Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-08-09


These facts, in our Judgment, present
very serious aspect OF this case. The teacher
IL In loco parents, and IL the example Of the
parent is so controlling upon the life OF bis
child, the example of the teacher IL equally
so. The habits OF teachers, so important Q
matter as the use OF Intoxicating drinks
cannot be ignored by those upon whom their
fellow citizens have imposed the sworn trust
of choosing public instructors for their chill
dren.
The plea that the use is 30 moderate as
not TO disqualify him for his school work
does not touch the question of the pernicious
Is not how much he drinks, but that IL is his
practice to visit public bars, and that his
boys know II. Neither will the set of of
msn h a
vice OF q physician need not, aud he GER
tainly would not, unless q man of social
habits, so called drink openly at the public
bars. When the doctor finds his patient pur-
suing such course he generally orders q
halt.
tits very humiliatius that 1t appears in
evidence that Mr.. T. has taken the social
glass ct public bars, not only with members
of The board and ex-trustees, who now advo
cate his re- appointment, out with those VINO
oppose it, This only makes 1t the more i'm
perative for this board To place itself by its
action In this case squarely on the side of
public morals, and 10 determ Inc, al least so
far as this precedent can nx 1t, that the
training of our youth shall not he commit
ted 10 those whose example may in any
wise tempt to ruin.
This case has excited q painful interest not
only from the facts developed. but from the
long and successful career of Mr. Thompson
as teacher. The expectations raised by his
former success as a teacher have not been
realized in his new position OF supervising
principal, and the committee would will
irgly have thrown over his personal faults
The mantle OF charity had not this public
exhibit been compelled by the indiscreet
JOHN RANDOLPH,
GEO. w DYER.
concur in the conclusion of my as sOciates,
MessrS. Randolph and Dyer.
CHAs. E. HovEY.
Mr.. Lloyd submitted a minority report,
signed by Mr.. Monatt and himself, as fol-
lows:
The undersigned, minority of the commit
tee on teachers. pectfully report that after
a very careful examination of the evidence
in The case OF John h. Thompson, We are I'M
able to concur in the conclusions of the ma
jOTity report, for the following reasons:
That the allegations that Mr. Thompson has
rot taken proper care Of the school proper
ty, as supervising principal of said district,
has not been sustained by any evidence;
but, on the contrary, proof has been ELECTED
that the school property Is In as good condi-
ton now as when he took charge OF 10 as SUI
pervising principal two years ago, reasona-
bic wear excepted.
A personal examination of ] Jefferson school
building by the committee developed the
fact that the desks IN the male grammar
school, having been in use tea years, are In
better condition than other desks In the
same building that had been used only four
years.
AS to the water closets on the male side of
the building, situated 200 feet IN the rear, 1t
clearly appears from the evidence that the
principal Is not In fault for their condition,
tnasmuch as the janitor is about much of the
time during the school hours attending to his
private business elsewhere.
The success and efficiency of Mr.. Thomp-
son as teacher are sustained by abundant
testimony, and are admitted by the COM
mtttee and superintendent. MIR. Thompson's
efficiency as q teacher was not questioned
by the committee. Mr. Thonpson's quaIid-
cations as supervising principal and teach
er having been proven, at the very last
moment an effort was made to attack his
private character as man. A formidable
list of restaurants and principal hotels was
pTeserted and an inquiry was m 9de whether
Mr.. Thompson had been IN all OF the restau-
rants.
Mr. Thompson, in order to save time and
avoid any appearance OF concealment, frank
~ admitted that he may have, In the course
Of O life time residence in this city, visited
any or perhs ps all of them, chiefly for lunch
and ne positively denied visiting them as q
habit for the purpose Of using Intoxicating
crlnEs, although a declaration was made
that witnesses were present 10 prove hat he
had been In all Of these places. Not oIs OF
them was ever asked 10 specify one, aud the
aggregate of tie proof By all the witnesses
together was that he might have been in
restaurants or hotels a dozen times within
the last two or three years.
To this may be added the testimony OF Mr.
Ballantyne to the effect that he had seen Hr.
Thompson in past years, ard much less FREE
quentiy during last year, going into restau-
rants about noon. Mr.. BaIlan'y ne does not
testify To MS drinking. The evidence shows
that Mr.. Thompson received Invitations
nom trustees TO visit restaurants and drink
with them, but no word OF reprOOt was ever
given by trustee that the example was BAT
fof his pupils. There was TCt "a scintilla of
evidence attucsd that Mr.. Thompson had
ever drank with Or in tue presence OF his
pupils, or ever been 10 tie least ander the
There isIo rule OF the boGrt IN terdictlug q
trustee or a teacher from entering hotel or
restaurant, and IL is difficult TO conceive
any reason why the example of a trustee is
less important than that OF q teacher. In the
case OF Mr.. Thompson The evidence shows
that, so far from having been reprovet for
his course, be has been encouraged in 1t by
the trustees. Mr.. Thompson having lived
forty i've years In this community, where
the views in regard to this matter are not SO
rigid as in some more northern cities, 1t is
lot surprising that he fell In with the Gus
toms OF the people, among whom he has
lived SO long. 1t would not be unreasonable
to expect that those who entertain different
views should at least caution and reprOve
before undertaking to infiict the extreme
penalty for nOn-concurrence with them.
In all points of morals and practice In
which there is any common agreement of
opinion Mr.. Thompson is not only above re
this city.
Inc charge tQaL MI. THOMPSON mas called
boys in school "Iiars," testified to by two or
three ex-pupils who evidently appeared to be
Influenced by personal hostility. is fatty con-
tradicted by the testimony of thirty pupils
who have been attending his school during
the last three or four years contemporaries
Gus with the boys who testified adversely.
The staten ent of these pupils Is hereto an
nexed and made a part of this report. For
twenty-seven years Mr.. Thompson mas been
a teacher in the public schools of this city,
annually receiving from the trustees the
strongest expressions OF their approval.
Wherever the schools are known his name
Is mentioned with honor. Hundreds OF our
beet citizens are living testimonials to his
efficiency. No stain rests upon his character,
even discovered by the microscopic inspec-
tioDs of this investigation. Tue charges
originally alleged against him have been
GjsprOved or abandoned. The confidence so
long reposed in him has not been shaken. All
of II e ex-trCstees OF the district with two
excepttons) which he has so long served
with many OF his old pupils, representing
hundreds more, have testified In the strong
est terms 10 bis efficiency as a teacher and
supervising principal and the almost unan-
imOus oesiTe OF the people OF that district for
his retention.
To remove him would be not only to dis
regard the wishes OF those most interested
but IL would be a blow at the confidence of
The public In the management OF our public
schools.
The minority of the committee, therefore,
recommend that Mr. Inhu y b..