New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-02-02
Nudd Sees in Opposition
TO Dr.. Taylor Change OF
Heart by Board.
APPOINTED TO TRY
SYSTEM IN BRONX
Failure to Reflect Educator
Thought Scheme to Check
TriaI Promised Public

Why the Board Of Education failed
70 reflect Dr. Joseph s. Taylor rs su-
perintendert Of the district in The
Bronx given over 20 trial Of the Gary
plan is question that has been taken
up by the Public Education Associa-
ton Of the City Of New York. In a
letter to The Tribune yesterday asking
the board 70 act forth clearly its rea-
sons for its action Of last week. How
ard ". Nudd. director o. the assocIa-
ton. writes
"The Board OF Education has placed
itself in an unfortunate position re-
garding the Cary plan. Without max
ing the slightest effort 20 explain its
action. u failed at its meeting on
Wednesday last to reflect DR.. Joseph
s Taylor as superintendent OF the dis
trict in The Bronx in which he has
been recognizing. AZ the direction Of
the board, the twelve schools set aside
for n thorough trial of the Gary plan.
There is a growing feeling in many
quarters that DR.. Taylor has been sac
rificed, not because Of personal unfit
ness, but because the school authori-
ties are not a, favorably inclined to a
thorough trial Of Mr.. Wirt's pro-
gramme as their previous official acts
and assurances would lead the public
TO believe
at would be unfortunate If this i'm
preston were well founded. Apart
from the manifest injustice OF making
DR.. Taylor scapegoat. there is such
n widespread interest in the Gary plan
and such a universal demand that il
get an adequate and fair opportunity
to demonstrate its possibilities for this
city that the public will not be content
with anything less than frank and
unequ'vocal attitude toward it from
the school authorities.
Fair Test Promised Public.
Despite the general feeling that un-
due obstacles had made il difficult for
Mr. Writ to demonstrate adequately
his programme during his first few
months in New York, every one was in
clined 20 believe that the Board of
Education was acting in good faith
last June, when, upon the unanimous
recommendation of the Board of SUI
perintendents. il unanimously decided
10 introduce the Gary plan IN twelve
Bronx schools. and, after securing the
necessary funds from tho Board Of Is
9. ! 49,. 4
Taylor 70 proceed with the reorganiZa-
ton. Since then the public has been
repeatedly assured that il could trust
implicitly in thu official acts Of the
board in this connection and disregard
limitations that lis real attitude Il i
not coincide with It's official statements.
Furthermore, those who have been OPP
posing the extension of the Gary plan
10 all the congested schools OF the city
have given as their princi pal reason for
doing so the fervent desire to have the
plan fairly tried out first in these
Bronx schools.
at may be that when the facts be
come known there will be no grounds
for believing that the public confidence
in these professions Of the school au-
thoritios mas beer misplaced. Mean
while there exists distinct impression
tina. in selecting the very zine when
the plan is 20 be put into operation
February the board has chosen a
dramatic moment 10 notify DR.. Taylor
that he had failed 70 read between the
lines and had taken instructions too
seriously.
"If such an impression be well
founded, II means evil days for the
teaching profession in the New York
City schools. II means that members
OF the professional staff who have opin-
ions or favor policies which they do
not reshape from time TO time 10 ac-
cord with the shifting views Of the
controlling faction in the Board OF Edu-
cation will be subjected to the good
old-fashioned method of breaking
ambitious subordinates so long i'm
vogue in the Police Department. The
fear OF Just such demoralizing
method Of control has created vigorous
opposition in the past to measures
which have threatened to undermine
the spirit OF the professional staff
Board Must Keep Faith.
Three years ago the city was stirred
By bitter fight to prevent the enact
ment Of the so-called Mckee bills.
which proposed 70 transfer several i'm
portant professional functions from
the City Superintendent 20 the lag
Board Of Education. Only two years
ago a great storm of disapproval broke
out when the Board Of Education cen
sured Superintendent Maxwell for dis
putting the right of the president of the
Board Of Education 10 prevent MIN
from attending conferences of the Pub
lie Education Association without first
securing permission from the Board Of
Education or from It's pres dent. The
Public Education Association and other
civic bodies have only within the last
few days presented petition, which
was yesterday sustained by the State
Commissioner Of Education, 10 restrain
the Board Of Education from taking
action which would undermine the pro-
visions of the law governing eligibility
70 teach in the public schools. The
public Is, therefore. extremely sensitive
TO any action which has the appearance
of undue infringement upon legitimate
professional functions.
"The only way in which the Board Of
Education can remove suspicion from
the public mind in the case OF DR.. Tay-
Tor and reestablishlnG confidence in its
integrity is 20 take up the matter
frankly at is next meeting and either
reflect DR.. Taylor or set forth clearly
its reasons for not doing 80.
There should be no difficulty ~
reaching just estimate Of DR.. Tay-
lor's fitness. The Board Of Superln-
tendents and the Committee OF Nom
nations, which are the two bodies IN
the school system most competent 20
pass upor his professional qualiiica-
tons, have already shown their APP
preciation OF his worth in unanimously
recommending his reelection. Further
more. the mere fact that the Board OF
Education itself only six months ago