New-York tribune., 1918-04-23
Ettinger and Shallow Each
Receive Three Votes in
Secret Session
Queens Member
Holds Up Decision
McAndrew Talked Of as
Compromise Choice for
Superintendent

After a two-hour session behind
closed doors the Board of Education
last night announced that it had been
unable to come to any agreement in
the selection of a city superintendent
to administer the New York schools.
The decision, President Somers said,
will be put over until next Monday.
"To-day," said he after the meeting,
1--WE were only able to go over again in
detail the qualifications Of the various
men who are being considered for the
place."
He added that both local and out-of-
town aspirants to the post, which car
ries with it $4,000 salary and the
direction of the destinies Of 100000
school children and $4,000 teachers,
had been considered. DR.. Chadsey, at
present Superintendent of Schools in
Detroit and the man who in The Trib-
une's recent poll of disinterested edu-
cational authorities was most frequent
ly named as the best fitted official for
the place, was not, President Somers
admitted, among these. But he added
that great attention had been paid to
the claims of DR.. Shiels, the brilliant
Los Angeles superintendent, who re.
ceived his training in the local school
system and has been frequently men
toned in connection with the present
vacancy.
Board Is Divided
Late last night, however, The Trib-
une learned from trustworthy source
that the real difficulty at the closed
session was not as between local and
out-of-town candidates, but owing to
the failure Of the board to reach COM
promise between DR.. Shallow and DR..
Ettinger-the two assistant city super
intendents between whom rumor has
all along maintained the final selection
will lie.
According to The Tribune's informa-
tion, the last poll showed three votes
for Shallow and three for Ettinger,
with one board member not voting.
President Somers. Mrs. Russell and
Representative Yeska, it was said, held
out for Shallow. Frank D. Wilsey, Mr..
Prall and Mrs. Murray stood firm for
Ettinger. George ]. Ryan, of Queens,
with the deciding vote IN mis- hands, re-
fused to cast it until he had had a
chance for further deliberation.
In local school circles the failure of
the board to reach a decision did not
come altogether as surprise. To the
two candidates interested, however, the
disagreement was distinct disappoint-
ment. So confident had the champions
of DR.. Ettinger been that early yester-
day they had openly predicted his cleo
tlon by vote of four to three, and his
assistant, William E. Grady, prepared a
complete biography Of his chief and
sent 1T out to the newspapers, all ready
to rush into print as soon as the glad
tidings should be announced.
Leading Candidates Drop In''
During the open session of the board
which began at 4:3O, for the discussion
of routine matters of school admins
tration, both DR.. Shallow and DR.. Et-
tlnger, IN casual sort OF way, dropped
into the executive chamber. The for
mer made report in favcz of erecting
fence around school playground op-
posite Ludlow Street Jail. But both
had disappeared before the board re-
tired into secret session.
After the failure of the board to
agree was announced, despite the evil
dent disappointment, confidence in the
ultimate result appeared unshaken in
the Ettinger camp; but in other quar-
ters the drawn vote was interpreted
as distinct sign of increasing Shallow
strength. Many school men, on the
other hand, last night expressed a be-
lief that the deadlock might force the
selection of compromise candidate
in which case the chances of DR.. Will
lam McAndrew, the most competent
man according to recent straw votes
were favored.
Local assistant city superintendent
whose names have not as yet been
prominently mentioned in the rumor.
coming out Of the Board OF Education
and City Hall were reluctant last night
to comment on the situation.
The argument for local man.
said Gustav Straubcnmuller. at present
acting city superintendent, dies in hi.
familiarity with the peculiar and com
plex problem New York City presents
1t would take an out-of-town man &
long t:ne to learn the intricacics Of
the situation here. That, though. i.
the only reason know of for SELECTING
one Of the present assistant city super
May Issue Statement
DR.. Shallow intimated that he wonld
have long statement on the whole
situation ready after the board had
rendered its decision. For the prescnf
ne contented himself with saying that
II was absurd to take the attitude that
the TACT OF mans not being New
Yorker constituted a point Of partic-
ular virtue. OF the reputed yuperior
abilities and regulations Of some OF
the men in other cities, Dr. Shallow did
not seem to think very highly.
At the open session Of the board tb a
proceedings had notably patriotic
tinge. A suspension Of the bylaws was
voted, making ii possible for married
women who have left the school syst.nn
and whose husbands are u the United
''tatey service 70 obtain reinstatement
An offer Of the metropolitan CANVAS
seetion Of the Liberty Loan Committee
10 award an illuminated aeroplanc AZ
"a prize TO the school in the thirty-ffth
metropolitan loan district which 10.
rJrea the greatcst number Of appIica-
ttrns fbr bonds was accepted 50 was
he pYoffer, ny Queens manufacturer
NJ byift stamps an prizes 10 Queens
..~Hool children for records in Liberty