Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-08-15
The Case or John e. rhompse..

Waskiaa fen-A CoWMitfee 4ppoinSeB
To Wait On the District CossM iss towers.
Last evening meeting was held at Biake's
hall, 7th street, near Maryland avenue, to
consider the recent action Of the Board of
Public School Trustees In the removal Of
Mr.. John Z. Thorn pson, principal Of the 4th
district schools. The meeting was one Of the
largest ever hold in South Warrington, and
LEApIxe CITIZENS OF TIE DISTRICT
were present Among them Were Wm. Ash
down, ]. B. Ellis, J. +. Cassell, w. Martin,
W. B. Evans, ]. e. r. Holmead, ". ]. Ste
3 MOTIF. csaries walter, Henry Lee, Nv.
Hshor s ~ Dn. J. r kiisy, tho. 8. kaiSfas..
3 %Se.l a ScSn BE- Ssp F.hsr
George Noyes, John a. Bird, Joseph T. Lee,
" I a.DSyc r Gu ~ xas TnsT p1
Latimore, q. II. Ridenoar, H. W. Blunt, B.
B. C%Ean, 7; RILEY VI A. A David , !; e:
Tucker, T. B. Barron, ,. r. Clements, L.W.
Wright, and A. b. Stephenson.
Mr.. George B. Clark called the meeting TO
Order and semstsinS That nat he prssu% tast
call from TEE STAR, as matter OF form.
Mr.. w. ]. Stephenson nomi oated Mr.. j. E.
+. Holmesd as permanent president, and be
was elected.
CHAIRMAN HoLMEAD ON CHAMPLIN.
On TAXI g the chair, Mr.. Hoimea1 said il
was frdeed su honor to be called TO preside
most respectable ever convened In South
Wa>hinRt ton, for which honor he than sed
them. He eraved more indulgence than W. 5
gravity Of tne subjects aessrSe th sas
the simple statement Of the objects OF the
meeting. Here we have q teacher of q years
bad for over a quarter OF a century remained
uDsulIied had been attacked, not openly, but
by low, petty, mean spirit. VINO would
not hesitate to do worse. Mr.. Thompson
was not attacked by an open foe, but by one
who comes as thief in the night. The Ques.
tloii Is, who IL the man who had stricken
him down. 1t had been charged that Mr..
Thompson was drinking man, and his
example was therefore pernicious, and this
by a trustee, obscure and illiterate, VINO
had, by one OF those accidents by which the
appointment For q time he was a good
trrstee-TbompsOn thought that there was
no such trustee in the District, simply
had devoted himself to anything except mis-
employers business. Mr.. Thompson re-
ceived him a. q friend, and had It not bean
long since ceased his connection with the
board. Twice had Champlin been of the
board when Mr.. Thompson, through Crosby
the schools, obtained his reappointment.
Until the erection OF the Jefferson Build
ing there was good feeling, but then Mr..
Thompson, as ne had . perfect right to
do, made some suggestions. ana Champ
lin ceased 70 speak TO Thompson. He
mt ID ascertaining the state OF feeling,
Ssevs IL eoua o1 psS bad a s.
Champlin a"teamster." Cham plin was chair
man OF the building committee, and q bill
having been presented TO the Commissioners
to which there was some question, and 1t
having been stated that Mr. Champlin, as a
carpenter, had certified TO the correctness Of
IL, Mr.: Thompson remarked, merely to show
Is teamster, Rand the low groveling nature
took advantage of this. Andrew johnson
never denied that he was tailor, but this
occupations thing OF which no honorable
man would be ashamed. Mr.. Wilson saw
Champlin as TO an interview, with view of
bringing about good feeling. IL was agreed
That M. @. s.. NOyes should be present, aud
when 1t WAS suggested that he (Mr. q. }
should also be present, Mr.. Champlia OBJ
Jected. He ascertaiDed the reason after
wards. Champlfn wished to deny that he
had used q certain remark as to o funeral,
(beretOfore referred to In THE STAR and
did not wish the lie to be given him, as 1t
certainly would have been given had he
whether they will submit quietly to the
action of the Board of Trustees. A petition
against Mr.. Tbompson's appointment had
been signed by IL perfOns, and 10 had with
drawn their names, while OF the remaining
] had some personal feeling against Mr..
Thompson on account Of the correction of
while on the other hand there is q petition OF
400 in his favor. There were only grammar
schools In the District, and Of the teachers
have been stricken down without hearing
for an Investigation with
HovKY As PROSECUTOR
Is worse than no hearing. These women
teachers have no tenure OF ONCE, there is no
security for them, and when any one objects
the nomination goes to the committee on
teachers, where HOvey Is the prosecutor, the
jury and the judge, and Of course the teacher
these things to be after Chsmpiin and Goo i.
win AtLee "a clerk at SO per month } had
gone around for two days Aud succeeded In
Mr.. Thompson. He believed there was jus
t1ce which would be melted out to them for
the skiing. Before closing be spoke ir high
terms Of the colored trustee from that dis
Thompson while Champlin grossly misrep-
resented the people.
SECRETARY.
Mr.. Thomas B. Kalbfuss was elected secre-
taIy, and he briefly remarked that he was 10
full 81 mpathy with the objects of the meet
ing as stated BY Mr.. Holmead.
Mr.. Stephenson moved the appointment of
COMMITTEE ON RESOLUTIONS,
White, L. W. Wright and Samuel Gsdney
Mr.. Hoimesd, while The Committee was
absent, invited those on the other side to
speak, but there was no response.
"A FBOA Oh. MORGAN.
Mr.. Stephenson remarked that he had q
letter from gentleman who had ser we'd the
old seventh ward In the councils and the
school board, and read the following:
WASHINGTON, d. c., August IA, 1876.
Wni. J. Stephenson, Esq:
Dear SIR: i regret that professional en-.
gagement prevents me from accepting the
invitation 70 your meeting to might. take
the time, however, TO say that Am with you
in heart and spirit. Rulers should under
stand that this Ia an age of thought and en-
lishtenment, and that the people are no
longer children al the mercy of their
csprtces. The very education impaired by the
public school sy stem has made parents In
tellectually the peers Of the school trustees,
ard therefore judges OF the mental, moral
and social qualifications OF the tutors OF
their children. This has been denied them
by majority OF the present board OF trus-
tees. In those good old days when repre-
sented South Washington In the board OF
aldermen, and when II was an honor TO be
an alderman, we conferred with our con-
stituents as TO their wishes.
The present government of the District of
Columbia receives the appreciation and sup
port of most Of our best citizens, beca use it
is subject TO no objections that would not
apply TO any other form OF government, ex-
cept that IL is not representative, and there.
fore can, as In this case, disregard the wishes
of the governed. The Commissioners should
not only consult the wishes OF our citizens,
bu. should see that their SD bOrdina tes do the