New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-15
APPOINTMENT of Education
Board Members by the
Mayor Denounced.
KEEP BODY FREE
OF POLITICS, is PLEA
Witness Tells Legislators Man
with New York Brogue
Excels Oxford Man.


the city's finances Thomas ". Church
i'll, president Of the board, and John
Martin, chairman Of the boards special
committee on economy, improved the
ouportunity as witnesses 20 tell the leg
islators how little the Board Of Estl-
mate and the budget makers knew
about the management and needs OF
the educational body. Dir. ChurchlIi
fred a few last shots at the Mayor ana
Controller as echoes Of the budget pat
tie.
Mayor Mitchell resumed the witness
stand at the morning session and pro
tested against further mandatory reg
islation affecting the city's budget. lie
strongly objected TO the mandatory
CHARGES In the city's departments, and
pointed out that Of the 1915 budget OF
about s212 900. 900 mandatory admins
trative charges amounted 20 S53,25l, 16I,
not including the cost Of the Pubic
Service Commission and the Board OF
Water Supply, which is also manda-
tory.
In answer to questions by Senator
Zion X, Brown, chairman OF the com
mittee. as 10 what matters the Mayor
thought should not be mandatory, the
witness said:
81 will make an omnibus statement
that I think that only those provisions
should be mandatory which apply 70
elected officials"
Oppose Appointments by Mayor.
Early in Mr. ChurchilPs testimony
he came out fatty against the mayor
having the appointment OF members
of the Board of Education. The Mayor
is soon TO appoint several new mem
bers of the board. ,.,
"Tbo tendency Of the Mayor" said
Mr. Churchill. us TO respect the arlsto.
cratic element in thee ommunlty and
FORGET the democratic. Some men OF
bigh education are color blind. An TX
foTd man may not make as good com
missioner as the man with an ordinary
Education with the New York brogue
an his lips / would prefer any other
method than the appointment OF the
board by the Mayor"
Mr. Churchill explained further that
Il was wrong for any man holding an
office of that type TO have the power
of such appointments. or TO Try 10 get
control of the Board of Education Tor
the purpose Of keeping the taxes down.
"Wbat do YOU think about letting
Tho Roard of Estimate FIX the teach
ers' salaries ." asked Chairman Brown.
THAT is about the worst thing that
could be said on the subject Mr..
Churchill repled. cit would demon
alize the Board of Education and the
BOARD of Estimate, too. / don't think
the Board of Estimate should have
thing TO do with education-except
their own"
"Do YOU think the best efficiency
and economy require the king Of the
teachers salaries by the Board OF
Education ?" asked Senator Brown.
Under the present conditions, with
the present financial stress and storm
IN the city government, l would pre-
fer TO have a bulwsrk in Albany" said
Mr.. Churchill
Objects to Political Control
81 would not give the Board Of Edu-
cation the power to fix salaries If they
were under any political influence,
whether that of the Mayor or of the
Board Of Estimate. What we want is
TO be free from any financial or po-
ltical control by the municipal gov
eminent"
Mayor Mitchell was not present when
President Churchill testified. Con-
troller Prendergast sat near the edu-
cational head, however, and many of
the witnesses pointed remarks we're d.
rected at him. The Controller had
suggested 10 the legislators the day
before that the "extravagance" In the
Board Of Education was due entirely
70 inefficient management"
Mr.. Churchill said he did not agree
with Commissioner Martin, who had
testified that the teachers equal pay
law should not have been enacted, and
that many women teachers were over
paid under II. He said he believed In
paying teachers the full value OF their
services, whether men or women. he
said he agreed with Mr.. Martin on the
general proposition that women did
not make as good teachers as men.
Commissioner Martin said the mar
ket value" Of women teachers was not
as high as that Of men teachers.
"Do you mean to say that the only
reason that women should not have the
same salaries as men IS that the mar
ket value Of their work is not up 70
that of the men ?" demanded Sheriff
elect Al Smith, one of the three Dem
ocratic members Of the committee.
"The mans work is better as a rule"
Teplied Commissioner Martin.
aDo you mean TO say that there are
no women in the schools, doing work
similar or identical to that Of the men,
whose standard of work is not equal 70
that of the men ?" Assemblyman Smith
asked
The witness replied that II was not
true In all instances, but generally the
men we're the better teachers. He de-
clared that instead Of the maximum
salary Of $3.50 for women teachers
under the equal pay law he would place
IL nearer the old maximum of 81 300, at
the same time allowing the womens
salaries TO run up in 3 much shorter
period Of time.
High Salaries TO Attract Men.
He said that nowhere In the world
cid high school teachers receive such
large salaries. The high salaries were
introduced TO attract a more efficient
class Of men teachers, he declared.
wasn't IL after the women's salaries
were made equal that the board dis
covered they needed more men teach
trs :" asked Assemblyman Smith.
No. indeed; quite the contrary" re-
piled the witness.
We'll, i don't like 20 doubt your
word on that subject, because you are
Commissioner Of Education, but
have different idea OF IT," said Mr..
Smith.
The witness said he was not in favor
II appointing women teachers with the
idea that they could spend their lives
in teaching.
~ had my way" said Mr.. Martin,
u would appoint women teachers with
the understanding that they were 20
spend only 4 few years in the service
and then withdraw 20 get married.
After their period Of child raising
would allow them 20 return, more mel