Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-02-06

TRUSTEES or THE PUBLIC scHooLs.-The reg.
ular monthly meeting Of the Board Of Trustees OF
chamber, City Hall, yesterday afternoon. Presen,
MesSrs. Albert, Holmead, Ironside, A. w. Miller,
McKnew, willett, walsh, Ames, whyte, Fort,
NJ: H. Miller, the Secretary and Treasurer.
Monthly reports were received frUm the teach.
The Treasurer reported that he had contracted
with Messrs. Blanchard 4 Mohun, booksellers,
for furnishing the public schools with books and
stationery, under the order ldtely established for
awarding the furnishing Of books and stationery
to the lowest responsible bidder. - ,
MT lronside presented the application Of Miss
Letitia Allen for place a. teacher; referred.
Mr. Albert, from the select committee to whom
was referred the letter Of John T.. Thompson,
tacher OF the Fourth district school, submitted a
report.
The report was read, and showed that the COM
nittee had Investigated the charges contained in
the letter against the ard Of the fourth dis
rict the facts obtained by said Investigation being
Mr.. Albert stated that some expressions made by
DIR. Whyte at a former meeting of the board with
reference to MI Thompson, which Mr.. Thomp-
son had regarded as personal and offensive, had
been withdrawn by Nj. whyte in the committee
and in presence of Mr.. Thompson.
Mr. Whyte stated that the words he made use
under a condition of excitement, ard without re-
lection. He had freely Withdrawn them, as he
had not intended to be offensive to any one.
The report was accepted and the committee
discharged.
Mr.. Albert, IN connection with the subject lust
disposed OF, but not as member Of the late com.
m;tiee. submitted the following resolution:
Rssotced, That when any teacher or assistant
teacher shall have any complaint or charge to
make against any member of the Board of Trus-
tees, 10 shall be made to the sub-board of that
TEACHER or assistant teachers district; and should
the sub-board neglect the same, or fail to give
II such attention the teacher shall think
proper and necessary under the circumstances, Ii
shall be the duty Of such teacher or assistant
he nd all fac of
the case, to the general board, in writing within
two months after the cause OF such complaint or
charge; and IL such complaint or charge shall be
against the whole sub-board, or a majority of
them, II shall De the duty Of the teacher or assist
ant teacher to present the same In writing to the
general board not later than its second regular
charge, otherwise the board will not entertain
them.
The resolution was unanimously adopted.
Mr. lronside offered the following resolution,
which was adopted:
Rssolcsd, That the Secretary be directed to
make application to the Mayor 10 set apart room
for an ONCE Of the Board Of Trustees Of the Public
Schools, in accordance with the provisions Of the
ls55.
Mr. McKnew, from the select committee to
whom was referred the letter Of the chairman of
the committee on the public schools in the Board
OF Aldermen, transmitting a communication from
Mr.. p. J Steer in reference to the establishment
OF sewing machine system in the public schools
inexpedent TO give the question favorable con-
federation at the present time. The report was
accepted and the committee ordered to be dis
charged, and the Secretary was instructed TO
transmit the action of the board In the matter to
the chairman Of The committee in the Board Of
Aldermen.
Mr. Willett stated that the chairman of the select
committee 10 which had been refsrred the letter
Of Mr.. Thompson, preferring certain charges
against tie subboard of the fourth district had
submitted report stating that Mr.. Thompson's
or individual members thereof, which five charges
The report sets forth, but IL gives opinion to
whether the charges are maintained by the evil
dence or not The letter Of Mr. Thompson had
been spread before the public through the columns
Of the Star, and he would now like to have the
committee or board say whether these i've charges
or any OF them have been sustained or not The
report Of the committee does not saw CHARGES
have been made and somebody is in the wrong,
and ought to be censured- III it il the sub board
why censure US il it Ii the author, then censure
him.
MIR Albert said that the committee had not been
called upon to express any opinion, only to inves-
ugate and report facts. IL was not for the com.
iniee TO decide for the board whether the charges
are sustained or not, but the board itself. The
gentlemen can certainly read the report and Judge
for themselves.
Mr.. whyte said that he had taken the msjor
part Of Mr.. TEompson's letter 20 himself, because
his name was mentioned directly. All his old
companions Of the former board had thong ht SO
also So far the charges contained In the letter
were concerned, he felt bound to say the only one
he admitted 10 be true was the one charging him
with showing his political preferences ia relation
10 school matters. He was fr, to admit that be
was bound TO 90 for his party. He lad helped
To elect Mr.. MaSruder, who turned out the old
Know Nothing board which turned out a teacher
from the public schools Of the Fourth District,
because she was a Catholic. il was throug Ma
gruders election that this teacher restored to
her situation as teacher, and shs comes forward
now to prefer charges. He admitted having car
ried politics into bis government Of the schools
IL Mr.. Berret had not been elected not one gen.
tleman here would have been member Of this
|, board, and We ought to sustain our party WHY
the Mayor had sent for him (Whyte) TO come to
the City Hall to chide him for giving employ
Dent to Know Nothings, saying that IL would be
Mr. willeti said that seine one ought to be GEN.
sured; that the charges in the letter were either
true or untrue, and he wanted to get at some ex-
preston Of opinion about them.
Mr.. Albert held that the committee had no ipht
TO express an opinion. The sub board had the
report before them, and certainly were capable Of
coming to judgment upon il. II was not for
the select committee 10 attack or to defend the
sub board of the fourth district.
Mr.. w iIlelt to Sir: Albert -''Do you think the
charges are sustained ~
Mr.. Albert would answer the gentleman, be-
canse he never shrank from answering question
when called upon. Stin he did not think the gen.
teman had right to ask for his indi vidual
opinion upon question like this In answering
Mr.. w he would begin with the last charge In
Mr.. Thompson's letter, namely that Of political
fayoritism. That was mere difference Of opinion
betweea himself and Mr. Whyte The speaker
regarded this charge as the most serious one in
the whole l.ter; bu, whether IL is 10 be censured
or applaud-d depends upon the individual views
Of individual members Of the board SO far an
the speaker was concerned, he certainly di fered
with Mr.. Whyte as to the prOpriety Of introducing
party matters into the management Of the
public schools. The speaker certainly was of the
opinion that II was highly improper TO introduce
party pred JUDGES into the schools. Mr.. WHITE
thinks differently, and 10 honest In his belief IL
10 a mere difference Of opinion between men.
As to the charge that transfers were made In
violation of the rules, the speaker did not think
there was any culPability at all. On iuvesuga-
ton, there was only one transfer found to have
been made In violation Of the rule, and he had no
doubt this transfer could have been explained sat
isfactorily.
As to the charge Of admitting suspended pupils
into another school Of higher grade, 10 the det-
rimsnt Of meritorious pupils, IL was in evidence
In the committee that Mr.. Willett Inadvertently
issued two tickets Of admission 10 suspended pu-
pills One Of the boys was Immediately removed,
as soon IL was ascertained that he was
pended pupil; the other was retained, and AIR.
fhompsoa says he 10 good boy.
As 10 the charge concerning the night school Of
the fourth district not being kept In full hours,
Mr. A did not think there was any upebilify
there; there was no evidence Of any.
Mr. WHITE said that, 80 FAR a. be was concerned,