New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-13
Has Proved Failure, Board
of Education President
Declares
Tumult at Meeting
Chairman Jeered by Angry
Members While Reading
Letter of Dismissal

William G.. Wilcox, president OF the
Board of Education, sent letter 10
the Central Pension Committee yester-
day ordering IL to disbsnd. Will
lam +. Hendrie, chairman OF the Com
nittee of l50, was shouted from the
chair when he attempted to read the
letter at meeting held in Public
School - yesterday.
THE responses which | have re-
ceived to my inquiries Of members of
the Central Pension Committee indi-
cate that large majority OF the COM
mittee feels as do-that no good end
can be served by its continuance. and
that il should be disbanded," Mr..
Wilcox wrote.
Explaining that the Committee OF loo
was formed with the intention OF hav-
ing a body of workable size which
would confer with the city authorities,
presenting the teachers point oil view
and then reporting 20 the teachers tho
decisions Of the joint committee Mr..
Wilcox continued: This has not even
been attempted. Indeed, in so far as |
am aware. the central committee
itself has never given any Impartial
consideration and study to the pro
posed plan. and il has certainly never
given TO the teachers OF the schooi
system any fair presentation OF i,s pro-
visions and advantages. nave
been reluctantly forced to the conclu-
sion that the experiment must be CEN
sidered failure.
Committee Loses Authority
81 give YOU formal notice that all
official status and authority conferred
upon the Central Pension Committee oy
mo Is hereby withdrawn ] sincerely
regret that there seems to be no other
course" 49,,
Al every attempt to read the letter
from Mr.. Wilcox Mr. Hendrie was met
with cries of Question:" MT Chair-
mpni" Information" all speakers de-
claring that the letter should not DE
read until the end of the meeting
Which was more than an hour late
owing 10 its wait for quorum.
The chairman finally got the MOOR
long enough to urge that as the origi-
nator of the committee declared II dis-
solved there was nothing TO do but as
hand and hold an informal meeting.
Shouts and ieers Of you're only AFRAID
Of Wilcox" greeted his paclhc at
tempts.
Meanwhile Mr.. Willcox's secretary
got in communication with MN any
urged that the central committee sh9ule
NOT be dissolved Immediately, as tneS
felt il only right that they should nave
an opportunity TO meet the Mayor oon'
troller and other city or1ciais IN , con
ference before disbanding. Mr.. VIII,
cox answered that the commit'.e neso
NOT disband Immediately, but that he
would no longer hold himself response
Bile for any Of its acts.
Three Camps in Organization
Three camps Of pension disputants
compose the committee. lhere are
those. including 80 per cent OF the hlgn
school teachers, as vouched for by
Harry Penhallow, one of the orlgina-
tors Of the present bill, who urge thst
the bill should be passed, as IT IL tne
best bargain possible to make with the
CITY now or at any other time.
There is another group which won't
even consider the bill, giving as an ar
0ument that "the city officials approve
of the bill, and therefore 1t would not
he 70 our advantage" The third branch
doesn't want any pension law at all.
After Mr.. Hendrie had been hooted
from the chair. Miss Harriet Porritt
took his place and asked the chairman
TO return. Three times he refused, but
then yielded.
Confusion marked the meeting
throughout, and as the members gradu-
alIv became disguised they left the au-
ditorium. As has been the custom IN
ali former meetings of the committee
of $50, the meeting disbanded without
..l....r -. acfinn