Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-10-21
DR.. BRUMBAUGH AT
I SCHOOLS HEAD PUT
POLITICIANS TO ROUT
Won Notable Victories Over
"Pullbacks," Reactionary
Faction That Throttled the
Progress of Education.

*
+, r,-,-,,z ..o.., 81.
e,,onr,ntendent of Schools In this city has
Soan investigated. 1t shows he has al
,ravs resisted bossism in public affairs.
vThroughout his career as an educator he
has opposed the efforts of powerful poll
sIcians to arbitrarily rule the affairs of
she school system.
After the new school code became
sTective Doctor Brumbaugh was con-
Eronted by faction in the Board of Gdu-
ration known as the "pulloacks,' whose
nurpose it was to throttle every attempt
at the ,nodernization of educational adj
,ninIstration Another element in the
school board called the "progressives,"
supported Doctor Brumbaugh and his as
eociates.
The reactionary members were led by
Simon Gratz, who enjoys unparalleled
| power in the Board of Revision of Taxes,
"a we'll as the Board of Education.
through his influence with the Judges.
Mr. Cratz Is automatically reappointed by
the judiciary whenever his term expires,
so that he feels less responsibility to the
nubllc than officeholders whose positions
are obtained by popular election.
GRATIS autocratic rule was most felt In
the high schools. Almost every teacher
IN that branch of the educational system
owed his success either wholly or partially
10 the favor of the "pullbacks."
Doctor Brumbaugh was determined that
{ tnls condition should end and that pol
! itIcs should be eliminated entirely from
! the appointment Of instructors as well as
from the actual government of the
! schools. His friends in the school board
supported him to such an extent that a
provision requiring that no man or woman
be appointed to any faculty unless recon-
mended by the Superintendent was in
cluded in the rules.
This was accomplished only after many
months of controversy, In which Doctor
Brumbaugh was supported by many thou
eands of parents well as powerful edu-
catlonal organizations But Gratz and his
nllles were still unwilling to surrender
their traditional power to the inde-
pendent forces In the school board.
"PULLBACKS" NEW CHANCE.
Their opportunity to assert their power
arrived when DR.. ]. Monroe Willard died.
He had been president of the Philadel-
phia Normal School for many years and
his death left vacant SijGO position. 1t
was almost Immediately filled by Dr. j.
Eugene Baker, then principal of the
High School for Girls Doctor Baker was
one of GRATIS favorites
The Normal School principalship was
more sought after than that of the Girls
High School. and the latter office was left
vacant for several months. The salary of
both offices was the same.
At the beginning of the last school
year the 'pullbacks" decided upon DIR.
Fred Gowing. a favored book agent. He
was slated for the job in spite of the
fact that he had not been teaching for
many years and that he had never held
ANY school office in Philadelphia.
When the time arrived to rush him
through" Doctor Brumbaugh was pre-
pared for the steam roller tactics. Ex-
planning he had no personal objection to
Doctor Gowing as n man. he fought his |
appointment vigorously In one of the |
most heated controversies in the history |
of the Board of Education.
John Wanamaller, then the baby men, |
Der" of the board, supported the superin- |
Sendent throughout Turning to Henry |
Edmunds. president of the board and a |
friend of Gowing, Mr. Wanamaker said: |
'I would not be superintendent of SchoolS |
IN this city at any price under these con-
dtions."
Subsequently, parents associations
adopted resolutions upholding the stand
Of Doctor BrumbauGh; thousands OF let
ters poured into the Superintcndents Of |
fee commencing him for his courageous
defiance Of the school politicians, and cor
respondence was published showing how
GRATIS men had attempted to force the
Independent schoomaster into submission.
Universities had previously offered their
presidencies to Doctor BrumbauGh at a
higher salary than he was then receiving,
but he cast them aside. determined to
win his fight against the domination of
The book agent system.
DOCTOR BRUMBAUGHS ELIGIBLES.
Meanwhile, in accordance with the rules
Of the Board of Education the Superin-
fendent was asked to name three persons
who possessed. in his Judgment, the neces-
kary qualifications for the High School
principaship. He nominated DIR. Theo- |
dore l.. MacDowell district superintend-
ant OF schools Miss Katherine f. Punch
con, then acting head of the Girls High
School, and William Fl. Mearns, professor
or English In the School of Pedagogy and
well-known magazine writer.
Miss Puncheon generally was regarded
as the logical candidate, because she had
nlled the office temporarily with COM
plete success. Opponents of the rights of
women. however, exerted their influence
IN every possible way but she was nnal-
~ elected.
But Crate still had a trick to play It
was discovered through a survey of the
complex rules of the board that although
bliss Pnncheon's responsibilities would he
equal to those of her male predecessor, she
would be paid $500 a year. $4,000 less than
the salary OF the man who had held the
onice before her.
champions of the principle of "equal
pay for equal work. succeeded after a
Few months additional battle In raising
Miss Puncheon's pay to $500 A new
salary Eehedule was drafted, giving all
principals, including Miss Puncheon. the
same compensation as is granted to men.
ohe or Doctor Brumbaugh's last acts as
euperintendent of Schools was to ap-
prove the new salary schedule, which was
triumph for the women of the pedagogi-
ago N'e 'eSiS