New-York tribune., 1922-02-18
Secret Hearing
In McNallv Case
Forced by Stern
II Won't Give Out No infor-
nation Says Education
Board Member: Demands
Barring Press at Meeting
| Attack Called Failure
Snpcrintendents Expected TO
Renew Endorsements of
Candidate for School Post

Because ri. samuel Stern declared
Re would not speak il ewspapcr re-
,ortors were admitted. the hearing Of
the Board Of Education member
charges against Miss Elizabeth McNal-
" was held by the Board Of Surerin-
.eDdents behind closed doors yestcr-
aav. No hint of the nature of the pro
coe6inrs came from the meeting room,
hut after the session had been con-
cludcd it appeared fairly we'll cstab-
,shod that when the Board OF Educa
,;o7 meets next Thursday it viii have
before it the Board OF SDperintcndents
renewed recommendation OF Miss Nc
NsIly for director OF speech improve
rent.
Nr. Stern caused the nomination OF
Miss NcNally to be rejected at the last
mec,inc Of the Board Of Education on
Informal chsrges that. at the time they
were made, Impressed members Of the
Board Of Superintendent rs being so
unjust TO the candidatc that q hearing
vas ordered out Of consideration for
Miss McNally and TO give Mr.. Stern an
ooportunity TO make good his remarks.
The charges concerned the teaching Of
nrivatc or out-of-town pupils.
Mr. Stern is one of Mayor Hylan's
elosest friends on the Board Of Educa-
| tIon. and it Is understood to have been
strongly opposed to Miss McNally ever
since q relative of the Mayor, Miss
Agnes Birmingham, applied for the Job
As director Of speech Improvement IN
! competition With Miss McNally and
teachers Miss Birmingham stood
fourth on the list of those examined
| by the Board OF Supcrintcndents
Loud Tones at Meeting
The hearing yesterday lasted for two
lhours and half. The only definite in
dication as to the progress being made
vas the excited voice OF the little, ro-
fund member Of the Board of Educa-
ton, voice that proved easily rccog-
nizable anywhere within zoo feet OF the
meeting room and which seemed no less
vocferous than when lac surprised
those present at the earlier meeting by
assailing Miss McNally
After the hearing Mr.. Stern Was
asked il he cared to make statemcnt
he replied: absolutely not. What
khave to say will be said at the meeting
OF the Board Of Education next Thurs
fday"
DR.. William L. Ettinger, the Supcrin-
btendent of Schools, came out of tho
kmeetlng room smiling, but said that
lowing to the session being an eNecu-
ftive one he was not st liberty 20 dis
cuss the proceedings. lie said the
Iboard of supclintondents had plenty OF
\ ! l<fo = h,
lDoard Of Education to decide what 1t
would do. Miss McNally, likewise cheer
iful, begged to be excused from making
lsny statement for publication.
| Just before the hearing began Mr..
Stern was asked if he objected to the
presence of reporters He replied tnat
there was a law against the board Of
lsuperintendents holding open sessions.
WED be ieopardizing something or
iother,' he added, apparently unable to
lexplain what he meant by "something
tor other" and dismissing the thought
with a gesture of the hand
Miss McNally's case?' was the next
Question.
Stern's Easy Flow of Words
~ dassent say nothing" he answered
ri won't give out no information.
jwont speak syllable until the Board
iof Education meets. If the newspapers
kre allowed in here | won't speak a
Eord. Anything you want to know off
pc after | say it at the Board of Edu-
Eation meeting next Thursday Ill give
you then
4 The Board of Education member
grew expostulatory. 81 haven't any
fnimosity against anybody" he de
klared. Il haven't anv animositv
teainst Miss McNally; have | any ami
hosity against you, Miss McNaliy? ?"
I Miss McNAlly was sitting in the hall
Nay outside the meeting room at the
Mime
Quite unrufled by the unexpected
IqIeslon from one who had declared
nsr mot the proper person for the
ielice Of director of speech improve
lnent, Miss McNally replied pleasantly
lsat she would "rather not say any
1Elng about the matter at this time
Commissioner" Mr. Stern then CON
Enued, addressing the reportcrs:
Everybody knows | haven't any ami
MS against any one. | have no more
Elmosity against Miss McNally than
have against my own brother or my
tsf," and the board member thumped
Fs chest for emphasis.
4. Miss Birmingham was sitting at the
E,r end OF the hallway when Associate
fnperintendcnt William McAndrcw
ime from the meeting room after the
Esaring had been in progress for two
yi'urs and told her that Mr. Stern had
Suested her presence at the hearing.
sas came out again after about d min
Ea and left the building.
I" TttInger could not recall any law
statute which would prevent the
-lseard OF Sunnrintcndnnts from holding