September 1: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
ON THIS DAY IN 1931, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “Parochial schools in the Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn and Long Island will open a week late, on Sept. 21, Mons. Joseph V.S. McClancy, superintendent of schools of the diocese, announced today. This announcement followed the postponement of opening of city schools until Sept. 22, eight days after schedule. Decision to defer city school opening was made by Health Commissioner [Shirley] Wynne after conference with school officials because of the prevalence of infantile paralysis. Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, falls on Sept. 21. For this reason, city schools will open on the day following. Today Commissioner Wynne appealed to parents not to let their children ‘run wild in the streets’ during the delay in school opening. If this is done, it would ‘be better’ to have the children in classrooms ‘where our doctors can examine them,’ he declared. Postponement of city school opening affects 1,150,000, and in the Brooklyn diocese, 125,000 pupils. This delay will not cause the school session to run into next July, said Dr. George J. Ryan, president of the Board of Education. There is sufficient time between September and the end of next June to catch up the eight days, he indicated. Thirty-six thousand teachers and administrators of city schools will have to report on schedule, however. They will be required to attend forums until classes are resumed.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1932, the Eagle reported, “Mayor [Jimmy] Walker will decide today whether or not he will bolt the public hearing before Governor [Franklin] Roosevelt and resign from office. Early this afternoon there appeared to be a 50-50 chance that Tammany’s No. 1 man would retire from the ring with a cry of foul because of Roosevelt’s apparent intention to conduct the hearing according to his own views and not those of Supreme Court Justice Ellis J. Staley. One thing is certain: If Walker withdraws from the removal proceedings in Albany, his resignation will be forthcoming. It is also true that he will at once commence battle for the designation this Fall to fill the remainder of his unexpired term. Walker, still worn and haggard but somewhat refreshed by two days in bed, was at his apartment in the Mayfair House, Manhattan, this morning, awaiting the hour for the funeral of his brother, George F. Walker, who died Monday at Saranac Lake. After the funeral, Walker returned to the Mayfair House for a conference with his counsel, John J. Curtin, and then and there his course of action will be determined.”