National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1876-08-01
THE TEACHERsHIP FIGHT.
Mr.. Thcmpson's Observation-Disclosures Of
the School Proper

the School Property.
| The committee of teachers of the white
schools OF Washington aid Georgetown held an
adjourned meeting at tie Franklin School build
ing last evening, fer the purpose of giving
hearing to MIR. Thompson, principal OF tie
| Fourth district, who has been arraigned on
the charge of incompetency.
There were present of the committee, Trus-
tees Randolph, (Chairman,) HUvey, Lloyd,
| Over and Moffatt. Most of the gentlemen who
| were present to testify at the former meeting
were present, and some new faces appeared.
| After some discussion it was decided to ad-
| nit reporters; Trustee Hovey voting against
| the motion, but making no other opposition.
| Trustee Champlin was sworn. He testified
| to having been asked to give his reasons why
| he would not vote for the reappointment OF
Mr.. Thompson. In reply to a member of the
| committee he had given several reasons; for
| instance, want of attention to duty, want of
| care of property and general incompetency.
| The statements made by witness were fatty
| contradcted by his colleague (Mr. Lloyd).
Witness did not propose to be put in the posi-
| ton of party to personal controversy. He
was there solely in the interests of the schools.
| Witness had no charges to make; did not pro-
pose to stand up in the face of the public as
| prefer ling charges. but was there to give his
reasons for his opposition to Mr.. Thompson's
| appointment and to bring others who would
| support his statements.
Mr.. F. A. Boswell was sworn, and questioned
concerning Mr.. Thompson's punctuality, but
knew nothing of it. 1t was almost q daily
thing for the boys to have fight as soon as
they got out of the school; knew nothing oftheir
conduct in school. Witness name appeared
OF petition opposing Mr.. Thompson. His
opposition was not to Mr.. Thompson, but to
his son, who was employed as his assistant.
He did not know Mr.. Thompson to be other
than a competent teacher. Witness was not
aware that Mr.. Thompson's attention had
ever been called to the conduct of the boys
after school was out.
In answer to questions put by Mr.. Thomp-
son, Mr.. Boswell replied that he had not been
in Mr.. ThOmpsOn's school for the last two
years; was not aware of the hours that Mr..
Thompson was required to be present; did not
know whether the boys who had fights after
school were members of his (Mr. Thompson's)
Grammar school; knew that they belonged to
the jefferson building; knew of the character
of one of the examinations from the reports in
the papers.
MPUDENT BOYS.
Witness had seen Mr. Thompson's own boys
put their fingers to their nose (illustrating)
and playing their fingers at Mr.. Thompson's
son; did not know whether that was discipline
or not.
There was some discussion at this point as
to the manner of conducting the examina-
ton.
Trustee LLOYD held that Trustee Champlin
should present his case first.
Trustee Randolph stated that 1t was proposed
first to hear evidence as to Mr.. Thompson's
care of school property.
1t was finally determined to hear from the
committee on property of tie public schools.
Trustees Derrick and Brooks, from the COM
mittee on property, were examined as to the
condition of the school property under Mr..
Thompson, and testified to the fact of the desks
being cut and the water closets and lower part |
of the building being in a bad condition. Trus- |
tee Brooks said that the condition of the Male |
Grammar SCHOOL attracted special attention on |
account Of the evident ill-usage the furniture |
had received.
Charles H. Parker, ianitor of the jefferson |
school bIilding, was sworn, and testified that |
he had called the attention of the principal to
injuries done to the furniture, but could not |
remember any particular case. Witness had |
seen spit-balls on the ceilings and the walls
in most of the boys rooms, and had taken
them down. Did not know that Mr.. Thomp-
son had ever suspended any boys whom wit
ness had reported. One transom light in
the building had been broken, and that was
broken by falling out. The floor of the Male
Grammar school was not covered with t9bac-
co spittle. All the furniture in the building
was new, except that in Mr. Thompcon's room
and one other. The b'ack-boards IN Mr..
ThomIsoa's room Were punched full of holes,
to greater extent than in any other room.
Mr.. Thompson's room had been scrubbed
three or four times during the school year. |
No other room had been scrubbed so many
times.
Questioned by Mr.. Thompson: Witness said
the loom was used once week for public
meeting of a debating society. Recollected
once that Mr.. Thompson examined all the
boys in the building and took from them two
or three hundred pea-shooters. 1t was the
uniform practice of Mr.. Thompson, whe wit
ness reported boy to him for damaging prop
ertv, to send the boy home and call attention
of the parents to the fact. 1t was a daily &C. ]
currence to see parents at the close Of school
who had come to see about some case of breach
of discipline. Witness had last winter exam
ined the water-closets of the Third district and
had expressed the opinion that the water
closets of the jefferson building were in quite
as good condition as those in the Third dis
trict.
1t was elected from the witness further, that
the closets which were put in order two years
ago are now broken out; witness knew that
the damage was done by the boys in the school
building; witness had reported some boys to
Mr.. Thompson in the case Of certain damages
done by them, and knew that nothing had
been done to the boys; did not know that any
money was paid to cover the damage; witness
had received money from boys to pay for |
broken panes of glass; never found any to-
bacco juice on the floor Of Mr.. Thompson's
room after the debating society had met; the
sweeps had sometimes reported tobacco spit /
on the floor during school days; Mr.. Thompson
had SEM the boys to their parents in sIch |
cases.
The committee then adjourned until 7o'clock
this evening, when the citizens from South
Washington will be heard.