The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-27

lnAST 10 years of age. for more than half a century identified with edu- A cational work in Chicago, for the last six years superintendent of the pub- lie school system-that is the remark able record of a remarkable woman, Mrs. Ella F1agg Young.
 Having completed the allotted period of life, such is her popularity, such is the confidence the people znd the teachers have in her ability and progressiveness that agitation already Is apparent for her re- election next December for another year.
 For the first time in a number of years Chicago has superintendent in whom the public implicitly believes, but whom the powers that direct the affairs of the school system probably would depose if they dared to do so-a reversal of the city's former experiences. Mrs. Young mas given all of her time to the work of developing and enlarging tho usefulness of the schools. She is recognized everywhere. probably, as a real educator. Her record is in marked con- trast with that of other superintendents, men, who gave up much of their ener- gies to manipulations and to school poli- tics.
 At an age when most people are willing to accept things as they are and to be content, this woman. on the contrary. is constantly alert for the progressive idea in educational matters. keeps herself in- formed on all that is considered best in school work. and does not hesitate to adopt any plan which promises to bring good results
 When William wlrt found it necessary to adopt rotary schedule of attendance for pupils to make the best use of the limited school accommodations in the rapidly growing town of Gary. Ind, Mrs. Young watched its results. for she saw in it possibilities of value 10 Chicago, where also the demand for seats for children always exceeds the capacity of the schools
 Some might have said that Chicago with it's millions could not get any good out of the Hoosier town with it's thousands, but Mrs. Young was not averse to mak- ing the test She was so impressed with the system that she installed 1t in three elementary schools in Chicago two years ago. At the beginning of the present school year she installed 1t in two more elementary schools, and for the first year pupils in three of the largest high schools of the city.
 By this system pupils are divided into groups. From until o'clock one group Is at play. one Is in the gymnasium, one In each of the other departments. several in the class rooms. From g to 10 o'clock each of these groups is moved and that Is repeated at each hour of the school day. At no time is any educational fa- cility idle. and many more children can be accommodated than under the sys- tenn usually in force.
 As indicated in a previous paragraph, Mrs. Young Is not without her enemies on the board of education. So far she has been able, through her keen wit, to outplay them. Last December the trus- tees had the wires all strung to encom- pass her defeat. She heard about it and
 nearly paralyzed them by resigning. That
 forced their hands. The newspapers the following morning published broadsides
 about 1t. protests ca1ne in from ali sides
 
 | ali Chicago was aroused.
 Carter H. Harrison. then mayor, promp,
 iy accepted the rehignation of i've
 trustees who were opposed to Mrs. Young
 --resignations he was forehanded enough to obtain at the time the Appointmkhts were made two years before. He ap-
 pointed new trustees in the places of
 those who would not listen to his artsi-
 ments. and at the next meeting of the
 board Mrs. Young was reelected. l To bring that about 1t was necessary
 for the board to avoid the election of
 John D. Shoop. whd had been chosen for
 superintendent. It was . radical proceed Ing. and lawyers say it was invalid, but
 no one dared to raise the issue MT.
 Ehoop was content to remain as assistant
 superintendent. During this struggle Mrs. Young's loyal friends were Mayor Har- rison and the Chicago Teachers fedora
 ton.
 There has been less politics in the school
 system during tho last six years, prob ably. than ever before. Thsrs was no oo-
 casior, for the introduction of politics last
 spring. But women can vote for city of
 hcials in Chicago and Mrs. Young stands
 
 by her friends.
 During the mayoralty primary campaign
 Mrs. Young wrote letter to an officer of the Teachers' federation praising Nay l or Harrison's work for the public schools It was intended the letter should bs pub-
 lished. and 1t was published. Opponents | to MT. Harrison were indignant. and criticised Mrs Young sharply. MT. Har- | rison. however. was defeated by a plural 1 ity of 5000. and the democratic nominee. who might have made short work of Mrs. 1 Young's administration. was in turn de- l feated for election by plurality about twice as larke as that which retired Mir. Harrison.
 l So recently. when the board of educa- tion brought up 2 rule ferbidding niern- bers of the teaching force from belong
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