Palisadian., 1915-01-30

j. w. Zabriskie, and all the members
OF the Citizens Committee, DR.. H. F.
Goeman, and his son Walter. The
latter is a bed-ridden invalid young
man of twenty three, but is close
/ student, and took deep interest in
the school question. He helped the
Citizens Committee by many strong
articles that were sent to the public
through the papers, and through the
| form of letters. 1t is thought that
young Goemann was one of the real
causes of the turn matters took in
favor of the school through letter
of criticism of DR.. Franz Boas, of
Columbia University. DR.. Boas's at
| titude was not at all clear a portion
of the time, and it was this that Wal
ter Goemann undertook to criticise
so successfully. His work brought
retort from DR.. Boas, one the COM
munity wanted badly, and from that
moment the thing looked clearer. DR..
Boas took decided stand in favor of
the school, said so, called it neces-
sity, and then the voters began to the
same way. The committee immediat-
ely saw the change, and news of this
opponent and that one coming over
to the side of the new school began
pouring in, and the feeling grew from
that time on to the end when the
whole of Grantwood turned out and
voted the right way. The Walter
Goemann incident was unobstrusive
in its way, but it was effective and
it won the day, as a matter of fact
at least it caused the stampede for
the school, and that was what won.
Tuesday night, January rs, will go
down into history as the banner
night in the communal life of the bor-
ough. Never before has the popu-
lace been so aroused to the settling
of civic problem. The borough has
never before witnessed such an out
pouring for an election, or for any
other occasion.
All roads seemed to lead to Law
ton Avenue, and early in the evening
were alive with animated groups Of
people, ,a-wheel or a-foot on their way
to exercise their right of suffrage.
By eight o'clock, the hurrying
streams had become united IN solid
column of people extending from the
balloting table at the head of the
assembly hall, down the east aisle of
the room, and out into the wide en-
trance corridor. Thence at eight
o'clock, and for ninety minutes, there
after the balloting stream moved
slowly past the table, dropping its
scores of ballots as it went; and then
gradually filling the open space of the
hall, where they became part of a
great, good -natured borough family
reunion
The flow of the stream was not un-
resisted, as the right of several for
eign born and other citizens to vote
was challenged, sometimes causing a
delay of several minutes Some fric-
tion was manifested on one or two
occasions, but without igniting into
spark; and, as whole, good-na-
tured tolerance prevailed.
The outpouring of women and the
intelligent interest which they show
ed was highly gratifying. Undoubt
edly, the good which they did was not
wholly to the borough. They bene-
fitted themselves, too, in their efforts
to assist in the borough's wise de-
velopement. Their presence helped
to make the affair good, oldfash-
ioned "sociable".
At half past nine the polls were
declared closed, and the counting be-
gan. At ten minutes to ten the
count showed sixty votes to twenty in
favor of the Grantwood proposal. At
ten minutes past ten the vote was
200 to 100 in favor of Grantwood. At
1925 it was 275 to 1870; at 10:45, $50
to 210; at eleven o'clock it was AGO to
275 in favor of Grantwood, and at
11:10 the final result was announced
as 472 for Grantwood and 80 for
Cliffside.
Prolonged, cheering greeted the
announcement by President Whelan,
of the result, a group of high school
boys accentuating it by entering the
hall with big bass drum, uttering
their high school yells, and march
ing like a football squad around the
room.