The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-04-01
y. WI. ORGANIZES
ACTION AGAINST
BRUTAL TEACHERS
Taking Charge Of Drive
On Miss Tobin
BY NAT KAPLAN.
Editor The Young Comrade.

the general corruption of Chicago'S
Public Schools we have to add an
other feature: Corporal punish.
ment under various pretenses i.
still in vogue in our elementary
educational institutions.
One hundred and fifty parents Of
children who attend the Cregiei
School gathered with the intention
Of Immediately declaring o school
strike. The meeting was called
jointly by the Temporary Parents
Committee and the Junior Section
Of the Young Workers League.
School Board Ignored Issue.
Mr.. Bernard We'll, chairman Of
the Parents Committee, opened the
meeting. He pointed out that foy
weeks they had endeavored to take
action against Miss Mary E. Toben,
principal Of the Cregier School,
whose brutal treatment of the chill
dren and parents was the case of
the present revolt. He had en-
deavored 10 stay 'twithin the bounds
Of legality" and had secured an in
terview with an individual in the
local school board, who had passed
as McAndrews. superintendent of
the Chicago schools. This imposter
attempted to appease him with the
general hot air spiel of: eve will
see what we can do about it."
Knocked about, and refused hear
ing by bona fide school officials, Mr..
We'll declared he was now ready to
test his constitutional rights and de-
termine whether ne had as much say
over the method Of raising his chill
dren as the corrupt school officials.
At this point the general sentiment
was for the immediate walkout of
the children.
Young Workers League Steps In.
Nat Kaplan, representing the
Junior Section of the Young Work
ers League, pointed out that the
present situation IN the Cregier
School was not a phenomena pecu-
liar only to the Cregier School but
was rather one incident typical of
the general state of affairs in the
schools thruout the country. The
arrangement of a school strike was
not such small thing. It differed
from an economic strike insofar as
it struck direct blow OF the city
administration. Were we to decide
for a strike at this meeting and
have $50 or SO children walk out,
it would be the easiest thing in the
world for the city administration to
muster the full force OF the Police
Department and break the strike up
in Is minutes. We are not opposed
to the strike, we can bide our time
and organize for a greater victory
later. The first thing To be done
at this meeting is definitely to or
ganize ourselves into parents or
ganization Of the Cregier School to
elect a permanent executive COM
mittee and instruct that executive
committee to make plans for the
raising Of finances, the printing of
leaflets, the arranging Ct further
mass meetings and the sending of
a representative to the next meet
ing Of the Teachers Federation of
Chicago to secure their support in
this battle.
llecite Brutalities.
The floor was then thrown open
for general discussion by the par
ents and children. Many Of the par
ents cried as the children re-
cited the treatment they had re-
ceived at the hands Of the auto
cratic Miss Toben. Among the
many cases mentioned, the follow
ing were Of special interest:
ID Harry Tatlebaum was
forced to stand in the hall almost
daily by his teachers while they
marked him absent. Then on the
pretense Of poor attendance he
was taken to court and railroaded
to the parental school. Both his
mother and the truant officer testi-
fled at the trial chat the boy at
tended the school. But Miss Mary
Z. Toben, principal Of the school.
insisted that the judge should
send him to the parental school.
The judge requested Miss Toben
to transfer the lad to another
school and give him a chance to
make good, but she absolutely re-
fused to do this.
Use Janitor as thug.
CD Sidney Chaplick was sus-
pended for whispering. His ia
Their went to inquire cbout it. He
was ordered out by Miss Toben.
Upon his refusal TO leave, the jani-
tor Of the building was called in
and threw him out. (The same
treatment was given to Mr.. Arien
Weiner)
A few days later Mrs. Chaplick,
the mother of the boy, went to
interview Miss Toben. Miss Toben
refused To listen to the mother
and told her Ito go bury herself"
(S) On Monday, February IL,
four girls were late for their sew
ing class. They were all made to
stand during the entire period FOR
one and one-half hours without
removing their heavy winter
wraps and were not given their
lesson. These girls were: Ber-
nice We'll. Esther Greenberg,
Pauline Seftz ana Esther Wax
lander. Bernice We'll, the first