New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-15
CAN MRS. WAGNER
PLEAD ILLNESS?
On This Issue Rests the
Case of the TOttenville
TeaCher-MOther.
HER LICENSE WILL
NOT BE WITHHELD
Pupils Cover Her Desk with
Autumn Leaves and Red APP
ples-Dr. Vile Defends Her.

Will Mrs. Lora Wagner, who is fight
ing the teacher-mother issue in her
school in Tottenville, Staten Island, be
justified in leaving her work, as she
will soon be compelled TO do, on the
ground OF "illness"?
This S the question upon which will
rest probably the whole case. From
statements made by Superintendent
Maxwell yesterday afternoon, it does
not seem hkoly that any action will
be brought against Mrs. Wagner by
the Beard Of Education while she re-
mains in school, but when she leaves
to go TO the maternity hospital charges
of neglect of duty will be brought
against her, and a physicians tcsti-
mony that she is i'll will not avail her
anything.
Education would accept her request
for leave Of absence on account OF
illness" said DR.. Maxwell. THE board
has tho right TO 90 behind any physi-
clans statement and determine whether
the particular illness mentioned Is one
for which il wishes TO make conces-
sions.
"If she stays away from school and
the board does not admit her illness
she can then be charged with neglect
Of duty.
her permanent license from Mrs. Wag-
ner because OF this incident. / do not
know whether il has been issued yet
or not. II Mrs. Wagner's teaching rec
ord has been satisfactory I must give
her her license.
"The law compels me TO take into
consideration only one thing-that is
the question, whether she Is n good
teacher. After she has her permanent
license she can be removed from her
position only on four charges gem
eral inefiiciency, gross misconduct. neg
lect Of duty or INSTRUMENTATION
Or. Ira S. Vile, the champion OF
mother teachers in the. Board Of Ed
ucation, admitted that the word ell
ness" might be so construed by the
board as to permit refusal of thc
leave Of absence.
This is not n disease" said DR..
Vile. at is n normal condition. The
fact that a physician testifes that she
is physically unable to do her school
work does not prove that she is i'll.
] don't know what the attitude Of the
board will be. The matter has not yet
been taken up by the board Person
ally. however. should insist that
physical inability TO do ones work
constituted illness. am in favor OF
granting r years leave OF absence to
teachers about TO become mothers.
"As to the charge Of improperly,
do not admit the improperly. If u
is improper for Mrs. Wagner TO ap-
pear in school in her condition it is
improper for women TO appear any
where under similar conditions, and
pregnancy should be abolished. To be
sure, people will raise the point that
this is in a mixed school, but I think
even there the danger is minimum.
Boys and girls of high school age are
sufficiently familiar with the sight Of
women in this condition, so that there
need be no improperly, provided the
teacher adopts suitable attire, as I I'M
derstand Mrs. Wagner has done"
Mrs. Wagner herself went to school
as usual yesterday morning, and found
upon her desk testimonials from her
pupils in the form of great punches of
autumn leaves and red apples. No word