The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-10-17
TEACHERS HAVE
NC ANDREW ON
The DEFENSIVE
ShOw Up Irregularities
in Recommendations

The teachers Of Chicago have
got Superintendent MoAndrew
on the defensive.
They are now openly challeng-
ing McAndrew to produce evil
dence on his statement that an
anonymous teacher has voiced
to him the sentiments of the
teachers with regard to secret
markings.
MoAndrsw Falls 70 Appear.
Twice Miss Margaret Haley, bust
ness agent OF the Chicago Teachers
Federation, has appeared before the
administration committee Of the board
OF education to thrash out this ques-
ton. Twice Superintendent Mean
drew has failed to appear. At the first
meeting Mrs Lillian Hefferan, then
IN the chair, requested few members
on the committee to phone Mr.. Nc
Andrews to be present. The first part
Of the meeting was dragged out to
give him a chance to appear. The
superintendent did not show up and
James Mullenbach. member of the
committee, suggested that they post
pone the matter until the next day,
Wednesday, Oct. Is. and McAndrew be
requested to appear.
The next day the meeting was called
to order at 4 o'clock. Miss Haley was
there, the teachers filed the seats In
the rear Of the hall some even stand
ing, but McAndrew failed to show up.
Mr.. James Mullenbach again moved
that the matter be deferred until the
next meeting Of the administration
committee and the superintendent be
informed that he is to appear at this
meeting to take up the matter under
discussion, secret markings.
Question Up Several Months.
The matter Of secret markings has
been before the board for several
months. On June 10 of this year the
Teachers Federation, the teachers
union Of Chicago, adopted a resolu-
ton asking the board of education
TO abolish the system Of secret mark
ings. They requested the board to give
the teachers the same consideration
shown the engineers in their exam
nations. The engineers examina-
ton papers contain the name of the
marker, thus enabling the owner Of
the paper to get further information
about his marks if he desires them.
Teachers, on the other hand, have
no redress if they feel that they have
been given an unfair marking. A
teacher may fail to pass an examina-
ton for a position of higher degree
and never know why,
Can there be any better and more
efHcient method Of crushing the spirit
OF the teachers?" the militant mem
bers Of the Teachers Federation ask.
The teachers know that the effort to
keep their markings secret is direct
attempt to discriminate against those
who have shown opposition to the
numerous attacks upon them by the
business board Of education and the
tool of this board, the superintendent
Of schools, William McAndrew.
In report submitted by McAndrew
to the board of education he said that
he had received a letter from "a
teacher" And this anonymous
teacher reported to him as follows:
Il represent the teachers in the fed
grafton and in the councils. The teach
srs are not opposed to secret mark
3hgs."
Telling II to McAndrew.
In answer the Teachers Federation
has sent word to McAndrew that it
does not conduct mysterious negotia-
tons with nameless teachers. And
at their regular meeting held in Sep
TENDER. they ordered a protest sent
to the board Of education at its meet
ing of September 81. The report was
turned over by committee to Superin-
tendent McAndrew, and was never
read at any of the meetings.
Protests of the teachers at their
mass meeting at the Studebaker thea
ter brot the superintendent alibi
that the teachers communication ar
ried at Eve minutes of two and
couldn't be put thru at that board
meeting. Eventually the letter got
before the board and was referred
to the school administration commit
tee, which was scheduled to meet on
Thursday, Oct. 8, but failed to get
quorum.
The matter is now to come up be-
fore the next meeting of the admin
istration committee which will meet
some day next week (day will be re-
ported in the DAILY WORKER as
soon as It is known and Superintend-
Hill =