin" Edgcl, an
other mother teacher. who has position
in the Erasmus High School in Brooklyn,
has been serving since september without
pay. She asked In March for Il years
leave Of absence to rear a child. Her
request was not granted. She was absent
for the remainder of the term but re-
turned To her place at the beginning OF
the year after her child was born and
after the board had refused to grant her
sick leave of ninety DAYS. Sine" tina,
time. however, her nam, mas been OFF the
pay roll
Til. complexion Of the committee on
elementary schools and OF tho committee
ON high schools is shown by their reports
IN the cases OF Mrs. Peixotto and Mrs
Elgel The former committee reported
against Mrs. Pcixotto and she was dis
missed. The latter committee. according
to MI Somcrs, reported unanimously in
favor Of giving Mrs. Edsell leave of
absence. but the board voted II down Tho
high school committee had authority to
retain her services