New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-15
State Commissioner Hears
Cases of Six Dismissed
in This City.
MAY KNOW FATE
BEFORE HOLIDAYS
Miss Rodman's Free Speech
Hearing by Committee Set
for This Afternoon.
lRy Telerraph 70 The TrIbun. J

dismissed teacher-mothers shall be al
lowed 10 return 20 their duties IN the
New York City schools will be decided
probably before Christmas by the State
Commissioner Of Education. John :.
Finley, following arguments here to- +
day on their appeals from the decision
of the New York City Board Of Educa-
tion dismissing them on the ground OF
absence without leave during which time
they became mothers. Charles Mcln-
tyre, Assistant Corporation Counsel
appeared for the Board of Education
and in explaining the boards attitude
he said:
"The position Of the Board of Edu-
cation is that when it dismisses a
teacher for neglect Of duty, because OF
maternity. it should at the same time
adopt a resolution congratulating the
teacher-mother upon her determine
ton 10 end her school duties and enter
into the high estate of motherhood In
the home"
Mr.. Mcintyre declared that the Board
of Education wanted women who would
keep themselves in a condition TO 90
their work as teachers. and II they
voluntarily took upon themselves the
marriage relation and its consequent
possibilities Of maternity, they shouid
do so with the understanding that TINS
would be no excuse for their being IN
able to DO their work.
Pleas of the Teacher Mothers.
The six teachcr-mothers are Mrs.
Bridget c. Peixotto, Mrs. Lily Il.
Weeks. Mrs. Sara VI. Wagner, Mrs
Sara Breslow. Mrs. Jeanette Orthman
and Mrs. Caroline NJ. Griswold. Their
side of the case was presented by Al
bert J. Talley, attorney for Mrs. PeiX-
otto. and William L. Stewart for Mrs.
Weeks. while Mrs. Jean Norris filed
brief as attorney for Mrs. Wagner. The
hearing was before Assistant Commits
sioner Thomas L. Finegan and Frank
b. Gilbert, attorney for the State De-
partment of Education.
Mr.. Talley argued that the sole rea-
son for the dismissal of the teacher
mothers was because they had given
birth 20 children, and not because OF
neglect of duty. He declared that Mrs:
Peixotto had lived up to every rule OF
the Board of Education.
"The rules" Mr.. Talley said, state
that when a teacher is sick she must
send word TO her principal stating the
nature Of her illness and how long she
is likely TO be away, and when she re I
turns to work she is permitted TO apply
for a leave Of absence, giving the rea- /
sons at that time. A leave of absence
is always obtained at the end Of the
absence. and is not preliminary /.
requisite.
"Mrs. Peixotto was charged with .
being absent without leave, but was
found guilty Of giving birth TO child. /
In her brief Mrs. Norris declared /
that the Board of Education still chung I
10 the old theory that a profession or /
business with a woman is a mere |
makeshift TO be endured until matri- |
mony gave her a husband to support /
her.
The case Of Miss Henrietta Rodman, /
who was suspended from the teaching /
force Of the public schools because OF .
her mother batting" letter TO F. p. A. .
in The Tribune on November 10, will /
be presented 70 the high school COM /
mittee of the Board of Education this |
afternoon. The recommendations OF |
the committee will be handed 20 the /
entire board probably at its next meet
ing on December %.
at is useless TO expect any general
public sympathy in a free speech test
case" said Miss Rodman. 81 have had /
no support except from my personal
friends. The public rallied to the
teacher-mother cases, but they do not
realize that my case involves another
great public issue-the right'ot free
speech.
Within the next year or two ! be-
lieve the community will wake up to
realization of the fact that there are .
twenty thousand citizens of broad IN
telligence employed in the public schools /
whose voices are never heard IN the |
discussion OF great public issues be
cause of the militarst attitude OF the .
Board of Education toward its en-
ployes. There will be an organization /
and a great public campaign for the /
right of free speech for teachers, Just
as there has been for the right OF 1
teachers to have babies. Until then /
there is no possibility of campaign. /
It's no use being martyr before your
time"
It was understood last night that .
members Of the high school commit
tee were inclined to be lenient toward .
Miss Rodman if she would meet them
half way. The issue seems to be not
so much the right of teacher to criti-
else the Board Of Education, but the
right to criticise it satrically, as Miss
Rodman did If she will admit that
her literary style in the mother bait
ing" letter was not suitable she may.
perhaps, have her position in the Wad-
leigh High School returned to her for
q Christmas present