Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-02-01
ONE SCHOOL HAS
NO PRINCIPAL, BUT
ANOTHER HAS TWO
Transfer of Mr.. Souden
From Filter to Sartain
Produces Complication
.PROTEST UNAvAILING
Parents of Pupils Fail, but They
Plan to Maintain Their
Appeal

When lessons began at the John Sartan
School, 3ist and oxford streets. there was
no principal In charge of the institution,
but when sessions began at the Fitler
School, in Germantown two principals
were in the executive offices.
This unusual condition was due to the
failure of William souden, for Is years
principal of the Filter School, TO report
at the Sartain school, to which he had
been transferred. Miss Margaret l., Gill
had been appointed TO take his place at
the Filter at higher salary than he had
received, and a storm of protest on the
part of Mr.. Souden's friends resulted
They submitted to DR.. John T.. CARRIER,
superintendent of public schools, pc
tition bearing many thousands Of names
and asking the authorities TO retain Mr..
Souden at the Filter. In spite OF this pc
tition the transfer order was unchanged
and Mr., Souden was required to appear
today at the Sartain school
Milton c. Cooper, district superintendent
of schools, was ordered to appear also at
the Sartaiu to "meet" the principal When
he arrived at the Sartain, he failed to
find Mr. Scuden He telephoned mmedi-
ately to the Filter and found him there.
Meanwhile, the faculty was without a
head. Mr.. Cooper, acting in an emergency
appointed Miss Ethel Detz as principal
for the day"
Mr.. Souden then left the Filter school,
which is located at Seymour and Knox
streets. and instead of reporting at the
Sartain he went to his home in the Fair
fax Apartments, 5j01 Wayne avenue 81
was sick" he explained to Il reporter.
That's why | didn't 90 to school today.
went to the Filter, but | only stayed
there to fix up my books and attend to
such things"
II had intended to let this matter drop.
but my friends told. me that would be a
mistake. Acting on their advice, APP
pealed to the Board of Education. My
appeal has not been heard yet"
According to Miss Gin, "NIr. Souden
only came to see me" She stated cu-
phatically that she was in charge of the
school and that Mr. SOuden was no longer
principal
Headquarters of the Board of Educa-
tion We're besieged today by friends OF
Mr. Souden. At his home and in his Of
fees, the telephone of William Rowen, !
chairman of the Committee on Elemcn-
tary Schools was busy throughout the
day.
Mothers left their homes and fathers
left their businesses to help in the fight
that has been instituted in behalf Of
the ripervisor
"Can't you do something for Mr. |
Souden?" they pleaded with Mr., Rowen. |
"He is so kind and good to the children, !
and they all seem to learn so well under !
his direc' SO
Mr. r explained that the transfer |
was orderou by the Board of Education, .
upon the recommendation of Superinten- I
dent CARRIER The school board can never /
- otherwise than act upon the advice of |
its pedagogical experts he said. The only /
possible way of resembling the order is to |
suspend the rules. by a twothirds vote.
Six ministers have promised to preach .
sermons next Sunday, denouncing the ac- ,
tion of the Board Of Education. They
various denominations. on this
phase of the situation, Mr.. Rowen said: