The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1918-05-18
QUAKER TEACHER
IS TRIED FOR
VIEWS ON war
Charges of Conduct Unbe-
coming a Tea her Is
Charged Against Her.

NEW YORK, May 1S.-The case Of
Mary S. Mcdowell, teacher Of Latin
In the Manual Training High School.
Brooklyn, on charges OF conduct un-
becoming a teacher. was tried yester-
day by a committee OF the Board of
Education.
Miss Mcdowell is Quaker, and the
charges grew out Of her religious OBJ
jections to taking any part in the
various war measures. She was rep
resented by Austen G. Fox and John
p. Broomell, who were engaged by
the Religious Society of Friends to
defend her.
The society in January passed
remonstrance against the action Of
the educational authorities in prefer
ring charges against her, and decided
that as it was purely religious ques-
tion they would stand by her. 1t is
their intention, II the Board of Educa-
tion should decide to dismiss her, TO-
carry the case to the State Commits
sioner of Education, and in the event
OF his sustaining the board to take the
matter up to the United States Su-
preme Court.
When the trial began. Mr.. Fox asked
II the committee would render its de-
cision for the entire board, and was
assured by the Corporation Counsel
Charles Mcintyre that this would be
so. Mr.. Fox then moved that the
charge against Miss Mcdowell should
be dismissed on the ground that 1t
was purely a religious matter Chair
man Wilsey denied the motion. Mr..
Fox then stated his clients answer
to the charges. She said that they
were insufficient in law because there
was no provision therein for the pre-
ferment for such charges. None CT
the specifications. she maintained,
stated facts sufficient to constitute
grounds for the removal of the teacher
under the provisions of the Educa-
ton law.
Birthrisht Member Of Quakers.
Mr.. Fox said that his client was
brthright member Of the New York
monthly meeting of the religious So
ciety of Friends commonly known as
Quakers, that her father and mother
were also birthright members of it,
that most of ancestors for genera
tions had been members of it. and that
these ances tors for more than 100
years had Eeen citizens of the United
States. One of the cardinal principles
of the society was the conviction that
all war was immoral and unchristian.
The members were forbidden and en-
joined by those principles against par
ticipation IN war in any form directly
or indirectly. and against taking any
part in warlike preparations, offensive
or defensive, and against contributing
to or encouraging the spirit of war
fare.
He declared that statements made
by Miss Mcdowell in reply to the in
terrogations of the Board of Superin-
tendents Oil Jan. 10, 1918. were in ac-
cord with he religious belief and prin-
ciples of the Society of Friends rela-
tive to the subject of war, and that
the statements directly expressed the
religious belief of Miss Mcdowell her.
self She nevertheless, he said, was
summoned by the Board of Superin-
tendents on Jan. 19. 1918.
Fir. McI1tyre offered in evidence
Miss McDowells answers to the SUI
perintendents as to her attitude with
regard to ;he war in which she said
that she was opposed to it because of
her religious convictions; that she did
not believe in bearing arms, and that
meeting the difficulty.
Mr.. Fox then called Miss Mcdowell
to the witness chair. He asked her if
she had distributed War Thrift
Stamps or circulars in the school, She
answered that she had done so.
Have you ever refused to do any
specific thing that your principal asked
you to do?' he said
"NO" she reDlied
He pres anted to her a number of
checks and she identified them as
made out by her for the Armenian suf
ferers, Red Cross work and other char
liable objects.
Denies Refusal to Teach Civics.
Miss Mcdowell said that her salary
as teacher amounted to little more
than s203 a month. Mr.. Mcintyre ask
ed her when she had joined the Red
Cross Society, and she said that it was
about the time of her suspension from
school duty. He wanted to know
whether she had refused to teach
civics in the school when requested
to do so by her principal. She denied
this. She said that she taught Latin,
English and patriotism.
Members of the Society of Friends
told of the activity of the Quakers in
war relief work and of Miss Mellow
ellis good character.
Principal Snyder testified that he
had requested Miss Mcdowell to teach
citizenship to her pupils and that she
had asked that someone else should
do so. In reply to question why
he had changed Miss McDowells rat
ing and when he replied that he could
not tell the time as there were 104
teachers whose rating had been chang
Cd He said that the changed rating
might have some effect with the Board
OF Examiners.
Mr.. Mcintyre, in summing up, de-
cared that the case was a clear one
Miss Mcdowell had refused to per-
form duties called for in a teachers
duties in this time of great stress !
II was not question of her religion |
The only question was whether Miss
Mcdowell. a Quaker was fit to teach |
Americans at this time.
st. Stanwood Menken, President of |
the National Security League, in spite |
of the objections of Mr.. Fox, asserted |