The Goslings: A Study of the American SchoolsSinclair, Upton
History
The Goslings: A Study of the American Schools
Sinclair, Upton
Education -- United States
Why Dr. Tildsley did not like the “tale-bearing” of Mr. Berry is easy to
understand. In 1914 Dr. Tildsley was principal of the DeWitt Clinton
High School, and when he was moved on to a higher position, two of his
favorite teachers in the school, who were in line for principalships,
and who have since been made principals, took five hundred and
twenty-five dollars out of the “general organization fund” of the
school—that is, money contributed by the students for student
activities—and used it to purchase a silver service which was presented
to Dr. Tildsley. The source of this money was kept a secret, but Mr.
Berry learned about it, and wrote to the president of the board of
education, pointing out that this was a clear violation of the law, as
well as a great injustice to the pupils, most of whom were poor and many
self-supporting. Had not one teacher been turned out of the system for
accepting a box of candy from her pupils? A scandal was threatened, but
it was hushed up, the newspapers co-operating by not publishing a line.
Dr. Tildsley returned the silver service, which was sold, I am informed,
to George Sylvester Viereck. For nine years Mr. Berry has been
persecuted because of this affair; while Dr. Tildsley was promoted to be
deputy boss of the gang!
They have a method of punishing teachers which they learned from the
police department in New York. Every now and then some policeman takes
it upon himself to enforce a law which his superiors are using as a
means of extortion; they will shift this policeman to the Bronx, and a
month later they will send him to Brooklyn, and a month later to Staten
Island, and so on—the poor wretch spends the greater part of his life on
street cars, getting to his job and back. In the case of a teacher they
wait just long enough for her to get settled in a new home, and then
they move her again. It is something understood by all teachers that
anyone who opposes the principal will find herself “transferred,” or
lowered in ratings, or will have hard classes, or longer hours with no
more pay. Said one to me: “Any teacher who brings charges against a
principal is ruined. It matters nothing what the charges are: stealing
school funds, or beating the pupils, or offensive advances of a sexual
nature. All that happens is the principal denies the charges, and the
matter is dropped; a teacher’s testimony counts for no more than the
testimony of a Negro in the South.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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